OU/DHS Fall 2010 Lectures Scheduled in Oklahoma City

Each Fall, the University of Oklahoma's Center for Public Management and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Office of Planning, Research and Statistics co-host the Policy and Lecture Series. According to their website, the lectures "provide thought-provoking presentations on Oklahoma’s emerging policy issues, trends, and best practice."

The Fall 2010 programs all take place in the Chesapeake Room at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City (see map here) from Noon to 1 pm. For more information, go to http://lectureseries.oucpm.org or contact Lacey Schoonover at 405-521-3552.

Here are the programs for Fall, 2010:

Wednesday, August 11
Terry Cline, Commissioner
Oklahoma State Department of Health
"Mental Health Impact - Soldiers Deployed to Iraq"

Thursday, September 2
Lindy Ritz, Director
Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center
"Leading the Way - Public Sector Leadership"

Thursday, October 7
Gerald Clancy, President
University of Oklahoma - Tulsa
"Smart Start - Benefits of early Childhood Education"

Friday, November 19
George E. Young, Sr. Member
Oklahoma Commission for Human Services
"Customer Service - Meeting Needs"

Tuesday, December 7
Ron Haskins, Senior Fellow
Brookings Institution
"Creating an Opportunity Society"

Book Chat features Cindy Rosenthal on "Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the New American Politics"

Yippee. Friend, colleague and Norman, Oklahoma mayor Cindy Simon Rosenthal has two book talks scheduled on the book that she and Ron Peters have written entitled Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the New American Politics.  The first is at the Norman Public Library on Sunday, August 1, 2010 at 2 pm. The second is at Full Circle Bookstore (1900 NW Expressway, OKC) on August 3, 2010 at 7:00 pm.

Cindy Rosenthal is Director and Curator for the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center at the University of Oklahoma. Ron Peters is Regents Professor of Political Science at the University of Oklahoma and former Director of the Carl Albert Center. The book is published by Oxford University Press (see http://speakernancypelosi.com/)

News From Oklahoma's Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives

The Oklahoma Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives has released their August 2010 eNewsletter. Among the programs featured are a diaper drive for Central Oklahoma to help DHS clients, a free statewide workshop on "Capacity Building, Organizational Development and Fundraising" (August 4-5) and the good news that "Artful Askers" will be back in Oklahoma City September 24-25 and in Tulsa October 15-16. You can get their "Top 10 Things You Can Do for a Senior Adult" from their website. Also the Oklahoma City Homeless Alliance is seeking to recruit government, nonprofit, and faith-based agencies interested in providing services to the homeless at the WestTown Resource Center. The Request for Interest is due August 11, 2010.  Learn more at www.faithlinksok.org/.
 

Governor Candidates Seem Willing to Rethink Approach to Corrections

There was a good editorial in The Oklahoman today on reducing the rate at which Oklahoma incarcerates people. Oklahoma is #1 in the nation for incarceration of women and #4 for incarceration of men!

You can read the editorial at http://newsok.com/governor-candidates-seem-willing-to-rethink-approach-to-oklahoma-corrections/article/3478606?custom_click=lead_story_title#ixzz0uVl5AYwm

We also posted it on the Oklahoma SIS website which addresses ways to reduce the rate of incarceration of SIS initiative at women in Oklahoma. Learn more about  Oklahoma SIS by watching the video below.

Blogger Ads Zemanta.com as a Gadget

Image via Wikipedia

I just added the Zemanta gadget that Blogger.com recently made available to us Blogger users. It suggests images, links and related articles. Not sure how much I'll use it but it is pretty sweet.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Zemanta Now Native on Blogger.com! (techparade.blogspot.com)

Free Workshop Aug 4-5 in Tulsa on Capacity Building, Organizational Development, and Fundraising

This year, the only HUD-sponsored grant writing training in Oklahoma will be in the Tulsa Field Office. If you know someone who is interested and has not attended a previous training, feel free to share the attached info from Lyn Larson in Tulsa. The primary target audience is small-to-medium sized faith-based and neighborhood nonprofit organizations.

The link to online registration is:  http://www.hud.gov/emarc/index.cfm?fuseaction=emar.registerEvent&eventId=553&update=N

If you have any questions, please contact C. Lyn Larson, Operations Specialist, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Williams Center, Tower II, 2 West 2nd, Ste. 400, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 -- 918.292.8915 (phone), 918.292.8993 (fax), Email c.lyn.larson@hud.gov

Here is what their flyer says:

The U.S. Department of HUD,Tulsa Field Office

Presents

Capacity Building, Organizational Development, and Fundraising

For Nonprofit, Faith-based, and Community Organizations.

FREE    FREE    FREE

When: Wednesday & Thursday, August 4-5, 2010,

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Where: U.S. Dept. of HUD, Williams Center Tower II

2 West 2nd, Second Floor Conference Room

This training is designed to give faith-based and community organizations a “boost” toward success and is open to all of Oklahoma.

