House Speaker Kris Steele Welcomes Oklahoma Women's Coalition to the Capitol

Upon arriving at the State Capitol, we assembled in The Blue Room to get our handout materials for our legislators and to hear House Speaker Kris Steele (above) discussed his efforts to reduce the rate at which Oklahoma incarcerates nonviolent offenders. We then proceeded to the gallery in the Senate chambers were we were recognized by the Senators. Then we scattered to visit with our elected officials. It was an educational, inspiring and fun day. I hope you will consider joining us next year!

Jari Askins Giving Advocacy Tips at OK Women's Coalition Event

Jari Askins shared tips on talking to our State Legislators before we headed over to the State Capitol to visit with our elected officials. We all had "Talking Points" and material to leave with our Senator and Representative encouraging them to vote YES on House Bill 2131. Introduced by House Speaker Kris Steele, the bill will:

• Expand eligibility for community sentencing programs and mandatory supervision
• Establish qualification requirements for Parole Board members
• Limit the Governor's role in the parole process for nonviolent offenders
• Expand eligibility for Oklahoma's existing Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring program
• Change deault sentencing to run concurrent instead of consecutive.

HB2131 has cleared the House ans is now in the Senate. Please take a minute to send your State Senator an email encouraging him or her to vote YES on HB2131.

Pam Richardson, Amy Santee Discuss Incarceration of Women

Pam Richardson (left), CEO of Resonance Center for Women in Tulsa and Amty Santee (right) with the George Kaiser Family Foundation talked about efforts under way to reduct the incarceration rate of women in Oklahoma. We currently rank #1 in the United States (and #3 for men) per capita.

Dr. Terry Cline Speaks at Oklahoma Women's Coalition 2011 Advocacy Day

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Terry Cline, PhD, Oklahoma Commissioner of Health, spoke to participants at the Oklahoma Women's Coalition "Advocate 2011: Women and Girls Day in Oklahoma" about health in Oklahoma and the "Shape Your Future" initiative.

Oklahoma Women's Coalition "Leading Ladies Reception"

The Oklahoma Women's Coalition reception honoring women in elective office was wonderful this evening. Great turnout. Governor Mary Fallin spoke and read a proclamation declaring it Women and Girls Day in Oklahoma. Corporation Commission Chair Dana Murphy told how she was involved in founding the organization and her hopes for improving the lives of women and girls in Oklahoma. Publisher and CEO of The Journal Record Mary Melon introduced the elected women (see top image above; click on images to enlarge).

Dana Murphy speaking at Leading Ladies Reception April 11

Posted via email from Jean's Posterous Blog

The Honorable Dana Murphy, Chair of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, spoke at the Leading Ladies  Reception in Oklahoma April 11. She noted that she was one of the original founders of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition and very proud of the work that organization is undertaking to improve conditions for Oklahoma women and girls. She congratulated all the women present who, like her, currently serve in elective office  and the thousand more not present at this inaugural event.

Celebrating the Oklahoma Women's Coalition

At the January 2011 board meeting of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition, we took time to review all the things we have accomplished since our founding in the fall of 2008. Ergo - a celebration cake!

Oklahoma Women's Coalition Board Hard at Work

Sorting through old photos. Thought I'd share the October 2010 OWC board meeting.

Like the Oklahoma Women's Coalition's New Logo?

How do you like the Oklahoma Women's Coalition's new logo?

Actually, I hope you LOVE IT because we have agonized over this for months and I'm quite tickled with what the Communications Committee settled on. I think it is whimsical.

What do you think?

Seeking Oklahoma Women's Organizations

We are getting ready to invite organizations to join the Oklahoma Women's Coalition. We thought we'd begin by contacting women's organizations in Oklahoma. Here is the list we are working from: http://www.oklahomawomensnetwork.com/resources/organizations.html

We know it is woefully incomplete and sometimes even inaccurate. We are trying to add new groups to the list as soon as we learn about them (In fact, I just added W.O.M.E.N. at University of Central Oklahoma to the list tonight.)

Would you please look over the list and send me any additions or changes we need to make?

And would you also please pass information about the Oklahoma Women's Coalition along to any women's groups you know of that might want to be apart of this new effort to speak for women and girls at the State Capitol?

Here is our web page: http://www.oklahomawomenscoalition.org/ and here is the membership form: http://www.oklahomawomenscoalition.org/PDF/OWC%20application%20form%2010-7-2008.pdf/.

Or just have them email me (jeanwarner at cox dot net) directly.

Thanks!

Become a Member of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition

I hope you will become a member of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition.

If you WANT to get involved, we'll put you on one of our great working committees. You can tell your grandchildren someday how you were a pioneer on behalf of Oklahoma women and girls.

If you DON'T want to get deeply involved in "yet another club," just receive our newsletters and action alerts. Join because we need to be able to tell legislators that we represent lots of people from all across the State of Oklahoma. (And I am hoping that, when you get our Action Alerts, you may even send an email to or call your State Representative or Senator.)

Join because, frankly, we need your $25 to pay for a subscription to a bill tracking service and to pay for other expenses necessary to be the voice for women and girls at the State Capitol.

But mostly join because you'll be helping to make a positive difference in Oklahoma!

We're not a girls club. Men are welcome and encouraged to join, too. You guys have mothers and sisters and daughters and wives (well, one, anyway) and you know Oklahoma has a long way to go in seeing that they don't encounter barriers in achieving their full potential.

So click here for the website or click here to open the membership form. Download the form, fill it out and send it in. Then email this post on to your friends and family.

THANKS!

Oklahoma Women's Coalition Launched Today

The first board meeting of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition was held today in Oklahoma City. So, we are officially launched! This board is composed of an extraordinary group of women leaders from across the state committed to advancing the potential and equity of Oklahoma women and girls. We set up committees and elected chairs for Membership, Advocacy, Communications, Day at the Capitol, Finance, Fundraising and Leadership Development. So now we can officially recruit members. I'll blog soon on how to join and what we will be doing. I hope many of you will want to become a member of this statewide effort to provide a voice for women and girls at the Oklahoma State Capitol.