tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60245475951542440712024-02-19T20:28:17.413-06:00the sourceChrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-32961906590274518502013-02-04T13:32:00.001-06:002013-02-04T13:32:36.155-06:00Women and Medications<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">It’s
not well known that women experience a <b>greater number of more severe side
effects from medications than men do.</b> Dr. Janine Clayton of the
Office of Research on Women’s Health (National Institutes of Health) recently
raised the issue after the Food and Drug Administration was evaluating a new
sleeping pill, Intermezzo. Blood tests to learn how much of the drug remains
in a user’s system the morning after taking it uncovered that men metabolized
the drug much more rapidly than women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Until
1993, women of childbearing age were not included in new drug trials.
When the ban on use of females was lifted that year, researchers realized that
many of the “landmark” studies, including the study on aspirin use to prevent
heart disease and stroke, had not included women, leaving them to wonder
whether or not aspirin was effective for women in avoiding these conditions. <b>Because so many drugs
were tested exclusively on men, it’s not known what the effects will be for
women until a drug reaches the market.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">A study done by the Government Accountability Office found that
8 of 10 drugs removed from the market between 1997 and 2000 posed significantly
more health risks to women than men.</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";"> For example, a common antihistamine (Seldane) and a
digestive aid (Propulsid) both caused dangerous heart arrhythmia in women – as
do many drugs still on the market, including antibiotics and cholesterol
medications.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">But,
the opposite may also be true – certain blood pressure medications and
antibiotics appear to be more effective in women, and women typically wake up
faster from anesthesia. There are also clearly different responses to
tobacco and alcohol: women smokers are more susceptible to cancer and heart
disease than male smokers, women under 50 have higher blood alcohol content
than men of the same age after consuming the same amount of alcohol, and women
experience alcohol-related heart damage at lower levels of alcohol consumption
than men.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">The
Society for Women’s Health Research has created a useful online tool, <i>Fact
Sheet: Sex Differences in Response to Pharmaceuticals, Tobacco, Alcohol, and
Illicit Drugs: </i><a href="http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/PageServer?pagename=hs_healthfacts_dat">http://www.womenshealthresearch.org/site/PageServer?pagename=hs_healthfacts_dat</a>.
And the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research has new guidelines for
studies of new drugs, which require that studies include gender response
differences in the earliest stages of drug development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Hopefully,
there is increased attention to the physiological differences between females
and males that may affect a range of products and dosages, among other things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">We
continue to remind decision-makers to consider the results of <b>all</b> laws,
research, policies, and services – and the possible disproportionate effect
they may have on women – before making a judgment or conclusion. The
results of not doing so, such as those discovered in the scientific field, may
be life-changing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-28066270803022458982013-01-28T15:26:00.001-06:002013-01-28T15:26:32.328-06:00Family Leave Policies<br />
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">A
new study by the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers University reports that working women who have paid family leave are
much more likely to be working after the birth of a child and, most often,
experience an increase in wage from pre- to post-birth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">The
study analyzed information from the US Department of Labor between 1997 and
2009. Among the findings, the study noted that since the mid-1980s, there
has been a 13% increase (now nearly 73%)
in the percentage of children with both parents (or the only parent) working
outside the home. And despite a tremendous amount of rhetoric
about “family values,” “support for working families,” and “keeping our
children secure,” the United States lags far behind other industrialized
nations when it comes to policies that support workers needing time off for
family time and needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Except
for only a few states, practice in this country is limited to unpaid leave,
despite 1993’s passage of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which requires
that companies with a least 50 workers provide up to 12 weeks of leave (unpaid
and not job-protected) annually “for their own health or the health of a family
members.” This leaves most employees to patch together sick time,
vacation time, disability insurance, or unpaid time off to deal with personal
or family health problems. Most low-income workers have not vacation,
sick leave, or PTO (Paid Time Off).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">The
United States in among the 3 countries
(out of 178 – the others are Swaziland and Papua New Guinea) that do not
mandate maternity paid leave. And only 11% of private sector
employees and 17% of public sector employees have access to paid leave through
their employer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Specific
key findings of the report include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">¬<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Women who report taking paid leave are
more likely to be working 9 to 12 months after a child’s birth than are those
who report taking no leave at all (“non</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria Math","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cambria Math";">‐</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">leave
takers”).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">¬<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Paid family leave increases wages for
women with children. Women who report leaves of 30 or more days are 54%
more likely to report wage increases in the year following the child’s birth
than are women who take no leave at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">¬<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Women who return to work after a paid leave
have a 39% lower likelihood of receiving public assistance and a 40% lower
likelihood of food stamp receipt in the year following the child’s birth, when
compared to those who return to work and take no leave at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";">¬<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Men who return to work after a paid
family leave have a significantly lower likelihood of receiving public
assistance and food stamps in the year following the child’s birth when
compared to those who return to work and take no family leave at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Linda
Houser of the Center for Women and Work summarizes the positive economic
benefit of paid leave policies: "While we have known for a long time
about the maternal and infant health benefits of leave policies, we can now
link paid family leave to greater labor force attachment and increased wages
for women, as well as to reduced spending by businesses in the form of employee
replacement costs, and by governments in the form of public assistance."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Forbes</span></i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> magazine sums up the economic benefits of paid leave
in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Paid
family leave addresses a reality that directly
impacts every business and should be planned for strategically,
uniformly and deliberately,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Paid
family leave is NOT a tax, but income
replacement insurance program funded by employees at minimal cost, and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">We are paying for a cost for caregiving already</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> -
indirectly and inefficiently, through employee turnover, retraining, and
workplace productivity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">This
is the type of information Chrysalis works to provide to policy makers through
SOLUTIONS, our annual legislative breakfast. Our work is to provide
factual, objective information that should be taken into account when decisions
– state, local, individual – are being made that affect girls, women, and
working families.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Thank
you for being a leader in this work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">If
you’d like to read the full report: </span></i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> <a href="http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/DocServer/Pay_Matters_-_Positive_Economic_Impacts_of_Paid_Family_L.pdf?docID=9681"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/DocServer/Pay_Matters_-_Positive_Economic_Impacts_of_Paid_Family_L.pdf?docID=9681</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-57001011256566374082013-01-21T08:50:00.000-06:002013-01-21T08:50:10.559-06:00Human Trafficking in Iowa<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, a definition:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
act of human trafficking s the providing, buying, and selling of men, women,
and children who will be exploited until they are no longer able to work, or
are sold repeatedly to be violently, sexually abused. Mobility is
important, as traffickers move victims quickly away from home and/or family in
order to build dependence and fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According
to a September 2012 special report, <i>Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery
Exploiting the Vulnerable</i>, trafficking human beings is the <b>world’s
fastest-growing organized criminal activity, generating a “market value” of $32
to $39 billion annually</b>. It is second only to drugs as the largest
source of profit for organized crime, surpassing the sale of guns for the last
10 years. The “average” trafficker earns $47,000 per week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chrysalis is proud to be serving on a Task Force with the Attorney General's Office related to human trafficking in Iowa. Through this process, we have learned a lot in a short amount of time that we wan to share.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #c30601; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Eighty percent of victims of human trafficking are female, 50% of victims are
children; average age of targets for trafficking is 11-14 years old. </b>One in 3 runaway youth
is approached for commercial sex within 48 hours of being on the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iowa
is an easy target for traffickers because of the intersection of key interstate
highways connecting Minneapolis, Kansas City, Chicago, and Omaha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iowa was awarded a “D” grade on the <i>Protected Innocence
Challenge</i> by SharedHope (<a href="http://sharedhope.org/PICframe2/reportcards/PIC_RC_2012_IO.pdf">http://sharedhope.org/PICframe2/reportcards/PIC_RC_2012_IO.pdf</a>),
in part, because our prostitution laws do not reference the human trafficking
law to identify a commercially sexually-exploited minor as a victim of
trafficking rather than a person soliciting money for sex.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, because of inadequate training and resources, law
enforcement encounters are likely taking place where human trafficking is
present, but it is not being recognized – more often, the charge is
prostitution. Since 2006, only 2 cases have been prosecuted under the
Iowa Human Trafficking Statute.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another problem with Iowa law is that purchasers of sex with
minors must register as sex offenders only if convicted of human trafficking or
solicitation of commercial sexual activity. If a buyer is convicted under
the prostitution statute, even when it involves a minor child, the buyer is not
required to register as a sex offender.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These
are among the concerns now being addressed by this team, which includes about
20 judicial, legal, public safety, and educational institution
representatives. In addition, Former Iowa Senator Maggie Tinsman of Davenport brings
the resources of <i>Braking Traffik</i>, a nonprofit organization she founded
to address this growing issue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last
year, Chrysalis hosted its first Roundtable Community Conversation, and the
issue of trafficking was presented by Lt. Joe Gonzalez of the Des Moines Police
Department (and Chrysalis Board member) and a representative of the US District Attorney's Office. We will continue to build public awareness and
education about trafficking, as its devastating impact on girls and women
increasingly comes to light.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later
this year, we plan to host a screening in the Chrysalis Office of <b><i>Not My
Life</i></b>, a documentary produced in 2011 depicting the tragic effects of
this multi-billion dollar global industry targeting girls and young
children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-6078385863720095922013-01-15T10:24:00.000-06:002013-01-15T10:24:41.371-06:00A Look Back at 2012<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">As you know, 2012 was a year of women’s accomplishments – we were primary
breadwinners in a majority of US households, we were more educated than ever
previously, and we saw females named to leadership positions in the political
and corporate world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">But the <i>Harvard Business Review</i> noted earlier this month that there
are still puzzling issues females will be facing in 2013, which continue to
make us wonder about how much progress we have yet to make: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">PAY:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> According to the latest research, women are better
educated than ever – earn nearly 60% of college degrees. But we are still
paid, on average, 23% less than men. Career and life choices may cause
some of this disparity, but in an analysis of full-time employees 10 years out
of college, there was still a 12% difference in earnings not explained by
profession or educational level.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">GENDER STEREOTYPES:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <i>Catalyst</i>,
a research firm tracking women’s progress in all fields, confirms that gender
stereotypes make it difficult for female leaders to feel comfortable taking a
“leadership” attitude because they are perceived as either competent <i>or</i>
liked, but not both. <i>Forbes</i> recently reported, "Studies show
that assertive women are more likely to be perceived as aggressive; that women
usually don't ask for what they deserve but when they do, they risk being
branded as domineering or, worse even, "ambitious."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">PROMOTIONS:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Females still attain far
fewer job slots at the top of the corporation – only 4% of CEOs in the Fortune
1,000 top companies are female, and Congress is still less than 20%
women. There may be many ways to rationalize this fact, but the pool of
qualified candidates for top jobs or leadership positions gets smaller when the
best women leave to raise a family or for other opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">NETWORKING: </span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Women may build wonderful
relationships, but we seldom use our connections for jobs or promotions.
