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women – RI Future http://www.rifuture.org Progressive News, Opinion, and Analysis Sat, 29 Oct 2016 16:03:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.25 Coalition of women bring new voting equipment to RI http://www.rifuture.org/coalition-of-women-bring-new-voting-equipment-to-ri/ http://www.rifuture.org/coalition-of-women-bring-new-voting-equipment-to-ri/#respond Fri, 07 Aug 2015 11:02:45 +0000 http://www.rifuture.org/?p=50949 Continue reading "Coalition of women bring new voting equipment to RI"

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As Americans celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act Thursday, Governor Gina Raimondo and Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea observed the historic Act’s passing in their own way – by signing into law legislation that will update Rhode Island’s voting equipment for the first time in 20 years.

Gov. Raimondo signing bill to give Sec. of State Gorbea authorization to buy new voting equipment.
Gov. Raimondo signing bill to give Sec. of State Gorbea authorization to buy new voting equipment.

Bills S999 and H6312, sponsored by Senator Cynthia Coyne (District 32) and Representative Kathleen Fogarty (District 35), gives the Secretary of State the power to purchase new voting equipment, a duty that was formerly carried out by the Board of Elections.

“Back in 1997, when the last purchasing bill was done, it was set up so that it would revert over to the Board of Elections,” Secretary Gorbea explained. “So, for the last 17 years that’s where it had rested, and the legislature, in this past session, saw fit to turn that around. Now, of course, the Board of Elections is an instrumental part of this, and is working with us on this process.”

She added that voting equipment is part of a democracy’s infrastructure, and that citizens in a democracy depend on that equipment to “deliver fair, fast, and accurate elections.”

Gorbea has ordered the creation of a Voting Equipment Task Force, to inform the Department of State’s process of researching and buying new equipment, which has not been updated since 1997. John Marion, the executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, is a member of the task force, said the Board of Elections was not moving into the 21st century fast enough when it came to voting infrastructure, so the new legislation is a good way to move forward, even though it may be less transparent.

“The Board of Elections process could have been more transparent, because in the end the Board would have to vote in a public session on the purchase of the new machines, and now the Secretary can make the decision. The Secretary is not a board that has to have a public session,” he said. “But, fortunately, the Secretary convened a task force, to give input, and it’s a very expansive task force that brings in a lot of different people in the community. So, I think she is being as transparent as she can be, given the circumstances.”

Marion also said that the task force will be looking at what other states have done to influence how they will go about acquiring new equipment. Common Cause as a whole, he said, is also interested in making voting more accessible to Rhode Islanders. Senator Coyne shared that sentiment.

“The signing of this legislation is crucial to not only ensuring our elections are fair and accurate, but also to bringing the state’s voting machines into the 21st century,” she said. “In addition, modern equipment will make the voting process easier for Rhode Islanders, which will hopefully result in more people becoming involved in the democratic process.”

Governor Raimondo added that the main goal is to ensure that government works for everybody.

“This is a bill that I supported. I think the Secretary of State will do a good job. It will be efficient, and as I mentioned in my comments, really performance based. We want to make government effective and efficient, and the best use of tax dollars, and I think this does that,” she said.

An interesting side note about this bill that was mentioned at the signing is the fact that all the main stakeholders in its passage are women. Representative Fogarty, of South Kingstown, said that this proves that women create good legislation, which leads to good government.

“It was not something that was planned,” Gorbea said on the subject. “It was just something that happened organically, and I was pleased to see it happen.”

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RI Women’s Fund opens applications for policy learning program http://www.rifuture.org/ri-womens-fund-opens-applications-for-policy-learning-program/ http://www.rifuture.org/ri-womens-fund-opens-applications-for-policy-learning-program/#respond Wed, 22 Jul 2015 09:42:35 +0000 http://www.rifuture.org/?p=50345 Continue reading "RI Women’s Fund opens applications for policy learning program"

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The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island has officially begun the application process for its 2015-2016 Women’s Policy Institute.

Graphic courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/womensfundri/photos/a.84051835944.78807.84048970944/10150162360250945/?type=3&theater
Graphic courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/womensfundri/photos/a.84051835944.78807.84048970944/10150162360250945/?type=3&theater

The institute, which began in 2011, works to increase the number of women leaders that are involved in state policy creation. Members will first be trained, and then will work to draft and support legislation concerning women’s issues. It has already been responsible for major policy changes, such as paid family leave and workplace pregnancy accommodations.

The program is open to women 18 or older who work in all sectors, and come from all backgrounds, races, and interests. The Women’s Fund said that “ideal candidates are passionate individuals looking to gain new skills and make a difference in the lives of women and girls.”