Topics include: Human Resource Development, Creating & Maintaining a Good Board, Staffing, Strategic Planning, Conducting Good Meetings, Public Relations, Fundraising, Grant Writing and more

Lunch on your own

The U.S. Department of HUD, Tulsa Field Office

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

U.S. Dept of HUD

Williams Center Tower II

2 West 2nd, Second Floor Conference Room

Please Register Online at http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/states/oklahoma

Or email this registration to c.lyn.larson@hud.gov or fax it to 918-292-8993

Name:

Company Name (if applicable):

Address:

City/State:                                                                               Zip Code:

Phone:

E-mail:

If you have questions about this training, call Lyn Larson at 292-8915

If you need a reasonable accommodation, please call 918-292-8915 no later than Friday, June 30, 2009.

Check Out This Video on Joan Korenblit, YWCA-OKC's 2010 Embrace Award Winner

Take a look at this great video about Oklahoman Joan Korenblit, the 2010 "Embrace Award" winner. It was shown June 19th at the YWCA of Oklahoma's Purple Sash event. Joan is Executive Director of Respect Diversity Foundation, a non-profit, tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) non-partisan educational foundation that teaches tolerance for all people.

Experiences and Challenges of Women Combining Academic Careers and Motherhood

An interesting report entitled "Experiences and Challenges of Women Combining Academic Careers and Motherhood" was presented at the American Association of University Professor (AAUP) Conference in Washington DC on June 11, 2010.  Here is a brief summary of findings.

The proportion of full-time female faculty members in the U.S. almost doubled from 1984 to 2008 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008). Yet, women continue to “leak” from the academic pipeline, especially from the tenure track. Of women faculty nationally, 31% hold non-tenure- track positions, 26% are on the tenure track, and 43% have tenure (AAUP, 2010). Compare this to male faculty: Although a lower percentage of the men start out on the tenure track, a much higher percentage of them, compared to women, hold tenure, and far fewer are on the non- tenure-track.

You can view the 9-page paper at http://www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres/F86E0505-198B-4E2E-B430-8B7185305744/0/AuriemmaKlein.pdf

Find Good Information on Wanda DeBruler's Blog

Wanda DeBruler is Chair of the Okahoma Women's Coalition Committee on Work and Family. She is constantly finding "good stuff" (reports, statistics, analysis, websites,e tc) on Oklahoma women and children and posting it on her blog: DeBruler, Inc.. Here are just a few of her recent posts:

Health Report: F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010

OKcommerce.gov: Commerce Solicits Interest in Green Training Grant

Oklahoma Aging Partnership Legislative Report

Income Gap Triples Between Very Rich and Everyone Else in last 3 decades

Latino Attitudes About Women and Society

Her tags include consumer tips, development, DHSlecture series, employment/jobs, events, federal info, financial literacy, government, grants, health, housing, leadership, money, Oklahoma, planning, policy, recovery, reports, technology, training, weatherization, and women. If this is the sort of stuff that interests you, then you'll definitely want to follow Wanda's blog!

Want to Communicate More Effectively?

If you'd like to be a better communicator - really understand what people are trying to say and be heard and understood yourself, check out Tom McLain's programs at this Compassionate Communication website (http://www.cc-ok.org/) and read about upcoming programs and classes here.(The one that got my attention is the course entitled "Eat by Choice, Not by Habit: Bringing Consciousness To the Eating Experience."

Leo LaPorte, TWIT, Audible, Lucifer's Hammer and the Pournelle Chart

Most of what I know about computers I learned watching Leo LaPorte's programs on TWIT.TV including This Week in Google, Windows Weekly, Tech News Today, etc. But my favorite show is This Week in Tech which streams live beginning around 4:30 or 5pm on Sundays. (You can subscribe to the podcasts on iTunes or watch them on a Roku Box, on YouTube, etc, etc, etc.)  One of TWIT.TV's sponsors in Audible and I finally signed up a few weeks ago. I'm currently listening to the techno-thriller Daemon by Daniel Suarez.

Last Sunday Leo had Jerry Pournelle as a guest on TWIT which inspired me to order one of his science fiction books on Audible. Now my next "read" is Lucifer's Hammer.

Last Sunday, Pournelle told a story about intervening to convince the US Dept of Defense to not scrub their planned research project on GPS. (Imagine war today without GPS!) Curious to know more about Pournelle's career, I read his bio on Wikipedia. He has M.S. degrees in both experimental statistics and systems engineering and Ph.D.'s in both psychology and political science! Wow.

In writing his 1963 PhD dissertation in political science, Pournelle developed the Pournelle Chart (see image). You can read more about it here. It really is still a pretty darn good representation! Similar two-dimensional charts of ideology are the Political compass and the Nolan Chart. I just thought it was cool and wanted to share it with you.

As Leo always says as he introduces his podcasts, "Enjoy!"

Women Running for Oklahoma Legislature in 2010

I have updated the page on my blog that is entitled "Women in Elective Office" to include a list of women running for the Oklahoma Legislature in 2010. Check it out here and let me know if I got it right, please. I'll update it after the primary election to include campaign websites, etc.

Oklahoma Women and State Legislative Seats

The following information is from an article that ran June 27, 2010 in The Oklahoman written by Michael McNutt entitled More Women Seeking Seats In Oklahoma Legislature.