When we network, we typically don’t exchange business ideas or ask for jobs,
and we need to use this opportunity for the career potential it offers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">BUSINESS OWNERSHIP:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Females are
wonderful entrepreneurs, but it’s tough to find venture capital. A
2012 analysis by Dow Jones <i>VentureSource</i> reported that women launch
nearly half of all startups, and the most successful startups have more women
in senior positions than unsuccessful ones. Yet less than 7% of
executives in over 20,000 companies studied by Dow Jones were women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“HAVE-IT-ALL” SYNDROME”:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Women
today still feel pressure to “have it all” and can become stressed or
discouraged when we realize this seems impossible. Both women and men
feel this pressure, but more often, women leave work or change schedules when it’s
needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Our work in raising awareness about these challenges is important not
only because of fairness, but because girls and women need confidence and
support as they move up the corporate or political ladder, and more qualified
girls and women fill the pipeline for the future. Avoiding the mixed
messages and coaching girls and women to achieve their aspirations is the work
of Chrysalis. </span>Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-14626111607267711112013-01-07T09:12:00.002-06:002013-01-07T09:13:21.448-06:00Children with High Needs<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently,
the Child and Family Policy Center issued a report documenting the challenges
faced by many of Iowa’s children and their families. The report, "<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001Jvvl05mGsyA47oPfjwwhSwzbuhAmdQmKHuha54odSjTnX5glzpxW7uCnWoFPdiqX0IVh8KSpmk5FHXKEaQCrKZCSIHtGX8a9eijlsz2k95PJn-fuV4VbVe1NiBr62iU9RBRoZumKNF1_JsJAFcGX0I-izZ333yEI94Q6QODhHRfLYIOjW28XI9CxZ-gZNi4Yxf93Tg68tuE00U3qInbZRBiAG0UW8VothwCax8VceLd4_MZnq0k1EotoI21Mm9idESxUnEg0iIylufqhFaEHxUZtCEPXwtHfwoj0exwqyDSbrAsz5NO3Rg==" target="_blank">A Baseline on Iowa's Young Children: Capturing the Demand for
Early-Childhood Services</a>" notes that Iowa has one of the nation’s
highest rates of children with one or both parents working, and an increasing
number of single parent families. These are just 2 of the many factors
that contribute to stress within the family and affecting young children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although a majority of Iowa children begin school in good health
and with appropriate cognitive, language, and social/emotional development –
termed “school readiness” – to be prepared to engage in learning. There
is, however, a significant share of Iowa children who are dramatically behind
their peers and require special assistance to “catch up.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nationally, 56% of children begin school behind peers in at least
one measure (cognitive, social/emotional, or physical), and 21% are behind in 2
or more areas – requiring significant school time and investment in
remediation. These facts led researchers to question <i><u>whether it is
possible to identify these children early and provide support and assistance
that will reduce this trend</u></i>. A tremendous amount of data points
to identifying and responding to high-need children through <b>the family</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are what the report terms “Top-line Findings” in defining
children with high needs:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 110%;">• <span style="letter-spacing: .1pt;"> </span>The<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">r</span>e is no one measu<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e th<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">a</span>t <span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">c</span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">p</span>tu<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">r</span>es “need” among child<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>en; <span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">a</span>ther a clu<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">st</span>er of cha<span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">r</span>ac<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">t</span>eri<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">s</span>tics<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;"> </span>th<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">a</span>t
<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">c</span>o<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>tribu<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">t</span>e <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">t</span>o
<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">g</span>ood<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">
</span>or bad ou<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">t</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">c</span>omes.<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">
</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 110%;">On <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">a</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">r</span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">g</span>e,
the p<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">v</span>alence of poor earl<span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">y</span>-childhood ou<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">tc</span>omes is highe<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">s</span>t among
child<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>en of less-edu<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">cat</span>ed, unmarried or adolesce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t pa<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>ts, pa<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>ts who a<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e
dep<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>essed, pa<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>ts with limi<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">t</span>ed in<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">c</span>omes
who h<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">a</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>e difficulty<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt;"> </span>me<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">e</span>ting<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;"> </span>basic
needs, and among child<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">r</span>en with
special needs themsel<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>es.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">•
<span style="letter-spacing: .1pt;"> </span>A<span style="letter-spacing: 1.2pt;"> </span>signifi<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">c</span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t<span style="letter-spacing: -.3pt;"> </span>sha<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e of Io<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">w</span>a
<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">f</span>amilies <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">f</span>ace e<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">c</span>onomic <span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">s</span>t<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">r</span>ess;
ma<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">n</span>y a<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">r</span>e headed <span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">b</span>y <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">y</span>oung and less-edu<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">ca</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">t</span>ed pa<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">r</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>ts.
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Mo<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e than 40 pe<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t
of I<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">w</span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.7pt;">’</span>s <span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">y</span>oung child<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">r</span>en li<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>e in households
below 200 pe<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t of p<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>ert<span style="letter-spacing: -.8pt;">y</span>,
a <span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>eali<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">s</span>tic<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;"> </span>measu<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e of wh<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">a</span>t
it <span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">t</span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.35pt;">k</span>es <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">t</span>o support a <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">f</span>amil<span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt;">y</span>.
Nearly one in fi<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;"> </span>(19 pe<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t of the <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">t</span>o<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">t</span>al) li<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>e
in households below 100 pe<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t of p<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>erty ($22,314 <span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">f</span>or a <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">f</span>amily of <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">f</span>our in 2010). In 2010, 17 pe<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t
of I<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">w</span>a fi<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">s</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.35pt;">t</span>-time<span style="letter-spacing: -.35pt;"> </span>births, and 8 pe<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t of <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">t</span>o<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">t</span>al
births, <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">w</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">t</span>o adolesce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t mothe<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span>s,
almo<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">s</span>t all of whom <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">w</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e
unmarried with less than a high school diploma.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 110%;">• <span style="letter-spacing: .1pt;">A</span>nother<span style="letter-spacing: 1.2pt;"> </span>signifi<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">c</span>a<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t<span style="letter-spacing: -.3pt;"> </span>sha<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e of Io<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">w</span>a
child<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>en h<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">a</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>e special health
needs</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 110%;">. In <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">f</span>act, 21 pe<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t of I<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">w</span>a child<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>en
<span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">f</span>our mo<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>ths <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">t</span>o fi<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">y</span>ea<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span>s
of a<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">g</span>e a<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">a</span>t mode<span style="letter-spacing: -.25pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">at</span>e
or high risk of d<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>elopme<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">t</span>al, beh<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">a</span>vio<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span>al or social del<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">a</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">y</span>s. Based on n<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">a</span>tional<span style="letter-spacing: -.3pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>esea<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span>ch,
<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">w</span>e kn<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">o</span>w <span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>er 50 pe<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t of <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">y</span>oung
child<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">r</span>en begin kinde<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">g</span>ar<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">t</span>en behind in <span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">a</span>t lea<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">s</span>t one a<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>ea of special need<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and <span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">o</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>er
20 pe<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">r</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">n</span>t h<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">a</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>e multiple<span style="letter-spacing: -.35pt;"> </span>needs th<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">a</span>t <span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>equi<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e
<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>en
g<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">r</span>e<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">at</span>er
l<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt;">e</span><span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">v</span>els
of support.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we know, the United Way of Central Iowa’s Women’s Leadership
Connection has supported early childhood education as a key priority for the
past 10 years, assisting with accreditation of early learning centers and
preschools, facility improvements, book drives, teacher training, and volunteer
readers. Several Chrysalis Board members have participated in this
tremendous project.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The work of Chrysalis takes place in prevention efforts through
Chrysalis After-School, which we created and have funded since 1998. Our
goal is to assure that girls gain the knowledge and skills to become resilient
and successful women – overcoming and/or avoiding these “top-line findings" that
cause the next generation (<u>their families</u>) to face these tremendous
challenges. Since we began, nearly 6,000 adolescent girls have been part
of this powerful program. It’s the best investment in the future we can
possibly make.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-54307371517352879722013-01-02T10:09:00.000-06:002013-01-02T10:10:48.743-06:00Ever-Present Stereotypes<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">One thing that struck me over the past few
weeks, however, is the fact that in some cases, it seems as though we are
losing ground. In particular, in the prevalence of stereotypes that has
seemed to worsen over the past year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">For example, during a Christmas shopping
expedition, I happened to notice gender segregation in the <i>toy department</i>! Even though there have been efforts to neutralize
gender stereotyping (there’s now a blue Easy Bake Oven for boys and there’s a
Lego line made just for girls – although the girls’ line is more about <i>beauty</i>
and <i>domesticity</i> than building), aisles and displays filled with pink and
pastel, with toys involving homemaking and beauty obviously catered to girls,
and across the way, blue and army green aisles filled with action, sports, and
building-oriented toys were filled with boys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I did a bit of research, and found that
although there had been clear gender-based marketing when I was little, it
somewhat disappeared in the 1970s <b>– in fact, a researcher noted that in
1975, more than 70% of toys in the Sears catalog showed no markings of gender
at all – there were even photos of girls playing airline pilots and boys
cooking in the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Over the past 30+ years, gender-based
marketing has become much more explicit, causing increased pressure for girls
and boys to stay within <i>the manufacturers’</i> boundaries for their play
choices. <b>According to the <i>Journal of Applied Developmental
Psychology</i>, parents interviewed when leaving a toy store reported
purchasing gender-typed toys because the kids <u>asked</u> for them, even
though the toy may not have been the parents’ choice. </b>This type of
phenomenon has no doubt fueled the development and marketing of gender-based
toys under the guise of gender-differentiated play preferences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Experts believe that the reflection of
stereotypes about gender roles in toys and their marketing shows how little
retail marketers’ attitudes have changed over time – even though 70% of mothers
are in the labor force today, and most domestic responsibilities within a
family are shared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In a culture that bombards us with gender
messages, it’s <b>so</b> important that we help both boys and girls understand
that the choices and options are completely open to them, regardless of
gender. In Chrysalis After-School programs, we help girls navigate the
gender-biased messages they see and hear in order to dispel the myths they
convey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN" style="color: #632523; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">P.S. Just for fun – when you think the
minds and marketers in Hollywood are finally “getting it” -- </span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;"><a href="http://youtu.be/i1FZF4nynMI">http://youtu.be/i1FZF4nynMI</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-47273670745927265392012-12-19T11:39:00.001-06:002012-12-19T11:39:57.921-06:00Media Messages <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
all know that “reality TV” is the new norm for network television, but what we
don’t know is that its effect on children, particularly girls, is extremely
detrimental. The Girl Scout Research Institute conducted a survey of
nearly 1,150 girls, ages 11-17, to find what their thoughts were about their
favorite types of programming and how television changes the way they think
about themselves and their lives. The findings were disturbing; here is
what they found:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of
girls surveyed, regular reality TV viewers* differ dramatically from their
non-viewing peers in their expectations of peer relationships, their overall
self-image, and their understanding of how the world works. The findings also
suggest that reality TV can function in the lives of girls as a learning tool
and as inspiration for getting involved in social causes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finding 1: Relationship Drama<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All
of the girls in the study feel that reality shows promote bad behavior.