Candidates are chosen through a competitive application process. All applications are reviewed and applicants will be invited for in person interviews. After that point, 15 candidates will be chosen and invited to join the Women’s Policy Institute.

Those who are interested in applying can attend an informational session on July 28 at 5:30 pm at the Law Firm of William J. Conley, 123 Dyer Street.

Those interested may apply at www.wfri.org.

Applications are due by August 11, 2015, and can be mailed to the Women’s Fund at One Union Station, Providence, Rhode Island, 02903, or by emailing shanna@wfri.org. Applicants that have been selected for interviews will be notified by August 17, 2015. Sessions for the institute will begin in mid-September, with a monthly two-day retreat on Fridays and Saturdays. The Women’s Policy Institute is free of charge.

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RI Latinas graduate from civic leadership program http://www.rifuture.org/ri-latinas-graduate-from-civic-leadership-program/ http://www.rifuture.org/ri-latinas-graduate-from-civic-leadership-program/#respond Fri, 17 Jul 2015 09:30:01 +0000 http://www.rifuture.org/?p=50271 Continue reading "RI Latinas graduate from civic leadership program"

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The Latina Leadership Institute (LLI), a program designed to engage Rhode Island Latinas in their communities, celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2015 at the State House on Thursday evening. Offered by the Rhode Island Latino Civic Fund (RILCF), the goal of the program is to create and inspire Latinas to take leadership positions within the state. There were seven graduates honored at the ceremony.

Graduates of the Latina Leadership Institute with Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, and LLI Program Coordinators
Graduates of the Latina Leadership Institute with Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, and LLI Program Coordinators

The program required the seven women to attend weekly Saturday learning seminars, as well as submit a research project and work together on a group fundraiser. Over the course of their time with LLI, they were also given the chance to network with other prominent Rhode Island Latinas, including Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, who gave the keynote address at the ceremony. Gorbea is the first Latina to hold an elected state office in New England, and one of the founders of the RILCF.

“The LLI is a wonderful example of what happens when people start things,” Gorbea said. “When I created the Civic Fund, this was the last thing on my mind that would come out of it. But how wonderful it is.”

Gorbea said the women who become alumni of the institute show commitment to a new beginning, and signal a bright future for the state. She added that those who graduate must never give up on trying to make a positive change in their communities, even though being a Latina in a position of power can seem daunting at times. Although the opportunities for them to make a change might not always seem significant, Gorbea encouraged them to push through.

“When people talk about seizing opportunities, its not those big ones, its those little tiny steps that get us somewhere else,” she said.

Gorbea said that she is lucky to hold the office of Secretary of State, because she believes she can directly transform how people participate in the democratic process. She told the graduates to embrace their ability to transform government as well, saying that by working to rebuild, strengthen, and expand their communities, they can change Rhode Island for the better.

“That’s why civic leadership is so incredibly important,” she said. “It involves bringing people together in new ways.”

Governor Gina Raimondo addressed the graduates as well, saying that they, as women, have an obligation to get involved in their communities and within the state. She said that better decisions are made when everyone has a voice in the discussion, and that includes Latinas.

“We know you have a commitment to be engaged, and I never want you to questions yourselves,” she said. “I want you to be confident, constantly develop yourselves, and never ask yourselves “Should I be here,” or “Should I be doing this,” because you have to.”

Raimondo also spoke on the power that women in the State House currently have. Thursday afternoon, she signed a bill that required businesses to make accommodations for pregnant women. She also announced that, as the first female governor, she has opened a lactation room in the State House for women who need it.

Two members of the class were given the chance to give their own speeches at the ceremony as well. Andrea James-Gomez remarked in her speech that LLI has given herself and her classmates the tools to move forward in their respective careers through both their group and solo projects.

“Not only did we research, but we had the opportunity to become passionate about the things that are important to us,” she said.

James-Gomez also said that the program did not just give the class the chance to develop themselves as career women, though. They also formed a sisterhood, helping each other to grow as people as they apply what they learned because of the institute. Olga Encarnacion, another member of the class, agreed.

“We empower each other as Latinas. That alone is an important lesson,” she said. “This is just the beginning, and this is not the last time you will see us.

Along with James-Gomez and Encarnacion, the other five graduates were Ivonne Cam, Michelle Carrasco, Miguelina Perez, Yajaira Reyes, and Jahaira Rodriguez. A special LLI Alumni Award was also given to Sabrina Matos, the first Latina member of the Providence City Council. The Rhode Island Welcome Back Center also received a Community Partner Award for its assistance to the LLI and the RILCF.