WOMEN AND LEGISLATIVE SEATS

Women re-elected to the House of Representatives who drew no opposition: Reps. Lee Denney, R-Cushing; Marian Cooksey, R-Edmond; Lisa Billy, R-Lindsay; Leslie Osborn, R-Tuttle; Pam Peterson, R-Tulsa; Rebecca Hamilton, D-Oklahoma City; and Anastasia Pittman, D-Oklahoma City.

Female senators in the middle of their terms: Sens. Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa; Susan Paddack, D-Ada; and Connie Johnson, D-Oklahoma City.

Female senators leaving in November: Sens. Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City, and Mary Easley, D-Tulsa.


Female legislative candidates

Senate: Janica Edmonds of Morris, District 8; Donna Spring of Ardmore, District 14; Sharon Parker of Norman, District 16; Janice Aldridge and Kim David, both of Wagoner, District 18; Susan Hardy Brooks of Tuttle and Linda Molsbee of Newcastle, District 24; Liz Donnelly of Oklahoma City, District 40; and Sen. Connie Johnson, D-Oklahoma City, District 48.

House: Traci Barnes of Poteau, District 3; Annie J. Goolsby of Gore, District 15; Carolyn McNatt Hill of McAlester, District 18; Rep. Sue Tibbs, R-Tulsa, District 23; Rep. Skye McNiel, R-Bristow, District 29; Donna Marie Voegelpohl of Sapulpa, District 30; Emily Virgin of Norman, District 44; Amy Corley of Newalla, District 53; Maya Torralba of Anadarko, District 56; Rep. Ann Coody, R-Lawton, District 64; Jadine Nollan of Sand Springs, District 66; Rep. Jeannie McDaniel, D-Tulsa, and Molly McKay of Tulsa, District 78; Brittany M. Novotny of Bethany and Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City, District 84; Gail Vines of Oklahoma City, District 85; Dana Orwig of Oklahoma City, District 87; Wanda Jo Peltier of Oklahoma City, District 93; Zana Williams of Oklahoma City, District 94; Elise Hall of Oklahoma City, District 100.

Read more: http://newsok.com/article/3471650#ixzz0tsQyW7ZU

Laura Boyd Endorses Drew Edmondson for Oklahoma Governor

I am at sixes and sevens on how to vote in the gubernatorial primary in two weeks. I am a registered Democrat and I like and admire both Jari Askins and Drew Edmondson. I've known Drew much longer and admire how he has handled domestic violence and other women's issues as Oklahoma Attorney General.

So I was interested to receive the email message below this week from another Oklahoma public servant I respect - former Oklahoma State Representative Laura Boyd:

"In two weeks we will chose the Democrat nominee for Governor and the person who is best to win in November against Mary Fallin. While I have long been friends with Drew and Jari and served with both in public office, I believe the person who can both best lead OK in 2010-18 and beat Mary in Nov. is Drew Edmondson.

Please see 7/10/10 League of Women Voters of Oklahoma Voter's Guide 2010 Candidates for Governor.

This is excellent reflection of vision and experience from all candidates and shows in their own words experience, depth of vision and understanding, and leadership potential.

Don't forget about early voting which starts on July 23rd."

Anyone want to offer a similar endorsement by a respected Oklahoma women leader on behalf of Jari Askins? If so, just send it to me via email or as a comment to this post; I'll post it on my blog.

: - )

African American Women’s Health Forum in Oklahoma City Sept 18 and Oct 16

SAVE THE DATE!!!!

Fourth Annual African American Women’s Health Forum

Saturday, September 18, 2010
Featuring “We Play to Win” Founder
International Soccer Star – Kasia Muoto
And our ever popular “Ask the Doctor” panel

On

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Featuring, Dr. Vivian Pinn, Associate Director,
National Institutes of Health
And
Director – Office of Research on Women’s Health

SAVE THE DATES!!
(Two dates, two different speakers)
Both events will be held at the Cox Convention Center
Oklahoma City, OK

For more information contact: Zora Brown, (405) 951-8252
Zora.brown@integrisok.com

Oklahoma City's Opus Video Productions Offers Live streaming and High-Def Video

okcCoCo (Coworking Collaborative)  recently sent out an email about a new endeavor; read on . . .

We are glad to have Opus Video Productions launch it's business from the okcCoCo. Opus Video Productions provides video recording and streaming services for conferences across the country. A description of their services and a portfolio of work are available on their website .

Opus Video Productions - Increase the audience at your next event.

Opus is a full-service production company ready to help you add professional video to your next event. We provide online video streaming, high-definition video recording, online video hosting, online video sales, and custom video editing and graphical design services for conferences, corporate training, professional organizations and business meetings.

What are Some of the "Women and Girls Issues" the USA is Working on In Sub-Saharan Africa?

Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-At-Large for Global Women's Issues, spoke June 14, 2010 at the Conference on Sub-Saharan Africa: Women's Inclusion and Participation on women's issues the USA is working on.