The vast majority think these shows “often pit girls against each other
to make the shows more exciting” (86%), “make people think that fighting is a
normal part of a romantic relationship” (73%), and “make people think it’s okay
to treat others badly" (70%).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Regular
reality TV viewers accept and expect a higher level of drama, aggression, and
bullying in their own lives as well. They are considerably more likely than
non-viewers to agree that:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->“Gossiping is a normal part of a relationship between girls”(78%
vs. 54%);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->“It’s in girls’ nature to be catty and competitive with one
another”(68% vs. 50%); and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->“It’s hard for me to trust other girls”(63% vs.
50%). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Regarding
boys, regular reality TV viewers are more likely than non-viewers to say “girls
often have to compete for a guy’s attention”(74% vs. 63%). As well, they
admit they are happier when they are dating someone or have a
boyfriend/significant other(49% vs. 28%).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finding 2: Two Sides to Self-Image<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
the study, we found that girls who view reality TV regularly are more focused
on the value of physical appearance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Seventy-two percent say they spend a lot of time on their
appearance (vs. 42% of non-viewers).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">More than a third (38%)think that a girl’s value is based on how
she looks (compared to 28% of non-viewers).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Th</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">ey would rather be recognized for their outer beauty than
their inner beauty (28% vs.18% of non-viewers).</span></span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At
the same time, regular reality TV viewers are more confident than non-viewers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->This group of girls is more self-assured than non-viewers when
it comes to virtually every personal characteristic we asked girls about, with
the
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->majority of regular reality TV viewers considering themselves
mature, a good influence, smart, funny, and outgoing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->They are more likely than non-viewers to both aspire to
leadership (46% vs. 27%) and to think they are currently seen as a leader(75%
vs. 63%).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->In addition, they are more likely to see themselves as role
models for other girls (75% vs. 61%).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finding 3: Success = Meanness + Lying<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
research indicates that regular reality TV viewers emphasize being mean and/or
lying to get ahead. A higher percentage of these girls as compared to
their non-viewing counterparts claim that sometimes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->“You have to lie to get what you want”(37% vs. 24%);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->“Being mean earns you more respect than being nice”(37% vs.
25%); and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->“You have to be mean to others to get what you want”(28%
vs.18%).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even
though these findings are negative, there are some positive effects:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finding 4: Positive Spin-Offs<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
the study, the benefits of reality TV most frequently noted by all girls were
opening the lines of communication, serving as a learning and motivational
tool, and encouraging girls to be active in social causes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Seventy-five percent of girls say that reality shows have
inspired conversation with their parents and/or friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Many girls receive inspiration and comfort from reality TV, with
68% agreeing that reality shows “make me think I can achieve anything in life”
and 48% that they “help me realize there are people out there like me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Seventy-five percent of girls say that reality TV depicts people
with different backgrounds and beliefs. Furthermore, 65% say such shows
introduce new ideas and perspectives, 62% say the shows have raised their
awareness of social issues and causes, and 59% have been taught new things that
they wouldn’t have learned about otherwise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whatever
the television programs – or other media messages - might be, it’s critical
that girls have a strong notion of right and wrong, know that what they see on
television is largely artificial, and recognize that their actions now will
affect their futures. This is just one of the strong positive findings of
our Chrysalis After-School program, and we can be proud that when compared with
other girls their age across the state, Chrysalis participants report higher
levels of this type of resilience than non-participants.</span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-30571606067114620052012-12-10T09:47:00.000-06:002012-12-10T09:47:55.561-06:00December 7th <br />
<div style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The meaning of “December 7” may be different for those of us not
old enough to remember WW II and the attack on Pearl Harbor. It happens to
be a day that reminds us of the many Americans now at war, particularly an
increasing number of women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We know that the US Defense Department now bans women from
participating in ground combat (although there is now a federal lawsuit to
overturn this ban). <b>But with about 14% of our military personnel being
women, a disturbing new finding is that women in general are more likely to
develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than men. Up to twice as
likely, some researchers posit.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Post-traumatic
stress disorder did not exist as a “formal” diagnosis until 1980, when it was
added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Prior
to this, the terms shell shock, battle fatigue, or post-Vietnam syndrome were
names given to various and severe adjustment problems experienced by recent war
veterans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">A recent study at the San Francisco VA Medical Center found that
women and men “learn” to fear differently. This “fear conditioning” is
vital to our safety, but in people with PTSD, a simple stimulus might trigger
this stress or fear response. Trash on the side of the road, or the smell
of gasoline or fire may get associated with an actual traumatic military
experience. When female and male veterans were tested for reactions
ranging from increased heart rate to rapid breathing when shown disturbing or
violent images – and several of the images were paired with a slight electric
shock, women had more significant reactions. The researchers
believe this demonstrates that women may learn fear responses from different
mechanisms, which may make them more susceptible to PTSD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Patricia Resick and other researchers in the Women’s Health
Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD at Boston University are also
seeking answers. The group has linked significant diagnoses of PTSD to
the types of trauma military women experience. “In general, sexual trauma
is a more significant risk for PTSD than combat or the types of trauma males in
the military experience,” she reports. “Combats, car accidents, or fights
are impersonal events; when women are traumatized, it is often caused by the
people who are supposed to love or protect them.” When a fellow officer
or commanding officer attacks a woman, the result is much more severe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Sexual assault and severe sexual harassment - collectively
known as military sexual trauma (MST) - is nearly epidemic in the armed service
today . Amy Street, an assistant professor of psychiatry who leads a VA support
team devoted to the issue, says that VA screenings for MST, mandated since 1992
for every veteran, reveal that 20% of servicewomen report sexual assaults
or severe, threatening harassment, compared to 1% percent of men. And the
numbers, she says, are most likely a gross underestimate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Many women veterans report that the sense of betrayal is
compounded, and the trauma and shame intensified, when the chain of command
fails to act on a reported incident, minimizes it, or even punishes women who
report assaults. Even reservists, the military part-timers who serve two
weeks a year and one weekend a month, experience “high and impactful” rates of
MST, among both women and men. “So even people who had other lives
outside of the military tended to experience a lot of harassment and assault,”
Resick notes, “and even 10 or 20 years later, those experiences were associated
with higher rates of depression, poorer functioning, and higher rates of PTSD.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">There’s
much more to learn about the compounded effects of PTSD on both women veterans
and women in the general population. <span style="background: white;">Because
society doesn’t yet know how to understand the symptoms of PTSD in women, it’s
much harder for them to find equilibrium. And even with support from
home, many female veterans also struggle because many do not see them as “real”
veterans.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Since PTSD, its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment may be
very different for women than for men, it’s our work to raise awareness about
this and other issues facing women and girls today. Thank you for being a
leader in this effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-45263039528506194352012-12-03T09:11:00.001-06:002012-12-03T09:11:40.616-06:00Safety<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
has been an eye-opening week for us – Brooke and I attended the Governor’s
Summit on Bullying on Tuesday, and I’m <u>still</u> reeling from today’s
Chrysalis Roundtable presentation, THREATS TO YOUTH ONLINE, presented by Mike
Ferjak, Senior Criminal Investigator with the Iowa Department of Justice.
I had heard Mike give a presentation at a mother-daughter event several years
ago, and was astounded about how frequently – and how easily – a young person
can fall into the throes of a predator online.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here
are just a few statistics:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN">One in
five U.S. teenagers</span></b><span lang="EN"> who regularly log on to the internet says they have <b>received
an unwanted sexual solicitation</b> via the Web. Solicitations were
defined as requests to engage in sexual activities or sexual talk, or to give
personal sexual information. <i>Crimes Against Children Research Center</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN">25% of
children</span></b><span lang="EN"> have been exposed to unwanted <b>pornographic material</b>
online. <i>Crimes Against Children Research Center<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN">Only 1/3</span></b><span lang="EN"> of
households with internet access are <b>actively protecting their children</b> with
filtering or blocking software. <i>Center for Missing and Exploited
Children<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN">75% of
children are willing to share personal information</span></b><span lang="EN"> online about
themselves and their family in exchange for goods and services<i>.
eMarketer</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN">Only
approximately 25%</span></b><span lang="EN"> of children who encountered a sexual approach or
solicitation <b>told a parent</b> or adult. <i>Crimes Against Children
Research Center</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN">One in
33 youth received an aggressive sexual solicitation in the past year.</span></b><span lang="EN"> This
means a predator asked a young person to meet somewhere, called a young person
on the phone, and/or sent the young person correspondence, money, or gifts
through the U.S. Postal Service. <i>Youth internet Safety Survey<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast" style="background: white; margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN">77% of
the targets</span></b><span lang="EN"> for online predators were age 14 or older. <b>Another
22%</b> were users ages 10 to 13. <i>Crimes Against Children Research
Center<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<h2 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
his position, Ferjak works for the Iowa Attorney General and has a permanent
assignment to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s (DCI) Cyber-Crime
Unit where he serves on the Federal Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)
Task Force. Mike is also assigned to the Attorney General’s Human
Trafficking enforcement and prosecution initiative. He has served as the
lead investigator for the Sexually Violent Predator Unit in the Attorney General’s
Office, and with his knowledge and experience, is called upon by law
enforcement, judicial, professional, community, and school groups across the
country to provide up-to-the-minute facts on why this is such a significant
problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Some predators use the anonymity
of the internet to prey on vulnerable children and teens, whose internet access
is often unsupervised. Activities include exchanging child
pornography or seeking victims online. The internet allows them to share
images and information about children and to make and stay in contact with
them. Predators are present on children's chat rooms, frequently
pretending to be children themselves. Some actively arrange meetings
with children, going to extraordinary efforts and incurring large travel and
other expenses…the stories are endless and <b>shocking</b>.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How
are the youth victimized? By innocently becoming entangled in an online
relationship with someone who represents him or herself as a young, attractive,
interesting and thoughtful person. Adults establish
"friendships" with children online, then attempt to arrange a
face-to-face meeting, potentially to sexually abuse or exploit the child.
