The Commission is looking for students who are:
• high school juniors or above
• enrolled in an institute of higher learning and/or live in Glendale
• dedicated to the Glendale community
• passionate about helping people
• interested in women’s issues

From the Commission on the Status of Women Announcement:

“The Commission on the Status of Women’s vision of the future is that Glendale is a city where the fully realized potential of all women and girls enriches the entire community; where all women and girls have equal rights, opportunities, and choices exercised freely, comfortably and safely; where all women and girls have a strong voice and equal participation in the affairs of the community; and where diversity is celebrated.

The Student Ex Officio position affords students invaluable experience in local government and encourages community service by working on contemporary, relevant issues that affect all women in our community.”

Student commissioner appointments are open to both young women and men.

Students can apply online by visiting http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/women. Or, download the Student Ex Officio Application, complete and return. Applications are due by Friday, June 24.

Pass this along to students you know and work with, and encourage them to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!

For more information, or questions, contact Christine Baboomian, City of Glendale Management Services, (818) 548-4844, or email women@ci.glendale.ca.us.

The commission will host the 7th Annual Jewels of Glendale, this year honoring women of courage Mona Marcos, Lynne Raggio, Tanis Rhines, Blanca Zavala, Special Chair’s Recognition to Lana Haddad, and Gem Scholarship Awardee Ani Ghazikhanian. The luncheon will be held May 5, starting at 11 a.m. at the Oakmont Country Club. This city webpage invitation provides reservation and sponsorship details.

An informational meeting in downtown Los Angeles next Tuesday, September 21, is free and open to all women (RSVP required). Details are in this blog’s Calendar section and on the events webpage of California Women Lead.

From the LA Times, February 3rd:

With the Feb. 12 application deadline looming, more than 73% of the 13,905 tentatively eligible residents who have asked for one of the commission’s 14 seats are non-Hispanic whites. Nearly 70% are men. Not even 5% are Asian Americans, who make up more than 12% of the state’s population. Latinos are roughly 10% of tentatively eligible applicants, although they are 36% of state residents. Black applicants are on par with their segment of the population.

More information, and application instructions here.

The numbers haven’t improved since then. Applications from men and women are equal (both zero!) in Alpine County and Glenn County. In Inyo County, one man and no women have applied. In most counties, women make up far less than half of the total applicants. In Los Angeles county the numbers today are 481 men, 205 women.

We Draw the Lines includes this link to weekly statistics on applications.

Ladies: make sure the state has an equally full pool of women voters in every ethnic, party, and regional category. Check out these statistics, and consider applying for the commission – you have until February 12, 2010.

Local blogger KChristieH published her notes from Nicolas Kristof’s talk on Half the Sky. His message: The best way to fight poverty and extremism is to educate and empower women and girls.

The dire situation of so many women and girls around the world was a theme for several speakers at The Women’s Conference last week. Sunroom Desk has already reported Sir Richard Branson’s comments on Saudi Arabia. Somaly Mam, another featured speaker, spoke tearfully of her entrapment at a Cambodian brothel, her later escape, and her joy in establishing rescue shelters for exploited girls in Cambodia. Her moving testimony, including her stated determination to have some of the girls she rescued go into law enforcement, is online at the end of the morning session video.

Women in the United States still have a ways to go in achieving parity with men on issues of pay and representation, according to the just released Shriver Report.

The New York Times published Joanne Lipman’s op-ed on the report, focusing on stalled progress for women in the U.S.:

When I graduated from college in 1983, women earned only 64 cents for every dollar earned by a man.

Today? Women earn just 77 cents. By other measures, women’s gains have stalled: board seats and corporate officer posts have been flat — or declined in recent years.

How should we in the U.S. work for progress on women’s rights? (Repeating Branson’s charge at The Women’s Conference -) Set a goal of advancing civilization by giving women an equal place in their societies worldwide. As part of this larger goal, resolve to achieve equal pay, representation, and political power here in the United States. Gains in women’s rights here can help others around the world who are struggling with far greater problems than a 23 cent pay gap.