You can read her remarks/hear the talk at this link: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1705667530?bctid=95736688001 or
http://www.state.gov/s/gwi/rls/rem/2010/144053.htm

Some of the issues she touches on are:

Economic participation

Financial inclusion

Food security

Political participation

Role in peace negotiations

Access to health (with focus on maternal and child health care, women-and-girls centered health)

Women's role in climate change (problem-solving, adaptation, mitigation)

Violence against women and girls - a global scourge, an issue that cannot be relegated to the margins of foreign policy; "a violation of human rights, not a private matter, not a cultural matter, but criminal behavior."

HIV/AIDS - "Violence against women also manifests itself through rape in the still growing and disturbing rate of the HIV/AIDS infection. Women are now 60 percent of the people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Girls are two to five times more likely to become infected than boys. Violence against, particularly against adolescent girls, is one of the prime reasons."

Human trafficking "continues to be a very big problem in Africa. It is rooted in economic deprivation. There are those criminals who take advantage of people in their situations, promise them all kinds of possibilities, that only result in nightmares. And so we have the specter of modern-day slavery of women, girls, men and boys, but predominantly women and girls being bought and sold like commodities."

Child marraige ... resulting in great death and disability, particularly with respect to fistula. According to the United Nations, over 40 percent of African women are married under the age of 18. We have seen better results on female genital cutting/ mutilation, particularly when working with communities, at the village level, to work to end this practice from the bottom up.

"But these are just some of the areas in which we’re working and we know that unless women can take their rightful place and be able to participate fully, gain an education and be free from disease, they will not be able to play the critical role that they need to play to make Africa the extraordinary, prosperous, peaceful place that it can be. Thank you very much."

Where to Find Helpful Oklahoma Voter Information

On the League of Women Voters of Norman, Oklahoma website, there is good information on 2010 Candidates for Governor and2010 Candidates for Supt. of Public Instruction.

At the Oklahoma Office of Secretary of State website, you can get information on the many State Questions that will be on the Oklahoma ballot in November.

Like Italian Food? Check Out Lovera's Market's New Website

Lovera’s Market — an Italian-inspired specialty foods producer and online retailer located  in Krebs, Oklahoma — has launched a new website: www.LoverasMarket.com.

In addition to Lovera’s original, handmade foods it also sells imported gourmet Italian food products. So, Oklahomans - if you are looking for cheeses, sausages, sauces, meats, vinegars, oil, sweets, coffee, gifts, etc -- visit their website!

May 14, 2010 Oklahoman Editorial asks, "How long can status quo work with corrections?"

Oklahoma incarcerates more women per capita than any state and rank 4th in the nation in the rate at which we incarcerate men. Corrections has become a major state government expenditure. 

So I was pleased to see The Oklahoman arguing this can't continue in a May 14, 2010 editorial. You can read that editorial by clicking here. They point out that our prisons are old and overflowing with inmates because our state legislators like to appear "tough on crime" by locking everyone up. The editorial noted that our "state's prison population stands at roughly 25,700, a 10 percent increase in the past decade and more than an eight-fold increase since 1975." 

The editorial called for legislators to consider alternatives to incarceration  such as greater use of drug courts.There are many, many other strategies for reducing Oklahoma's incarceration rate at the Oklahoma SIS website. Check it out!

Finding Quality Child Care in Oklahoma

A recent article in The Oklahoman entitled "Study says good child care improves Oklahoma students' academic performance" stressed the importance of not settling for just any old child care facility. There are many other good resources on the Internet for how to find a quality child care facility.One website mentioned in the above article for finding a good day care center near you was this Department of Human Resources' website:  http://childcarefind.okdhs.org/childcarefind/. Use the DHS search form to find child care facilities (and their DHS quality ratings) near you. Here is an article on choosing a day care center.  Here is a good check list to take with you when you visit child care facilities.

Have YOU got tips on finding a good child care facility? Leave a comment and share them with us.

Sydna Yellowfish Named Oklahoma Native American Woman of the Year

Sydna Yellowfish is the American Indian education coordinator for the Edmond School District. She was recently named Oklahoma Native American Woman of the Year by the Changing Winds Cultural Society earlier this year.

You can read an article about Ms. Yellowfish and watch a short video of her at http://newsok.com/article/3465566 and also read about her in this Edmond Sun article.

GREAT NEWS: The United Nations Establishes 'UN Women"

Here is an update from the White House Council on Women and Girls:

The United Nations Establishes UN Women

Posted by Jennifer Simon* on July 07, 2010 at 01:10 PM EDT

After months of hard work by the U.S. and an array of partners and allies, we at the U.S. Mission to the UN are enthusiastic to report that on Friday, July 2, the UN General Assembly voted to pass a resolution creating UN Women— the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

This new agency is charged with strengthening gender equality and empowering women around the world. While the UN has long stressed the importance of gender equality and the empowerment of women, over the years this work has been carried out though several different offices and mandates. UN Women combines the mandates and work of four UN offices and funds in order to give one streamlined, powerful voice to UN efforts to advance the status and lives of women globally. UN Women will hold the UN system accountable for improving gender mainstreaming and carrying out operational activities around the world.

Furthermore, the Under-Secretary General who heads up UN Women will have a seat on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s core policy team, thus giving women's issues the status and weight that they deserve in the UN system -- from economic empowerment and increased women's participation in political processes to protection of women and girls from violence and discrimination. The agency is expected to become operational on January 1, 2011.