They may then make online arrangements for the exchange, sale or purchase of
child pornography (the actual exchange or delivery occurs through the mail,
hand-to-hand exchanges, e-mail, and other electronic means) , or arrangements
between adults seeking sexual access to children and adults willing to provide
and/or trade children for sexual purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ferjack
reports there are an estimated 130,000 sex offenders using MYSPACE (precursor
to Facebook), and that the average age group sought for sex trafficking
purposes is 11-14 year olds. <b>And 14% of child pornography online
involves infants – birth to 12 months old.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If
you are a parent, friend, teacher, or interested adult, here are some internet
safety tips to deliver to the children in your life:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong>Avoid unfamiliar "Chat
Rooms".</strong> Chat rooms are places where many people can gather and
discuss various topics of mutual interest all at one time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong>Don't talk to people online that
you don't know.</strong> Offenders can easily fool others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong>Never use your real name, age, or
indication of your gender in your screen name or email address.</strong> The most
prevalent internet crime today is cyber stalking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong>Never post personal information in
a user profile.</strong> Public resources available online can lead an offender to
learn much more about you through internet searching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong>Use an up-to-date
firewall. </strong>A firewall will block hackers’ “pre-attack probes,” called <i>port
scans</i>. A firewall should also block traffic or communications from a
virus that made it onto your computer through your personal information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong>Use an</strong> <strong>up-to-date</strong>
<strong>virus scanner.</strong> Most virus scanners will
automatically add virus definitions. Update definitions once a week to have the
most current definitions to detect the latest viruses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong>Use <i>Windows Update</i>.</strong> <i>Windows Update</i>
provides patches for known vulnerabilities in Windows and other Microsoft
products. <i>Windows Update</i> can be automated to check and install
patches automatically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong>Avoid opening email from someone
you don't know, </strong>even email from known persons with unexpected or unusual
attachments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><strong>Report any incidents </strong>to the internet Crime
Complaint Center (<a href="http://www.ic3.gov/">www.ic3.gov</a>).
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>If you are aware of a child you suspect or believe is in
immediate risk of being harmed or exploited</b>, contact your local law enforcement
agency and report the situation to the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children at <a href="http://www.cybertipline.com/">www.cybertipline.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">If you have information
concerning a missing child</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">, report it to your local law enforcement
agency and contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at
1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
so appreciate Chrysalis Board member, Lieutenant Joe Gonzalez, for his
leadership in connecting this vital information to us and to our friends.
And because there is so much more to online abuse and bullying, we will
schedule another presentation by Mike Ferjak to share more information on
bullying and social networking. After the first of the year, we’ll notify
you of the time and place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please take time to forward this information to friends – there
is <u>no</u> reason not to.</span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-83307635817715029762012-11-26T12:06:00.000-06:002012-11-26T12:06:02.350-06:00The Women and Men of Thanksgiving<br />
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Many
of us know the most familiar story of the first Thanksgiving took place in
Plymouth Colony, in present-day Massachusetts, in 1621. But it took more
than 200 years for President Abraham Lincoln to declare the final Thursday in
November as a national day of thanksgiving in 1863, and only in 1941 did the
U.S. Congress finally made Thanksgiving Day an official national holiday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">This
may never have occurred were it not for a strong and confident woman: <b>Sara
Josepha Hale.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Sarah J. Hale, a poet and novelist, became
editor of the <i>Ladies' Magazine</i> in 1828. In 1837 the <i>Ladies'
Magazine</i> became known as the <i>Lady's Book</i>, still led by Hale until
1877. During her tenure as editor, Hale made the magazine the most
recognized and influential periodical for women, and was involved in numerous
philanthropic pursuits. She used her position as editor to advocate the
education of women.</span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">For 15 years, Hale waged a campaign to make Thanksgiving a
national holiday. But not until she enlisted the help of President Lincoln
did her campaign succeed.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In 1939, toward the end of the Great
Depression, the last Thursday of November was going to be November 30, and
retailers complained to President Franklin D. Roosevelt that this only left 24
shopping days to Christmas. Begging FDR to move Thanksgiving just one
week earlier, it was hoped that Christmas shoppers would have the extra week to
purchase more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">When FDR issued his Thanksgiving
Proclamation in 1939, he declared that Thanksgiving would be held the
second-to-last Thursday of the month, causing a tremendous uproar – calendars
were incorrect, school holidays had to be rescheduled, even football schedules
had to be redone. His political opponents questioned the right of a
president to changing a holiday, even coining the holiday name as
“Franksgiving.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Twenty-three states followed the
presidential order and changed the date for Thanksgiving, and 23 other states
kept the traditional date. Colorado and Texas decided to honor both dates
as holidays. In 1941, Roosevelt again announced Thanksgiving to be the
second-to-last Thursday of the month, and 31 states honored the earlier date
while 17 maintained the tradition by celebrating the last Thursday of November.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Lincoln had established Thanksgiving to
bring our country together, but the confusion was tearing the country apart
until Congress passed a law on December 26, 1941 that Thanksgiving would now
occur annually on the 4<sup>th</sup> Thursday in November.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(Another woman, artist Margaret Cusack,
provided the design of a </span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">commemorative Thanksgiving stamp issued by the U.S. Postal
Service in 2001. It was a style resembling traditional folk-art
needlework, depicting a cornucopia overflowing with fruits and vegetables under
the phrase “We Give Thanks.”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #632523; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">We
are thankful for the passion and leadership each of you – women and men – give
to the work of Chrysalis. From each of us, our best wishes for a lovely
and relaxing holiday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-4671286594441195022012-11-19T09:10:00.000-06:002012-11-19T09:10:04.073-06:00Gen X Philanthropy<br />
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Many may think that the
Generation-<span class="mark">Xers</span> are just beginning to understand
philanthropy. According to a recent article in <em>US News</em>, for many young
professionals, giving to charity isn't just about writing checks.
Instead, the focus is on <b>volunteering, socializing, and networking -- while
also contributing to good causes. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Many Generation X-<span class="mark">ers</span> are more interested in social advocacy and engagement
philanthropy," says Dwight <span class="mark">Burlingame</span>, associate
executive director at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. That
means they are more likely to want to work directly with organizations instead
of just donating money, he explains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Interestingly, the Center notes
that giving rates rise with education levels: 90% of persons with graduate
degrees contribute to charity, while only 58% of persons with high school
educations or less do. And the average annual gift for a college graduate
is $2,633, it reports.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But some young people
want to do more - they want to get involved.</span></strong><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
For example, Lindsay Hyde. During her freshman year at Harvard,
she wanted to become a mentor to younger girls in the area, but when she looked
into potential opportunities, she couldn't find any groups willing to work with
undergraduates. So she organized her own team of volunteers and found two
elementary schools interested in working with them. When Hyde
graduated from college in 2000, she officially launched a
nonprofit which now works with over 400 girls a year in Boston,
Pittsburgh, and Miami.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Strong Women, Strong Girls</span></b><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
uses lessons learned from strong women throughout history to encourage
girls and young women to become strong women themselves. The curriculum
focuses both on elementary age and college age young women, recognizing that
both ages really need many of the same experiences and education. Three
basic tenets form the curriculum:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">RELATIONSHIPS:
Research which shows that girls and young women need supportive
relationships in order to thrive. For elementary girls, the relationships
form with college women, with peers, and with program leaders.
The young women in college form relationships with the younger girls and
with peers, but also with participating college advisors and one adult
mentor, who is paired with the college student each year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">SKILLS: Younger girls need
help developing social and emotional skills, while the young women develop
leadership and professional skills including resume writing and interviewing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">ROLE MODELS: A role model
helps girls develop aspirations for the future - both through the experience
with college students and through reading a weekly biography of a women in
history. College students learn from professional women and field
experts, who can assist in their preparation for a career.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Strong Women, Strong Girls</span></b><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> has
developed a range of resources for individuals and organizations
interested in working with girls and young women. It also has tracked its
success, based on participant surveys and academic achievement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This program is similar to
Chrysalis After-School programs because it intentionally brings in college age
women who develop mentoring relationships with the girls. This year,
Chrysalis will begin a formal high school mentoring program, designed to teach
the high school girls ("graduates" of Chrysalis After-School) how to
develop relationships with younger girls, how to be a role model, and how to
instruct about specific skills important to their healthy development.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We look forward to reporting on
the success of this program at the end of the academic year. And we're
delighted to have your support and leadership in continuing the work of
building future women leaders through Chrysalis After-School. We’re in 30
schools this year, half elementary, half middle schools – in Des Moines,
Indianola, Bondurant, Saydel, Southeast Polk, and Urbandale. Between 500
and 600 girls and approximately 65 facilitators take part in weekly meetings, with
specific curricula created by Chrysalis for the following:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">GIRLSTRONG!
Health and wellness<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">ON THE
MONEY
Financial literacy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">BRAINCAKE
Science, technology, engineering, and math<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">DRAKE PHARMACY Safe use of prescription and over-the-counter medicines<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">ProjectSTOP
Violence prevention<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Thank you for all you give to
Chrysalis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-46250695318986228312012-11-13T11:12:00.000-06:002012-11-13T11:12:17.200-06:00Election History<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m certain
that “election exhaustion” finally hit us all this week, and we’re happy to
never see a scowling politician’s face or hear the ominous background music of
the thousands of negative ads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, our Board President sent me an article that share some brighter news from election results:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->20 women were elected to the U.S.