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ACLU: RI elementary schools promote gender stereotypes http://www.rifuture.org/aclu-ri-elementary-schools-promote-gender-stereotypes/ http://www.rifuture.org/aclu-ri-elementary-schools-promote-gender-stereotypes/#respond Thu, 12 Mar 2015 00:53:23 +0000 http://www.rifuture.org/?p=46038 Continue reading "ACLU: RI elementary schools promote gender stereotypes"

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acluDespite decades of progress toward gender equality, in Rhode Island today gender-exclusive student events that are specifically held for girls or boys with the active support of elementary schools help to perpetuate blatant gender stereotypes. Almost invariably, the girls’ events, organized by parent-teacher groups and publicized by the schools, are dances, with another gender-stereotyped event, like a pajama party, occasionally taking their place. By contrast, and just as invariably, the events arranged for boys involve almost anything but dancing, are wide-ranging, and focus on purportedly male-friendly activities like sports and arcade games.

That’s the finding of a report issued by the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, based on a survey of 40 elementary schools in 16 school districts. The report, “Girls Just Wanna Darn Socks,” states that the schools’ promotion of these parent teacher association (PTA) and parent teacher organization (PTO) activities reinforces outdated stereotypes of gender roles in Rhode Island’s youngest residents.

“Rhode Island girls, routinely sent to dances, are fed the same tired stereotype that they must look pretty and be social, while boys are given access to magic and science shows and physical activities – their own and others – like PawSox games and trampoline parks,” the report stated. Through open records requests, the ACLU found that during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years, 80% of  “girls’ events” at the 40 elementary schools studied were dances. The few other events held for girls generally encompassed pajama parties, yoga nights, and blanket sewing. The activities for boys, on the other hand, were much more diverse, and included attendance at baseball and hockey games, science and magic shows, and outings for laser tag, bowling, and arcade games.

Although these extracurricular activities are hosted by PTAs and PTOs, the ACLU’s investigation found that the schools regularly promote these events in various ways, through posting on school websites, use of school listservs, and by otherwise offering the parent-teacher groups special access to school resources to promote the events. The report argues that the use of these school resources to support such stereotypical and discriminatory events undermines Title IX, the landmark anti-discrimination law that has helped break down the barriers between girls’ and boys’ education over the past four decades.

Great progress has been made by women in education in the years since Title IX’s passage, but girls and women continue to be underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. By supporting these gender-exclusive events, the ACLU report argues, “Rhode Island’s schools, however unintentionally, support the sort of stereotyping that helped discourage girls from those fields for so long.”

The report concludes:

In the 21st Century, however, it should be simply unacceptable for public schools to be fostering the notion that girls belong at formal dances, yoga or sewing while boys should be offered baseball games, bowling and science. Not every girl today is interested in growing up to be Cinderella; many enjoy participating in and attending sports events and playing arcade games. Similarly, not every boy makes sports his obsessive pastime or cringes at the thought of going to a dance. Such gender-segregated programming – based on gender stereotypes about the talents, capacities and preferences of children – is harmful to boys and girls alike, and fails in any meaningful way to provide “reasonably comparable” experiences.

The report called on school equal opportunity officers to halt school support of these types of discriminatory extracurricular events, and instead discuss with PTO/PTAs the need to promote gender-inclusive activities. The ACLU also called on the state Department of Education to intervene by providing guidance to school districts on the illegal nature of their promotion of these gender-discriminatory activities. The General Assembly enacted a law in 2013 authorizing gender-exclusive extracurricular activities, but required them to be “reasonably comparable.” The ACLU and numerous women’s rights groups opposed the legislation.

 

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2014 election could be a women’s wave http://www.rifuture.org/2014-election-could-be-a-womens-wave/ http://www.rifuture.org/2014-election-could-be-a-womens-wave/#comments Thu, 11 Sep 2014 20:29:25 +0000 http://www.rifuture.org/?p=40440 Continue reading "2014 election could be a women’s wave"

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Photo courtesy of NBC10. Click on the image for NBC10.com.

Not only could Rhode Island have its first female governor in Gina Raimondo by 2015, there could also be more women than men in statewide offices.

The general election ballot will feature three women – two Democrats and one Republican – running for five statewide offices. The treasurer and attorney general contests feature four male candidates.

“There’s the potential for a majority of women holding statewide offices,” said Carolyn Mark, the president of Rhode Island National Organization of Women. “That’s huge.”

For governor, Democrat Raimondo is facing Republican Allan Fung. In the lt. governor’s race Republican Catherine Taylor is running against Democrat Dan McKee. And the woman with perhaps the easiest path to victory is Democrat Nellie Gorbea, who after upsetting Guillaume de Ramel, will now face Republican John Carlevale in the general election.