Women around the world should have high expectations of this vital new agency. We look forward to partnering with UN Women in our shared efforts to ensure these expectations are fulfilled.
Learn more about this new agency.

*Jennifer Simon is a Senior Advisor to Ambassador Susan Rice, and her representative on the White House Council on Women and Girls

View the new UN Women website at http://www.unwomen.org/

The UN Secretary-General said of this action:

UN Women is a recognition of a simple truth: Equality for women and girls is not only a basic human right, it is a social and economic imperative. Where women are educated and empowered, economies are more productive and strong. Where women are fully represented, societies are more peaceful and stable.

That is why I have made gender equality and the empowerment of women one of my top priorities — from working to end the scourge of violence against women, to appointing more women to senior positions, to efforts to reduce maternal mortality rates.

 To read the full  UN Secretary-General's Statement on this historic event, click here. 

Oklahomans for Responsible Government Announces New Mission

Oklahomans for Responsible Government announced recently that it’s mission is changing to focus almost exclusively on the issue of transparency in all levels of state and local governments.

Read their announcement by clicking here.

Fletcher School District's Kathy Turner Named Oklahoma's "Superintendent of the Year"

Fletcher School District Superintendent Kathryn Turner has been named Oklahoma's 2010 "Superintendent of the Year." She was honored June 10 during the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators Annual Conference hosted by the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration in Oklahoma City. Turner has 24 years of experience in education and has served as superintendent at Fletcher for the past six years. She was recognized for numerous accomplishments including adding a new library, additions to the agricultural building and renovations to the high school gym. She also started an after-school program for enrichment and remediation and a free summer academy for children in the school idstrict. Read more here.

All Things New: How You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking in Oklahoma

"My People Have Been Sold; We Will Take Them Back." is the tag line for Linda Caswell's program  All Things New in Oklahoma City. It works to end human trafficking in Oklahoma and also helps victims. Below is news I received from her in a newsletter today. Feel free to help this worthy cause!

Thanks to the efforts of a multitude of people, All Things New is rapidly progressing, and we are now serving victims of sex trafficking.

What a blessing it is to see so many organizations and churches coming together to support these women and children who have been so damaged and have no voice.

All Things New now has a Target Registry. Go to www.Target.com and click on Target Lists. We are listed under All Things New and our ID # is 012004400000065.

This month I would like to ask you to please check out the links for Global Centurion: Fighting Child Sexual Slavery  and Rahab's Hideaway- "A safe haven for those who need a way out." Both of these organizations are active in combating sex trafficking, and it takes all of us doing our part to eliminate this evil.

Please check out our website: www.allthingsnewcampaign.org.

May God work through you and bless you in your Christian walk and in your service to Him.

Linda Caswell

Lake Park Elementary School Teacher Katherine Bishop Receives National Teaching Honor

Congratulations to Lake Park Elementary School special education teacher Katherine Bishop. She was recently named one of four teachers in the nation to receive the National Education Association Foundation's 2010 Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence. According to the NEA Foundation's website:

Katherine Bishop - Special Education Teacher
Lake Park Elementary School
Bethany, Oklahoma

Katherine Bishop believes that everyone has barriers to learning, but she realizes it often takes time to pinpoint exactly what they are and how to help. Bishop has created a classroom rich in technology to celebrate her students’ abilities while honoring their differences.

Thanks to an amplification system funded by a grant Bishop co-authored, her instruction can be understood by the student who is unable to block out certain noises and another who struggles to distinguish between similar sounds. In her classroom, students may simultaneously preview an assigned book as hard copy, using e-text readers, or with headsets for an audio version.

Bishop received her B.S. from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1991 and National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification in 2000. She co-chairs the NBPTS Exceptional Needs Standards Committee and serves on the NEA IDEA Resource Cadre.

You can watch a videa about Katherine at https://www.neafoundation.org/pages/educators/awards/teaching-excellence-awards/2010-finalists/

Community Forums on Wellness Scheduled in OKC Area

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information PleaseContact:
Wellness NowCoordinators
John Kidd
Phone: (405) 425-4335

Claire Dowers-Nichols
Phone: (405) 425-4361
Cell: (405) 613-4369

Wellness Now Seeks Public Input on Health Priorities

Community forums and surveys offer opportunities to weigh in on
neighborhood health concerns.

Oklahoma City - As the Wellness Now community health initiative gets underway,
the Oklahoma City-County Health Department is inviting people to share their
opinions about health concerns and the obstacles to good health in their
neighborhoods.


Wellness Nowwill hold a series of community forums beginning on July 12th, and
is also asking residents to participate by completing surveys that are available
now at public libraries, health facilities and other venues in the metropolitan
area. The surveys are also available online.

Wellness Nowis a collaborative effort to improve the health of our entire
community by addressing problems including obesity and tobacco use, as well as
senior and children’s health issues. The initiative involves dozens of
community organizations and individuals and is chaired by Oklahoma City Mayor
Mick Cornett and County Commission Chairman Ray Vaughn.