Senate – the most ever<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->77 women (with a few races still
uncertain) were elected to the House of Representatives<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->the first Asian-American woman, Mazie
Hirono, was elected to the Senate – she is also the first Senator born in Japan
and Buddhist<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Massachusetts has elected its first
female Senator, Elisabeth Warren<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->a 31-year-old female Iraqi war
veteran, Tulsi Gabbard, who is also Hindu, was elected to Congress<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay
person, and the first woman Wisconsin has elected, has a new seat in the Senate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Iraqi war veteran and triple amputee
Tammy Duckworth take a seat in Congress<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Claire McCaskill defeated Todd Akin to retain her seat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->New Hampshire, which elected a female
governor this year, will send the first all-female congressional delegation to
Washington<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2012 is also
a year setting a record in the number of 28 minority women elected: 13 African American,
9 Latinas, and 6 Asian/Pacific Islanders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Huffington Post summarized women’s impact on the election: Women proved
once and for all that female voters are paying attention, and that their
support wins elections. Obama would not have been able to win the
election without the support from women – female voters made up 54% of the
electorate and favored the President by 11%, resulting in an 18-point gender
gap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a country
that is more than half female (50.8%) with an electorate over half, one in five
Senators will be women, and 18.13% of Representatives will be female – nearly
an 8% increase since the 2008 election.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We’ve come a
long way since Jeannette Rankin was elected as the first female in Washington
in 1917…but there’s a long way yet to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://womenincongress.house.gov/images/historical/montana-society-lb.jpg" title=""<span class='tb_caption'><a href="/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=202">Jeannette Rankin</a> (right) on April 2, 1917, with Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, at the group&rsquo;s headquarters in Washin"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: initial;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="caption8"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 7.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://womenincongress.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=202">Jeannette
Rankin</a> (right) on April 2, 1917, with Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the
National American Woman Suffrage Association, at the group’s headquarters in
Washington, D.C. Later that historic day, Rankin was officially sworn into the
65th Congress.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To read
the article from policymic: <a href="http://www.policymic.com/articles/18780/mazie-hirono-and-tammy-duckworth-women-make-history-on-election-night"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.policymic.com/articles/18780/mazie-hirono-and-tammy-duckworth-women-make-history-on-election-night</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you
for working on behalf of 50.8% of our population with 110% of your energy.</span><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-3476563511170667342012-11-05T14:53:00.001-06:002012-11-05T14:53:32.261-06:00Gender Pay Disparity<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Terry Hernandez, Executive Director of Chrysalis, just completed a television interview with WHO TV13
regarding the continued gender pay disparity.
When she asked the reporter what prompted interest in this issue, she
noted the report in today's DES MOINES REGISTER listing salaries of state
employees.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Once again, we need to count down to the 21st name on
this list to find the first female: women's head basketball coach Lisa
Bluder. This is distressing enough, but
our frustration should be compounded by the fact that her annual salary is less
than half the salary of the lowest paid men's head basketball coach - and in
this case, former men's basketball coach Todd Lickliter.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
In the recently- released report SHE MATTERS, it was reported
that in Iowa, women still make only 79% of what a man with equal education and
experience is paid. Calculating what
this inequity means in today's dollars, if a woman (average salary $34,534)
were to use the dollars represented by the gap (average salary for a man is $43,872),
she could buy one of the following:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
- 2,312 more gallons of gasoline<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
- 82 more weeks worth of groceries<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
- 14 more months of rent payments<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
- 8 more months of mortgage and utility payments<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
- 29 more months of family health insurance premiums<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Today Chrysalis presented this information - in addition to the
other disparities of note - to a group of women in higher education across the
state, then at a workshop on teen pregnancy prevention. We agree that, even though the Equal Pay Act
was signed nearly 50 years ago, we are still far from being paid equally when
our experience and education are the same.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Our work continues to be both to educate our community
and stakeholders about issues like this, and to provide solutions to such
problems. Even more important, then, is
our work teaching girls to advocate for themselves and be bold in asking for
what they need, our work helping women become employed in
"nontraditional" jobs that may pay higher wages, and our work in the
corporate community to help leaders understand the reality and create workplaces
that are more female- and family-friendly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Simple things like flexible work schedules, onsite
services such as ATMs or child care, and family medical leave will help keep
women in the workplace as a skilled talent pool. And these are the types of workplace benefits
new young professionals should request as they seek careers.<o:p></o:p></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-69924668354952715572012-10-29T08:34:00.002-05:002012-10-29T08:34:43.931-05:00Chrysalis Receives Friends of Iowa Civil Rights Award<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Today,
Chrysalis was honored to receive the Friends of Iowa Civil Rights Award at a
special luncheon event. On behalf of the Board and staff, we expressed our
gratitude to Friends for this recognition.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Terry Hernandez shared the
following comments. We hope this again refreshes your knowledge of our
work, and its critical importance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><span style="color: #254061;">IN THINKING ABOUT THE
DEFINITION OF “CIVIL RIGHTS,” </span></b><span style="color: #254061;">IT’S
MEANING APPLIES TO PERSONAL FREEDOMS THAT BELONG TO EACH INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE OF
HER OR HIS STATUS AS A CITIZEN.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><span style="color: #254061;">SO EACH OF YOU MAY KNOW
THAT FOR CHRYSALIS, THE CITIZENS WE REPRESENT ARE JUST OVER 51% OF THE GREATER
DES MOINES POPULATION – WOMEN AND GIRLS. WE LIKE TO THINK OF CHRYSALIS
AND ITS WORK AS INSERTING THE “VOICE OF GIRLS AND WOMEN” IN ALL CONVERSATIONS –
PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND PERSONAL.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="color: #254061;">AMONG THE RIGHTS WE WORK TO
PROTECT FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN ARE: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #254061;">THE RIGHT TO EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #254061;">PROTECTION FROM DISCRIMINATION<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #254061;">THE RIGHT FOR JUSTICE – MORAL RIGHTNESS, ETHICS, EQUALITY
– TO GIVE GIRLS AND WOMEN WHAT THEY DESERVE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><span style="color: #254061;">AND MAY ALSO KNOW THAT
THESE RIGHTS ARE NOT ALWAYS “PROTECTED” IN TODAY’S SOCIETY</span></b><span style="color: #254061;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="color: #254061;">OF COURSE <b>I CAN TELL YOU</b>
THAT WOMEN STILL EARN ONLY 79% OF WHAT MEN EARN – WHEN ALL FACTORS ARE EQUAL
AND THE LAW STATES OTHERWISE;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><span style="color: #254061;">I CAN TELL YOU</span></b><span style="color: #254061;"> THAT ONLY 21% OF OUR STATE LEGISLATURE IS FEMALE – SO
THE VOICE OF WOMEN AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF DECISION-MAKING IN IOWA IS NOT
EQUALLY REPRESENTED;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><span style="color: #254061;">AND I CAN TELL YOU</span></b><span style="color: #254061;"> THAT ALTHOUGH 75% OF IOWA TEACHERS ARE WOMEN, ONLY 14%
OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS ARE WOMEN.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><span style="color: #254061;">BUT THESE ARE THINGS YOU
ALREADY KNOW –<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="color: #254061;">AND SO THAT YOU CAN RELATE TO
WHY THE WORK OF CHRYSALIS IS SO IMPORTANT, I ASK YOU TO PUT YOURSELF INTO THE
SHOES OF AN “AVERAGE” IOWA GIRL OR WOMAN –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #254061;">FROM AN EARLY AGE, YOU’VE LEARNED</span></b><span style="color: #254061;"> THAT YOUR BODY ISN’T ATTRACTIVE UNLESS YOU ARE THIN
ENOUGH, BEAUTIFUL ENOUGH, OR SEXY ENOUGH --<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #254061;">YOU ARE OFTEN CONSIDERED LESS INTELLIGENT</span></b><span style="color: #254061;"> AND COMPETENT BY TEACHERS, EMPLOYERS, AND OTHERS IN
AUTHORITY --<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #254061;">YOU ARE EXPECTED TO DEFER TO MEN’S DECISIONS</span></b><span style="color: #254061;"> ABOUT MOST THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT --<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #254061;">YOU ARE EXPECTED TO GIVE SEXUAL FAVORS</span></b><span style="color: #254061;"> TO BE ACCEPTED OR TO “GET AHEAD” --<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #254061;">YOU HAVE TO WORK HARDER, LONGER, AND FOR LESS PAY</span></b><span style="color: #254061;"> THAN A MAN – OR IF YOU CHOOSE TO STAY HOME AND RAISE
YOUR CHILDREN, YOU WILL BE SEEN AS LESS MOTIVATED OR “PROMOTABLE” –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #254061;">YOU WILL WORRY ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE</span></b><span style="color: #254061;"> RATHER THAN COUNTING ON GENEROUS CORPORATE RETIREMENT
PACKAGES OFTEN BESTOWED ON CORPORATE LEADERS --<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #254061;">AND ONCE YOU ARE “A CERTAIN AGE”</span></b><span style="color: #254061;"> – YOU WILL REALIZE THAT TO MOST OF SOCIETY, YOU’RE “OVER
THE HILL” – INADEQUATE, LESS ATTRACTIVE, AND LESS COMPETENT.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><span style="color: #254061;">SO NOW YOU SEE WHY THE WORK
OF CHRYSALIS IS SO CRITICAL – <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #254061;">WE TEACH GIRLS TO BE CONFIDENT, STRONG, AND RESLIENT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #254061;">WE HELP WOMEN LEARN NOT TO ACCEPT THE STEREOTYPES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #254061;">WE EDUCATE YOU AND OTHERS ABOUT THE VALUE AND STRENGTH
GIRLS AND WOMEN BRING TO SOCIETY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #254061; font-family: "Wingdings 2"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Wingdings 2"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-contextual-alternates: yes; mso-fareast-font-family: "Wingdings 2";"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #254061;">AND WE PROVE THAT WHEN WOMEN ARE SUCCESSFUL, WHEN WOMEN
ARE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, MORE RESOURCES RETURN TO THE COMMUNITY, BUSINESS
SUCCESS IMPROVES, AND THERE IS TRUE IMPROVEMENT IN SOCIETY’S WELL-BEING<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="color: #254061;">WE WORK TOWARD THE DAY THAT WE
CAN RETIRE THE WORD “FEMINISM” BECAUSE WOMEN AND MEN ARE EQUALLY RECOGNIZED AND
RESPECTED.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b><span style="color: #254061;">AND WE WORK TOWARD THE DAY
WHEN ANTI-GAY, ANTI-JEW, ANTI-BLACK, AND ANTI-FEMALE – ALL THESE TYPES OF
DISCRIMINATION THAT RESULT IN ANTI-HUMANISM – AREN’T EVEN A MEMORY – THIS IS
OUR WORK TO ENSURE CIVIL RIGHTS, AND WE ARE HONORED TO DO IT.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-3052206103907813542012-10-15T11:03:00.002-05:002012-10-15T11:03:52.446-05:00Understanding Gender Equity<br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">More often than not, when we
work toward gender equity, we often focus strongly on teaching girls and women
how to grow resilient and confident - able to work toward their own parity. I'm
proud that at Chrysalis, we realized that our work is critical to boys and men,
and that we now have 2 terrific men (thanks, Joe and Drew!) moving our agenda
forward.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">For boys and young men, there
are sound messages to share about why gender equality is so important:</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">1. When men and boys
believe in fairness, they can see that their sisters, mothers, girlfriends, and
other female friends and relatives are often not treated the same way they are,
and perhaps do not have the same opportunities and choices in their lives.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">2. An understanding of
equity will help boys be comfortable in their own identity, comfortable
expressing emotions, and able to build positive relationships based on mutual
trust and respect.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">3. Equality of genders is
about a more productive way of viewing power in relationships that benefit both
sexes.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">Gender equality truly begins in
the family, and the father's role is tremendously important, not only to his
daughter, but to a son. Fathers who take part in domestic work, values
and supports his children equally, hugs sons and daughters, and treats his wife
as an equal will have a significant effect on how his son treats his own
family. Research has shown that:</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">- Men who are positively
involved in the lives of their children or stepchildren are less likely to be
depressed or violent.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">- Boys whose fathers are more
involved are less likely to engage in risky behaviors and are more likely to
delay sexual experimentation until they are older.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">- Boys with positive role
models are less likely to hold harmful stereotypes and more likely to notice
and question unfairness and inequity.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">- An international study found
that 14-year-old adolescents boys who are well connected to their parents, feel
understood and cared for, and get along with their parents have more social
connectedness and are less likely to be depressed.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">So how to be certain that boys
grow up with a sense of gender equity? UNICEF recommends a 6-point plan:</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">1. Start young -
preschool education should promote equality between girls and boys and involve
parents.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">2. School curricula
should challenge stereotypes and acknowledge differences.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">3. Boys and girls should
both participate in age-appropriate sex education.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">4. Schools must be made
safe for both girls and boys.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">5. Campaigns against
discrimination should involve men and boys as well as girls and women.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif";">6. Policies and laws
should allow for and promote active participation of both parents in the lives
of their children.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Although Chrysalis funding is committed to the needs
of girls and women, our efforts are strong to educate and involve men in the
critical work of</span><span style="font-family: "PlanBold","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"> eliminating
stereotypes and promoting fairness and equity between all. </span></span></span>Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-45500098808887677222012-10-01T09:18:00.000-05:002012-10-01T09:18:03.432-05:00Abduction<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The last paragraph in
the book HALF THE SKY by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
reads:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The tide of history is
turning women from beasts of burden and sexual playthings into full-fledged
human beings. The economic advantages of empowering women are so vast as
to persuade nations to move in that direction. Before long, we will
consider sex slavery, honor killings, and acid attacks as unfathomable as
foot-binding. The question is how long that transformation will take and
how many girls will be kidnapped into brothels before it is complete - and
whether each of us will be part of that historical movement or a bystander.</span></em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">This coming
week, tune in to PBS for a 2-part series based on the book.
Being broadcast this week, the series presents women
and girls living under some of the most horrible circumstances
imaginable -- and fighting to change them. The series was
filmed in 10 countries: Cambodia, Kenya, India, Sierra Leone, Somaliland,
Vietnam, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Liberia and the United States.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">HALF THE SKY is the
book that first profiled the Chrysalis INSPIRED 2012 Event speaker, Dr. Tererai Trent.
In her keynote address, Dr. Trent pointed out some of the shocking statistics
occuring today across the world - girls and women subjected to honor
killings or genital mutilation, girls sold for slavery and
prostitution, women raped and beaten, women and babies dying in
childbirth - females considered less worthy than the males they served or
the animals they raised. Hundreds of thousands simply disappearing
from their families, never again to be seen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">______<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Although we not believe
that these issues occur in the United States, we need only remember the case of
Jaycee Dugard to recall that girls our country, and all over the world, are
missing. Boys, too, particularly in Europe and America, disappear without
a trace. The numbers can only be estimates; <u>The
National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Throwaway Children</u>
created a report attempting to count. It estimates that 800,000 children
under age 18 to missing each year in the United States - that's roughly 2,000
each day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The report notes that of
this number, an estimated 200,000 are taken by family members, 58,000 by
non-family members, and up to 300 are simply kidnapped by a stranger.
Another 3-4,000 are abducted, sexually assaulted, and released. Only 90%
of the 800,000 children are found, leaving 8-10,000 who are never found.
The most dangerous age for girls' abductions is said to be around 11 years old
- and experts report that the abductor typically contacts a victim within half
mile of her home. Walking to school, at a bus stop, or in the shopping
mall are common sites. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Perhaps most
alarming, the internet can be one of the first sites an abductor or
predator will use to identify potential victims. 95% of US teens, ages
12-17, are online, and nearly 60% of 12-year-olds have cell phones, which are
even more difficult for adults to monitor. Cyberbullying, revealing
too much personal information, exposure to inappropriate websites and
materials, and online predators are tremendous risks to children and
youth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has created
"NetSmartz," a program for parents, educators, and law enforcement to
use in working with children using the internet. The program notes that
to keep children safe online, it's important to know a few vulnerabilities that
may make children more susceptible to online predators:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Curiosity</span></strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">
- Children are naturally curious - about risky behaviors, forbidden substances,
and sex. Predators can guide this curiosity, gradually luring children
into sexual activity. Adolescents are at high risk, as they go online
with questions about sexuality or with the intent to find friends and
companions. Predators take advantage of this vulnerability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Need for Attention</span></strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> - Even children who receive lots of attention from their families
can crave it from others, especially those who they perceive as more
mature. Predators offer children affection and flattery in order to
coerce them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Rebellion</span></strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">
- Often children become rebellious when they become adolescents, and predators
can use this to an advantage. Children who may be victimized
when disobeying family or parent rules will be afraid to admit it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Respect for Adults</span></strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> - Because children are taught to respect and obey adults, they
may be less likely to disobey a direction given by an adult - even if it is a
stranger, or even if it makes them uncomfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In response to these
issues, The Center launched the CyberTipline in 1998 in partnership with the
FBI, Department of Homeland Security, US Postal Service, Secret Service,
Department of Justice, and international, state, and local law
enforcement. The line provides a means of reporting incidents of child
sexual exploitation of any kind, and is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. If you would like more information, check the website: <a href="http://cybertipline.com/">cybertipline.com</a>, or call 1-800-843-5678.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">As part of our mandatory training for Chrysalis After-School
program leaders, we'll share more comprehensive education related to
internet safety, cyberbulling, and appropriate use of the web. In this
way, we hope over 600 girls in this year's program will be aware and safe from
this danger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-39946320108217427572012-09-24T10:10:00.001-05:002012-09-24T10:10:25.221-05:00Remarks from Terry Hernandez's Women of Influence Acceptance<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>According to Webster, INFLUENCE means power,
persuasion, inspiration, affecting change.<u1:p></u1:p></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe that this is
the basis for all we are in this world. It's about relationships. And it's
about sharing “me” and all the mysterious, odd, frustrating, delightful things
that make me <b><u>me.</u></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u1:p></u1:p>I guess it took me 40 to 50 years
to unlearn what I thought I knew about <u>me</u> –<u1:p></u1:p></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>as a <b>girl</b>
growing up, I knew how to cover up pimples, how to avoid folding the clothes or
cleaning my room, how to be “cool” –<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u1:p></u1:p>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>as a woman, I knew how to shade my long nose
with blush, hide cellulite, keep my mouth shut and know my place –<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u1:p></u1:p>…<b>how many women can you think of that, like
me</b>, knew they would never be president; knew they would never make as much
money or have as much “clout” as a man; knew they would never be as thin,
pretty, tall, or glamorous as they’d hope; knew how to feel guilty about
choosing to raise a family instead of running a company…<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u1:p></u1:p>I am so fortunate to do the work of
Chrysalis, which is all about <i>influence </i>–
it is about inspiring and encouraging – it’s about helping girls and women <u>unlearn</u>
what they may know:<u1:p></u1:p></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b>to teach girls</b> to be themselves instead of worrying about what the media – or
their peers – say they should be…<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><b>to
teach young women</b> to reject the notion
that to be liked and accepted, they have to look and act like Britney Spears,
Lady Gaga or (in my day) Madonna…<u1:p></u1:p><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><b>to
help other women</b> understand they are not
objects and will not be treated as such…<u1:p></u1:p><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><b>to
help girls and women </b>celebrate their
strengths rather than focusing on their weaknesses.<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u1:p></u1:p>I’ve found in our work that the
more limited the financial resources, the more abundant and creative the human
resources are.</b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u1:p></u1:p>We say the
work of Chrysalis is to “inspire to aspire” – it’s all about influence, and
it’s been on our radar for decades. It continues to lead each of us to
influence – to make change. And change is certainly not difficult if you are
open to it.<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u1:p></u1:p>So, here
are my suggestions to you to continue to be a person of influence: treat people
kindly, pay attention, respect others, offer assistance, ask for help, do good
deeds, practice solid values, be a good friend, listen-listen-listen, volunteer
in the community, and mentor the next generation.<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u1:p></u1:p>Don’t just follow the rules. Follow your heart.</b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm
grateful to continue this important work and appreciate the passion we all
share.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-9275479448372430422012-09-17T09:48:00.001-05:002012-09-17T09:48:52.345-05:00The Rest of the Story...<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #002060; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During her visit, Dr. Trent shared many stories about the
extreme challenges she faced to achieve her goal of completing an
education. Since there was so much to be told, I want to share with you
more of the remarkable story of her life, as blogged by NY Times Pulitzer
Prize-winning journalist, Nicholas Kristof. As they say, here is “the
rest of the story:”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">November
15, 2009<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 10pt; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Op-Ed Columnist<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Triumph
of a Dreamer<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By
<a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/nicholasdkristof/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More Articles by Nicholas D. Kristof"><span style="color: #000066;">NICHOLAS
D. KRISTOF</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any time anyone tells you that a dream is impossible, any time
you’re discouraged by impossible challenges, just mutter this mantra: Tererai
Trent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of all the people earning university degrees this year, perhaps
the most remarkable story belongs to Tererai (pronounced TEH-reh-rye), a
middle-aged woman who is one of my heroes. She is celebrating a personal
triumph, but she’s also a monument to the aid organizations and individuals who
helped her. When you hear that foreign-aid groups just squander money or build
dependency, remember that by all odds Tererai should be an illiterate, battered
cattle-herd in Zimbabwe and instead — ah, but I’m getting ahead of my story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tererai was born in a village in rural Zimbabwe, probably sometime
in 1965, and attended elementary school for less than one year. Her father
married her off when she was about 11 to a man who beat her regularly. She
seemed destined to be one more squandered African asset.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A dozen years passed. Jo Luck, the head of an aid group called
Heifer International, passed through the village and told the women there that
they should stand up, nurture dreams, change their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inspired, Tererai scribbled down four absurd goals based on
accomplishments she had vaguely heard of among famous Africans. She wrote that
she wanted to study abroad, and to earn a B.A., a master’s and a doctorate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tererai began to work for Heifer and several Christian
organizations as a community organizer. She used the income to take
correspondence courses, while saving every penny she could.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1998 she was accepted to Oklahoma State University, but she
insisted on taking all five of her children with her rather than leave them
with her husband. “I couldn’t abandon my kids,” she recalled. “I knew that they
might end up getting married off.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tererai’s husband eventually agreed that she could take the
children to America — as long as he went too. Heifer helped with the plane
tickets, Tererai’s mother sold a cow, and neighbors sold goats to help raise
money. With $4,000 in cash wrapped in a stocking and tied around her waist,
Tererai set off for Oklahoma.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An impossible dream had come true, but it soon looked like a
nightmare. Tererai and her family had little money and lived in a ramshackle
trailer, shivering and hungry. Her husband refused to do any housework — he was
a man! — and coped by beating her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“There was very little food,” she said. “The kids would come home
from school, and they would be hungry.” Tererai found herself eating from trash
cans, and she thought about quitting — but felt that doing so would let down
other African women.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I knew that I was getting an opportunity that other women were
dying to get,” she recalled. So she struggled on, holding several jobs, taking
every class she could, washing and scrubbing, enduring beatings, barely
sleeping.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At one point the university tried to expel Tererai for falling
behind on tuition payments. A university official, Ron Beer, intervened on her
behalf and rallied the faculty and community behind her with donations and
support.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I saw that she had enormous talent,” Dr. Beer said. His church
helped with food, Habitat for Humanity provided housing, and a friend at
Wal-Mart carefully put expired fruits and vegetables in boxes beside the
Dumpster and tipped her off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soon afterward, Tererai had her husband deported back to Zimbabwe
for beating her, and she earned her B.A. — and started on her M.A. Then her
husband returned, now frail and sick with a disease that turned out to be AIDS.