“Evidence-based studies and expert opinion are important, but we believe the
real answers to this challenge will be found in our own communities,” says
Wellness Now co-coordinator Claire Dowers-Nichols. “People understand the
problems in their own neighborhoods, and they are the ones who will lead us in
the right direction. They can tell us about the barriers they face in trying to
stay healthy, and that’s where we’ll find the solutions.”


Wellness involves much more than clinical health care. “Everything from access
to healthy food to safe places for kids to play is important,” says Wellness Now
co-coordinator John Kidd. “We’re hoping that people in all of our neighborhoods
will fill out the surveys and attend the community forums to speak their minds.
That’s the only way we can really understand the scope of the health crisis
here.”

Oklahoma is currently ranked 49th in the nation in health, and Oklahoma City is
among the fattest cities in the country and is high on the list in tobacco use.
Obesity and smoking are two of the most important contributors to high rates of
diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses that lead to premature death.

The community forums are not intended to be referendums on national health care
reform or other politically charged issues. “We’re looking to see how people
assess their own health and well-being and find out what they need in order to
achieve better health,” Kidd says.

Wellness Now Community Forum Dates and Locations
Community forums are currently scheduled at the following locations, and other
forums will be scheduled later in July:

Date Time Location
July 12th 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Choctaw Library – 2525 Muzzy, Choctaw

July 13th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Edmond Library – 10 S. Boulevard St., Edmond

July 14th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm 5th Street Baptist Church – 801 NE 5th St., OKC

July 15th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Reaching Our City – 7710 NW 10th St, OKC

July 19th 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Ralph Ellison Library – 2000 NE
23rd, OKC

July 19th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Crossings Community Center – 2208
W. Hefner Rd, OKC

July 20th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm OK County Social Services – 7401
NE 23rd St, OKC

July 26th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Public Strategies – 301 NW 63rd,
Suite 110, OKC

July 29th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Latino Community Development Agency
– 420 SW 10th St



Wellness Nowsurveys are anonymous and confidentiality is assured.
The surveys are available online at:

English: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FRP9RDV

Spanish: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FT8SLGL

Vietnamese: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FH6RBCD

Surveys are also available at Metro Libraries, YMCAs, OCCHD Clinics, WIC
Clinics, Mary Mahoney, Variety Care, the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic and other
locations.

For a complete list of survey and forum locations, please visit our website at
occhd.org, and click on Wellness Now.

##

Vicki Monks, Interim Public Information Officer
Oklahoma City-County Health Department
Office: (405) 425-4386
Cell: (405) 520-9902

Perkins School of Theology Preparing A Devotional Guide for Volunteers In Mission

For any of you who go on - and especially for those who lead - mission trips, there is great news in the latest newsletter from the Oklahoma Volunteers In Mission Office with the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church:

"Finding Your Way to a Deeper Life in Mission -- A Devotional Project for VIM." The Perkins School of Theology Global Theological Education program will be publishing a devotional guide for Volunteers In Mission.

They are inviting anyone who has participated in a VIM project to contribute devotions for the project.

They are also collecting orders of worship that are appropriate for use during a mission trip.

For guidelines and the list of texts and topics to choose from contact Dr. Robert Hunt Director of Global Theological Education Perkins School of Theology, globaltheology@smu.edu.

This is a BIG DEAL. I have been collecting ideas for such a product for 5 years so I will definitely be submitting material. On the mission trips I led to Kenya, I tried to formally schedule planned devotional time at least once and sometimes twice each day. I've been blessed to have at least one minister on each of the mission teams I led but to also have a resource document like Perkins is producing that you can draw from will be a great gift!

Will Oklahoma's Next Governor Make An Effort to Help Women?

Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins, who is running for Governor of Oklahoma, ran an ad over the July 4th weekend pledging to help Oklahoma women. Specifically, she said she will see to it women are paid the same as men (presumably for the same sort of work). She doesn't say how-- but it's a good step. Yeah, Jari. You can view her ad at   http://www.jariaskins.com/?p=1355

A Proposal to Help Oklahoma's Men and Women in Uniform

Linda Edmondson announced over the July 4th weekend that, if she becomes First lady of Oklahoma, she will devote her energies to making sure Oklahoma provides meaningful support for men and women in uniform by assisting their families and by preparing the way for them to return to their communities and resume their productive lives. This is a good idea. You can read more about it at  http://www.edmondson2010.com/latest_news/details/2010-07-linda-edmondson-proposes-initiative-to-assist-oklahom

Know Anyone Who Worked to Pass the Equal Rights Amendment??

If you know anyone who was involved -  even on the margins -- in the effort to pass the Equal Rights Amendment in Oklahoma, PLEASE urge them to call OU Professor Martha Skeeters at 405-325-2205 or email Martha at mskeeters@ou.edu or just send a note to the Women's and Gender Studies Program at OU, 731 Elm Avenue, Robertson Hall 101, Norman, OK 73019-3105 (see story below).

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma Women's and Gender Studies Program is looking for people who participated in the Equal Rights Amendment campaign in Oklahoma.

ERA activists from the 1970s are being sought to share their stories for the "Red Dirt Women and Power" video and oral history project.

Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972 and sent it to the states for ratification. Thirty-five states approved ratification, but amending the Constitution requires 38 states so the amendment failed.

"As part of the modern American women's movement, Oklahoma's fight for the ERA is a valuable piece of history," said OU associate professor Martha Skeeters. Interviews will be transcribed and archived in OU's Western History Collection and the Women's and Gender Studies Library to be available to researchers, students and the public, she said.

For more information, contact Skeeters by phone at 325-2205, by mail at the Women's and Gender Studies Program, 731 Elm Ave., Robertson Hall 101, Norman, 73019-3105, or e-mail mskeeters@ou.edu.

Source. June 24, 2010 Oklahoma/NewsOK (http://www.newsok.com/ou-program-seeks-equal-rights-campaign-workers/article/3470671?custom_click=pod_headline_education)

Oklahoma Pro-Choice Groups Are Forming

In reaction to the large number of anti-abortion bills that passed the Oklahoma legislature this year, it seems a number of pro-choice groups have formed.

The Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice was founded by two University of Oklahoma professors, Martha Skeeters and JoAnna Woolridge Wall. It will advocate on behalf of access to family planning, social services for mothers of children, and allowing women to make decisions about their reproductive health.

Sally's List states on its website that they are "a non-profit corporation dedicated to recruiting and training progressive women to run for the Oklahoma State Legislature." Martha Skeeters and other Oklahoma pro-choice advocates serve on the board of directors. This organization will raise campaign funds for and support (presumably pro-choice) women candidates in Oklahoma. For more information, visit the Sally's List website or the Facebook account or follow them on Twitter.

Oklahoma Feminists says on its Facebook page that it is made up of "Oklahomans, male and female, who support the equality and autonomy of women, and who will work to insure that women's rights are not abridged by laws or social/religious pressure, including the right to safe, legal abortion."

You can read more about all three groups in this Tulsa World article by Janet Pearson.  Also, to see the pink ladies in action, check out this blog post and this one  and read this May 25, 2010 article from The Oklahoman.

CASA of Oklahoma County Volunteers Honored

CASA of Oklahoma County recently recognized individuals for their contribution to this very important and challenging child advocacy program. Honored were:

Joyce Trice, Oklahoma City -  CASA of the Year Award.

 Jane Davis, Edmond -  Rookie of the Year Award.

Linda Walters, Oklahoma City - Rena Ellis Lifetime Achievement Award.

Janene MacIvor, Oklahoma City - Vina Showers Compassionate Heart Award.

Bill McKinney, Edmond -  Nance Diamond Award for his 28 years of dedicated service on behalf of abused and neglected children.

Lori and Jeff Blumenthal, Oklahoma City - Champion of Children Award for their generous contributions in supporting the CASA program.

Adelaide Liedtke, Oklahoma City - Grassroots Award, which is given in recognition of an individual's dedication to children and community.

Jane Brown, Oklahoma City - Friend of CASA Award, given to an individual who has shown a lifelong dedication to children and provided support and inspiration to CASA of Oklahoma County.

Read full story from June 24, 2010 Oklahoman at http://newsok.com/article/3471580

How Many Oklahoma 2010 Interim Studies Focus on Women and Girls?

Members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives requested 123 interim studies and House Speaker Chris Benge approved 68. In the Oklahoma Senate, President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee approved 24 interim studies.

How many of the 2010 interim studies in the Oklahoma Legislature actually deal specifically with issues impacting women or girls? Everything is subjective so you may disagree with me but here is my take:

Of the Senate studies, I picked three out of the 24 studies or 8%. Here are my picks (and the requesting legislator):

1.) A study on breast cancer (Easton McIntyre). Yes, I know men get breast cancer -- but rarely.
2.) A study of  Oklahoma's Methamphetamine Laws and Rules (Bingham) because so many women Oklahoma incarcerates are non-violent, low risk drug addicts.
3.) A study on residential assistance living and the rising costs of fines and fees (Burrage) because so many women outlive men and - if they are lucky - may end up living in an assisted living facility.

There are others we could include as well. For instance, while I am reluctant to drift over into "children's issues" too far, we could  include ""Privatization of Children's Protective Services @ DHS (Crain).

Of the House studies, I've included 6 of the 68 studies or 9%. They are:

1.) A study dealing with human trafficking and sex trafficking of minors (Peterson)
2.) A study on the effects of bullying and the laws and policies in place for prevention (Jeannie McDaniel)
3.) A study regarding children whose mothers are incarcerated (Jeannie McDaniel)
4.) Methods of collecting child support for Oklahoma residents from a parent living in another state (Shannon)
5.) A study of drug use and sentencing structure for convicted addicts (Ownbey)
6.) A study of the current state of Oklahoma's Family Law and Courts (McCullough)

What do you think? Have I left out an obvious Senate or House interim study that clearly deals with women?  If so, let me know!

YIKES! I Discovered Blogger's Template Designer

Last month, Blogger introduced an easier Blogger Template Designer. Ergo, I look different. And maybe this blog will look totally different again NEXT time you visit, too. Because it is SO easy and fun and there are so many fun choices to play with!