Tererai tested negative for H.I.V., and then — feeling sorry for her husband —
she took in her former tormentor and nursed him as he grew sicker and
eventually died. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Through all this blur of pressures, Tererai excelled at school,
pursuing a Ph.D. at Western Michigan University and writing a dissertation on
AIDS prevention in Africa even as she began working for Heifer as a program
evaluator. On top of all that, she was remarried, to Mark Trent, a plant
pathologist she had met at Oklahoma State. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tererai is a reminder of the adage that talent is universal, while
opportunity is not. There are still 75 million children who are not attending
primary school around the world. We could educate them all for far less than
the cost of the proposed military “surge” in Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each time Tererai accomplished one of those goals that she had
written long ago, she checked it off on that old, worn paper. Last month, she
ticked off the very last goal, after successfully defending her dissertation.
She’ll receive her Ph.D. next month, and so a one-time impoverished cattle-herd
from Zimbabwe with less than a year of elementary school education will don
academic robes and become Dr. Tererai Trent. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #002060; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so proud to work with Chrysalis, and with leaders like each
of you, as you share Dr. Trent’s belief in the power of girls and women.
Thank you for all you do.</span></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-48780691031765316842012-09-10T09:40:00.000-05:002012-09-10T09:41:05.468-05:00Academics and Girls Achievement<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">The
academic year is now in full swing, and we begin again to hear about the
challenges of producing well-educated students. Often there is reference
to the location of the school site – low-income areas are typically called
“schools at risk” based on educational achievement of the student population.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">But
a new report by the National Bureau of Economic Research has found that the
school location may not as often be the challenge, and that high-achieving
students come from all types of schools in both affluent and at-risk
communities. Using data from the American Mathematics Competition (an
annual contest involving more than 100,000 high school students), researchers
counted numbers of high scoring student from over 2,000 public, co-ed,
non-magnet, and private high schools and noted significant variations even
among schools with similar demographics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">What
they found was remarkable – a small number of public schools (4%) had rates of
high-scoring students 3 times the average for all schools, and sometimes as
high as 10%. The difference was even greater for girls, with many
affluent schools reported to be “extremely unlikely” to produce top-achieving
females in math while a small group of public schools were “off the charts”
with their high female scores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Why
the variation? What the study shows, say researchers, is that the
school’s <b>expectations and environment</b> make the difference, even for
students with every advantage. If the school focuses only on basic
competence, the achievement levels are much lower than the schools that
encourage high achievement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">“So
much of the education debate is around bringing up the struggling students,”
notes Glenn Ellison, an economics professor at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology and co-author of the study. “But high-achieving students are
important when we talk about success in scientific and technical fields…these
are future medical researchers and leading business people – these students
matter to our economy.” Nurturing students who are, or have the potential
to become high achievers – wherever they attend school – is vital, he
concludes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">In
addition, the communities created around learning in the school make a
tremendous difference. Match and science clubs taking place outside the
classroom provide an important opportunity for students to excel – especially
for girls. While boys scoring highly in math competitions came from a
broader ranges of schools, the majority of high-achieving girls in the
mathematics competition came from only about 20 schools. Support and
encouragement in these 20 schools played a significant role in the female
students’ success, research notes, as girls continue to push against
stereotypes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">The
researchers conclude:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">The
fact that the highest achieving girls in the U.S. are concentrated in a very
small set of schools indicates “that almost all girls with the ability to reach
high math achievement levels are not doing so. Our results suggest that
the high-achieving math students we see today in U.S. high schools may be just
a small fraction of the number of students who have the potential to reach such
levels.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Over
the past few years, Chrysalis After-School programs have incorporated
research-based models for expanded education in areas including science, math,
health, and nutrition. <b>What we’re finding is that for many girls, learning
in this environment – with hands-on experience and in the presence of other
girls – has steered them toward interest areas including medicine, environment,
and technology. They have the potential and the aptitude for higher
educational achievement in these area and are much more likely to improve
school performance and, potentially, explore these careers.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">This
year, Chrysalis After-School programs operate in 30 school sites (grades 5
through 8) and involve over 600 girls and 70 women. That’s a lot of
impact.<span style="color: #953735;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-46030446006775611102012-09-04T11:14:00.002-05:002012-09-04T11:14:51.247-05:00Women's Equality Day<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Did you know that last Sunday, August 26 was a historic day for
women? <b>Ninety-two years ago, U.S. women won the right to vote after
many years of painstaking struggle and hard work by courageous suffragists.
This historic moment is commemorated each year on <u>Women’s Equality
Day, August 26</u>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="" name="unfort"></a><a href="" name="aboutce"></a><b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">As you know, much of
the work to ensure equality for women remains unfinished. Among the many
factors that have attempted to move the needle on equality for women and girls
is CEDAW, an international agreement affirming principles of human rights and
equality for women and girls around the world. </span></b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Adopted by the United
Nations in 1979, 185 countries have ratified CEDAW (Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women), creating standards
in the treatment and rights of women. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">The United States is among 6 countries across the globe that has
not yet ratified CEDAW: The Treaty for the Rights of Women, the most complete </span></b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">international agreement
on basic human rights for women. (Among the other countries yet to ratify
are Iran, Sudan, and Somalia.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<a href="" name="how"></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In countries that have ratified CEDAW,
women have partnered with their governments to improve the status of women and
girls, and as a result have changed laws and policies to create greater safety
and opportunity for women and their families. CEDAW can make a difference for
women and girls, specifically to:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">reduce sex trafficking & domestic
violence<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">provide access to education &
vocational training<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">ensure the right to vote<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">end forced marriage & child marriage
& ensure inheritance rights<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">help mothers and families by providing
access to maternal health care <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">ensure the right to work & own a
business without discrimination<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Because of CEDAW, millions of girls around the world receive
primary education; countries have taken measures against sex slavery, domestic
violence and trafficking of women and girls; women’s health care services have
focused on saving lives during pregnancy and childbirth; and millions of women
now have the opportunity to secure loans and the right to own and inherit property.
To learn more: <a href="http://www.womenstreaty.org/">www.womenstreaty.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">All the more important for the work of Chrysalis to be strategic,
meaningful, and results-oriented. </span>Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-31365673556356716672012-08-27T13:08:00.004-05:002012-08-27T13:08:53.632-05:00Women and Business in Iowa<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;">According to our report <b>SHE MATTERS: 2012 Status of women and
Girls in Iowa</b>, a 2012 report by <i>American Express</i> tracked the overall
growth and growth by industry of women-owned businesses across the
country. In the report, <b>Iowa was listed as last in the nation in
revenue growth</b> of women-owned businesses, and <b>second to last in the
nation for increase in the number of firms and overall employment by
women-owned businesses.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;">But the national picture is much more reassuring. This
week, I received another article prepared by American Express OPEN, <b>10
Things You Didn’t Know About Women-Owned Businesses, </b>that provides benchmarks
from studies of women-owned businesses in an effort to encourage more women to
put their business plans into action, and to provide a more accurate picture of
the business environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;">Here are the “10 things:”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span></strong><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In the past 15 years, the number of women-owned
businesses grew by 54%; there are now 8.3 million women-owned businesses in the
United States </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">(more than the number of
people in 50% of the world’s countries).</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></strong><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Despite
owning nearly 30% of U.S. businesses, women attract only 5% of the nation’s
equity capital; in first-year funding, women receive 80% less capital than men.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></strong><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Women-owned
businesses employ 7.7 million people - 40% more people than three largest
employers — McDonald’s, IBM and Wal-Mart — combined </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">(this is a 9% increase in employment over the past 15
years).</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></strong><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Women-owned
firms generate revenues of $1.3 trillion. Over the past 15 years, women-owned
businesses saw 58% increase in revenue, from $546 billion to $1.3 trillion now
- more than the combined market cap of Apple, Microsoft, GE, Google and Sony.
Revenue has grown more than twice the amount of U.S. population growth
during the same period of time.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></strong><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The
industries with the fastest growth and greatest share of women-owned firms are
educational services, health care and social assistance, and entertainment and
recreation.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></strong><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In seven
out of 13 of the most populous industries, women-owned firms are exceeding
overall growth.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></strong><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The top
states for women-owned businesses are Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming and North
Dakota; top cities are Sacramento, Riverside, San Antonio, Houston, Baltimore
and Washington, D.C.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">8.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></strong><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">2% of
women-owned businesses bring in more than $1 million in annual revenue, versus
5% of all firms.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">9.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></strong><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">As they
reach 5-9 employees or earn $250,000, women-owned businesses experience faltering
growth.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">10.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></strong><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Of
women-owned businesses, 5.5% used a loan to get started, compared to 10.7%
overall.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<br /></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">As a next step in our ongoing work to address the issues reported in
SHE MATTERS, Chrysalis and the Iowa Women’s Leadership Project are creating a
handbook of recommendations for elected officials, communities, and individuals
to use in order to take action. The handbook will be entitled </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;">If SHE MATTERS to You, Here’s What You Can Do</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">, and it will be printed for our distribution
this fall.<span style="color: #002060;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-35121277728725519812012-08-20T09:39:00.004-05:002012-08-20T09:39:42.088-05:00INSPIRED 2012- The Excitement Builds!<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">We’re
less than a month away from INSPIRED 2012, and are very excited about the
special art piece being created by Hannah Gebhart of SPPG, our graphics and art
sponsor. Individual tickets are $35, and a table
of 8 is $250. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">For more excitement, take a look at the SPPG website, where
Hannah has posted a plug – and an exciting “tickler” – for the event. Take
a look at this link, and forward to your friends and guests: <a href="http://www.sppg.com/">www.sppg.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Look
forward to seeing you all on September 13 at INSPIRED 2012!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-56774439786446025922012-08-06T20:27:00.002-05:002012-08-06T20:27:48.212-05:00Gender Diversity and Corporate Performance<br />
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">This week, Credit
Suisse (a leading global financial services company based in Zurich,
Switzerland) released research that continued to validate the “business case” for
including more women in top positions of the corporate world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">“Gender Diversity and
Corporate Performance” provided an array of data answering the question: does
gender diversity within corporate management improve performance? The
basic answer is that, in comparing the performance of 2,360 companies, those
with at least one woman on the board have outperformed stocks with no women on
the board by 26 percent over the course of the last 6 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; vertical-align: top;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Most importantly, most
of this difference occurred after the economic calamity of 2008, when the
financial environment globally was deteriorating. Companies with female
board members were better at delivering results even in hard times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Why do women on the
board enhance the corporate performance? The report provides 7 points
that may correlate gender diversity with corporate performance:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">It signals a “better company”.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Research suggests that
placing women on a board is a sign that the company is already doing well,
rather than a signal of working to improve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Diversity of the team
results in better performance.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Research from Columbia University has shown that non-diverse
groups improve their own performance by broadening diversity - it leads to
better average outcomes when the work group is more diverse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">There is a better mix
of leadership skills. </span></b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";"><br />
McKinsey and NASA have conducted studies on leadership skills that have proven
women are specifically good at defining responsibilities clearly, supporting
mentoring, and coaching employees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">There is a wider talent pool.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Since 2000, the proportion of college graduates that are female
has increased from 51% to 54%, which is projected to continue to increase in
the future. This provides a broad pool of talent for any hiring manager.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">This reflects that females are the primary consumer
decision-maker.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Because women are responsible for up to 85% of household
purchasing decisions, corporations demonstrate a better understanding of
consumer preference.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Corporate governance is improved.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -24px;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";"><b> </b>Academic research concludes that corporations with more women on
the board improve </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -24px;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";"> their performance related to both social and corporate
governance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Corbel; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Corbel;">7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">There is more aversion to risk.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">A report issued in 2003 noted that men – particularly optimistic
men – create investment volatility and cause more significant shifts in
value. For women, there is no difference in investment risk between
different temperaments; women generally remain more risk averse overall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Although
there are still barriers to women in leadership (dual roles with household
responsibilities, continued stereotypes, and reduced expectations by women),
the numbers prove the case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Our
work to ensure girls complete an education and develop a career pathway, and to
assist women to step into new and greater responsibilities as leaders,
reinforces that Chrysalis “gets it.” We know that supporting girls and
women is <i>just good business</i>. And good <b>for</b> business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">If
you’d like to read the Credit Suisse report: <a href="https://infocus.credit-suisse.com/data/_product_documents/_articles/360157/cs_women_in_leading_positions_FINAL.PDF">https://infocus.credit-suisse.com/data/_product_documents/_articles/360157/cs_women_in_leading_positions_FINAL.PDF</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-16089089498180863782012-07-30T08:55:00.003-05:002012-07-30T08:55:58.335-05:00The Importance of the Mentoring Relationship<br />
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">A
recent highly-comprehensive study conducted by Communities In Schools and the
National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University (Dropout Risk Factors)
identified a variety of predictive risk factors for dropping out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">The
report states that while there is no single risk factor that causes dropping
out, each additional risk factor an individual faces increases the likelihood
of dropping out. Some of the risk factors that are controllable, as cited by
the study, are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">teen parenthood;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">substance abuse;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">criminal behaviors;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">lack of self-esteem;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">poor school performance/grade retention;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">absenteeism;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">discipline problems at school;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">low educational expectations/lack of plans for education beyond
high school; and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">lack of interaction with extracurricular activities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Mentoring
by a caring adult over a prolonged period of time has been shown to be
effective in combating these risk factors. Research by the National
Mentoring Partnership has proven results in myriad ways:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Support for education<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Mentors help keep students in school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Students who meet regularly with their mentors are 52% less
likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a
class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Mentors can improve their mentees’ academic skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";"><br />
Support with day-to-day living<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Mentors help improve a young person’s self-esteem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Mentors provide support for trying new behaviors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Youth who meet regularly with their mentors are 46% less likely
than their peers to start using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start
drinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">About 40% of a teenager's waking hours are spent without
companionship or supervision; mentors provide teens with a valuable place to
spend free time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Mentors teach young people how to relate well to all kinds of
people and help them strengthen communication skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";"><br />
Support in the workplace<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Mentors help young people set career goals and start taking
steps to realize them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Mentors can use their personal contacts to help young people
meet industry professionals, find internships and locate job possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Mentors introduce young people to professional resources and
organizations they may not know about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">Mentors can help their mentees learn how to seek and keep jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";"><br />
For a second year, Chrysalis After-School participants have been invited to a
day-long workshop at FBL Insurance, Inc. in West Des Moines to provide a
tremendous mentoring opportunity through its women’s leadership network.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">On
Tuesday, August 7, over 50 girls will be hosted from 9:30 am to 3 pm for a day
of leadership education, career information, tours, special activities, and
healthy meals. <b>“Become a Model for Success”</b> is the theme that
dozens of women employees will share with girls to help them understand the
workplace, plan for future education, and learn about life in a corporate
career.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Corbel","sans-serif";">This
is an example of a very special type of mentoring that you might think about
for girls in your life, or girls involved in Chrysalis After-School
programs. We’ll be happy to help you plan for an opportunity to learn
more about the value of mentoring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6024547595154244071.post-50392201535083672282012-07-24T08:50:00.003-05:002012-07-24T08:50:42.819-05:00Changing Workplace Gender Definitions<br />
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;"><b>Last week, the <i>Los Angeles Times</i> reported an interesting
statistic about job growth: 80% of the 2.6 million new jobs created over the
past ten years are filled by men.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;"><b>As you may expect, this reflects the increase in male-dominated
manufacturing jobs, but it also is the result of the loss of many government
jobs, which are held most often by women. But surprisingly, men are obtaining
a greater share of the jobs that have been more commonly held by women, such as
retail sales:<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Three years ago, women made up a
majority of the payrolls in the retail trade, just as they have throughout most
of the last three decades for which data are available. But since the
sector hit bottom in December 2009, men have landed more than 440,000 retail
jobs while women have lost 49,500 positions.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Men now account for 51% of the
14.75 million retail jobs in the country.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;"><b>The number of men employed in financial services (such as real
estate and banking), hospitality, and healthcare have also increased, although
women still outnumber men in each of these sectors. This may not be
beneficial for men or women, as these positions typically pay less or provide
fewer benefits. Career advancement, as well, may be limited in some of
these job types.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;"><b>During the recession, unemployment hit men first – 2009 was the
peak year for number of unemployed males in the country. For women, the
unemployment peak was a full year later. Both women and men have looked
for alternative careers and jobs in other sectors; many have returned to school
or college to retrain in a different field.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;"><b>But the difference in hiring between genders, if it continues,
may set back the many gains women have made in the workplace over the past
years:<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>"It's hard to know whether
some employers place a priority on men going back to work," said Joan
Entmacher of the National Women's Law Center. Of particular concern, she said:
Opportunities for women in higher-paying fields such as manufacturing are
shrinking.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Dean Baker, co-director of the
Center for Economic and Policy Research, said men may have an edge because they
tend to have a longer work history. But he also suspects some employers will
"take a male applicant more seriously even though men and women are
equally qualified."<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Although
gender discrimination is tough to prove, more men than women filed “unfair
hiring based on gender” complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission last year - the first time this has happened in over a decade.
It’s possible that this is due to more men applying for positions in what were
previously women-dominated fields, or simply more men looking to be hired.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Whatever
the case, gender definitions are changing throughout the workplace, as more
women and men are taking positions simply to be employed. And whether
women can obtain more of the new jobs being created is unknown.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">What
helps? Chrysalis does, by funding organizations that help women become
successful and employed:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">×<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;">Dress for Success </span><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;">provides professional attire and career support to disadvantaged
women seeking employment.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;">We Learn Independence for Tomorrow (WeLIFT) </span><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif;">delivers support,
resources, and employment assistance to unemployed and low-income residents of
Warren County.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Corbel, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In
addition to these 2012 grant partners, Chrysalis has funded many other
organizations and programs that train women to open and sustain a business or
to gain personal and career skills to prepare them for successful employment.<span style="color: #002060;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>Chrysalis_DSMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542818605479858294noreply@blogger.com