OK Women's Coalition Names Rep Kris Steele 2010 Legislator of the Year

The Oklahoma Women’s Coalition honored Oklahoma’s House speaker-designate Kris Steele on June 24, 2010 for his leadership and efforts to reduce the high rate of female incarceration in the state.

"I am humbled by this special recognition,” Steele said. “As policymakers, we have the responsibility to work toward creating a better future for all Oklahomans. The Oklahoma Women’s Coalition does a great job of advocating for the improved status of women and children in our state, and it is an honor to join with them in their cause.”

Steele authored House Bill 2998, legislation recently signed into law that authorizes reentry and diversion pilot programs for non-violent offender parents to receive community-based services in lieu of incarceration. Its intent is to encourage the state to allow primary caregivers of minor children to receive rehabilitative services while maintaining contact with their children, Steele said.

Oklahoma incarcerates more women than any other state in the nation. Its incarceration rate for women is 131 per 100,000 residents, almost twice the national average of 69 per 100,000. Most prison inmates, 68 percent, are in prison for non-violent offenses.

“Oklahoma ranks first in the nation for the number of women incarcerated per capita,” said Jean Warner, Ph.D., chair of the Oklahoma Women’s Coalition. “The coalition made this issue a priority this year as a co-sponsor of the Oklahoma S.I.S. statewide conference. We partnered with other organizations, like the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, to examine this issue and look for solutions. Representative Steele has been a leader in moving this issue forward.”

Diversion programs could save the state approximately $56 per day, or $20,000 per inmate, according to the coalition.

“By implementing effective diversion and reentry programs, we’ll help stop the cycle of intergenerational incarceration and strengthen Oklahoma families,” Warner said.

Read more about the Coalition's Annual Meeting events here.

Celebrate Women: Visit Oklahoma City's 99's Museum of Women Pilots

The 99's Museum of Women Pilots held a dedication to celebrate the Grand Re-opening on June 26, 2010.

The museum is located near Will Rogers World Airport and was closed for seven months of refurbishing. The museum added and expanded several exhibits, such as a "Dreamflyer” flight trainer, an array of female aviators around the world and a display of women's vintage aviation fashions that includes go-go boots and outfits that cleverly convert from skirts to pants and tops.

The re-opening featured NASA Astronaut Randy Bresnik, grandson of Alfred Bresnik who was the personal photographer of Amelia Earhart. He returned a scarf belonging to Earhart which he took with him into space. You can read more of The Oklahoman article HERE and about women pilots HERE.

Congrats Jeannette Smith, New Bricktown Association Exec Dir

Welcome Jeannette Smith, the new Executive Director of Bricktown Association. She's been director of marketing for Penn Square Mall for 17 years. You can read more here.

Farewell to OETA's Gerry Bonds

Last night was the last OETA "Oklahoma News Report" episode featuring Gerry Bonds, George Tomek and Ross Dixon. Yup - they've been let go. SORRY!!!  I am going to miss them and the other programs they did as well. OETA officials said it was a cost cutting measure but really, do you believe that?! I think they just used budget constraints as an excuse to drop the old folks. As a proud and happy member of the dreaded "older generation," I am offended but not surprised.

Woman Candidate: A.J. Jones Running for House District 31 Seats

A.J. Jones is challenging Oklahoma House of Representatives District 31 incumbent Jason Murphey. Since they are both republicans, this race will be over on July 27 (no Democrat filed for the seat).

According to the the "fact sheets " that the candidates completed for The Oklahoman, Murphey is 33, from Guthrie, an NRA member. He says he's running to shrink government and represent traditional values (which are____________?) but he's also one of the few high tech advocates at the State Capitol! Jones reports that she is 53, a lawyer, married and running because we need "proven leaders." Clearly The Oklahoman article doesn't give us  enough data to make a decision. Here is Jason's campaign website. Anyone got the URL for A.J. Jones' campaign website?

The Secret to Women Succeeding...

Today I've run across two responses to the question, "What does it take for women to succeed?"
The first is from a speech by Melanne Verveer, US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. She noted in a speech at the United Nations June 30. 2010 that "gender equality is the linchpin." Mind you, she is talking global but it applies nationally and locally and in the home, too! Read her remarks here.
The other idea for what stands between women and success came in a conversation with Susie Graves regarding a grant proposal the Oklahoma Women's Coalition has submitted to the Woman's Foundation of Oklahoma. Susie said she'd been told the keys to success for women are: delaying childbirth, education beyond high school, and a positive jhob experience. That's not a bad place to focus, is it? :-)
My favorite piece of advice though came from Swanee Hunt when she spoke to my N.E.W. Leadership class one time. Hunt is with the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University now and is the Founding Director of the Women and Public Policy Program at the Kennedy School. (Just for a laugh, click here and see what she lists as her areas of expertise! WOW. That's humbling.)
So she started her talk to the NEWL participants by saying, "I know you want me to tell you how to get a position with Harvard. And I know you want me to tell you how to become US Ambassador to Austria. And I know you want to tell me...(as she ran - backwards - through her resume)." Then she paused, leaned forward and said, "But first I am going to give you one piece of advice that is more important than anything else I will say today." You could hear a pin drop and then she said,
"If you want to succeed as a woman, marry a man who is not threatened by a smart woman."