Kara Russo was the only woman who lost on primary night, and she lost to Taylor. RI NOW endorsed Frank Ferri for lt governor, but Mark said the organization is open to reconsidering now that he is out of the race.

“We welcome the opportunity to talk to [Taylor] about that,” Mark said.

In 2010, there were three women were on the primary ballot for statewide offices – Lt Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, Raimondo and Taylor. Both Roberts and Raimondo won in the primary and general election. In 2006, Roberts and Republican Sue Stenhouse, running for secretary of state, won in their primaries. Roberts beat Kerry King and Stenhouse lost to Ralph Mollis in the general election. In 2002, the Board of Elections website says Myrth York, a Democrat who ran for governor against Don Carcieri, was the only female candidate to run in a primary. In 1998, two women ran for attorney general: Democrat Eva Mancuso and Republican Nancy Mayer. Both lost to Sheldon Whitehouse.

While Mark was pleased with the statewide results – RI NOW endorsed Raimondo and Gorbea – she said she Providence Rep. Maria Cimini’s primary loss was “tragic.”

“She is one of those exceptional people smart enough to understand the issues and empathetic to the struggles of everyday Rhode Islanders,” Mark said. “It’s not just a loss of a woman, it’s a loss of HER. And it’s not just a loss for her district, but it’s a loss for the entire state.”

Mark took issue with House Speaker Nick Mattiello targeting Cimini. “If you stand up to leadership, you not only have to duke it out on the House floor, but also in an election, too.”

Correction: An earlier version of this post indicated there were only two women on the 2010 primary ballots.

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The candidates weigh in on women’s issues http://www.rifuture.org/the-candidates-weigh-in-on-womens-issues/ http://www.rifuture.org/the-candidates-weigh-in-on-womens-issues/#respond Mon, 12 May 2014 13:18:17 +0000 http://www.rifuture.org/?p=35796 Continue reading "The candidates weigh in on women’s issues"

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womens fund forumSix months before the general election, the six candidates for governor came together for the first time last week. And they did so to answer questions about gender equality. The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island hosted a forum Thursday to query the candidates on “so-called women’s issues,” as Gina Raimondo, the only female candidate, labelled them in her opening remarks.

Steve Ahlquist filmed the entire event and broke it down question-by-question, starting with each candidate’s opening remarks:

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Question 1: What can you do to address unequal pay in our state?

Ken Block said there is “no place for wage discrimination” and that there are already laws in place to deal with it. Clay Pell called it a question of fundamental justice and of economic growth and “I think we have to do a lot more than just enforce the laws that are on the books.” Allan Fung said there are more barriers in the public sector than the private sector to equal pay in pay equity and promotions. Todd Giroux spoke about more generic economic reforms that don’t speak directly to equal pay.

Several of the Democrats said raising the minimum wage will have positive impacts on pay equity.

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Question 2: Do you support policies, like family leave, that benefit working women?

The Republican candidates tacked to different directions on this question. Fung said, “I absolutely do support a lot of those policies that [provide] flexibility for people into the workforce.” Block said he allows for family leave at his business, but then railed against the temporary disability insurance program in Rhode Island, calling it among the most expensive in the nation.

The Democrats were more united. “I absolutely think we need to a better job pr providing more flexible work places,” said Raimondo. Taveras agreed and Pell went furthest saying overall Rhode Island has been moving in the wrong direction when it comes to making women more equal in the workplace. He cited state childcare assistance being been cut by 80 percent since 2007 as evidence.

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Question 3: What will you do as governor to proactively affect gender inequality?

Pell committed to appointing an equal mix of men and women to boards and commissions while Block said he would “strive” to have an equal mix in his administration. Raimondo, said there are no laws in Rhode Island to protect pregnant women in the workplace, said she’s the only candidate to have been pregnant in the workplace. Taveras said he knows it from a father’s perspective.

Todd Giroux said he has used the family leave act to take care of his father. He said as the “openly-gay candidate in the race, I am all about equality.”  Raimondo . Taveras said he understands some of the challenges from a father’s perspective. As governor he said he will consider “what is best for the working families.”

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Question 4: Reproductive justice. Will you veto bill that limits a women’s right to make their own health care decisions?

Pell, Raimondo and Taveras were clear on this question: each began their statements by saying yes, they would. Fung said he supports a women’s right to choose.

Block said, “The question of abortion is settled federal law. The Supreme Court has weighed in and I have no interest in challenging or changing that law here in the state.” Giroux, too, said he does not wish to weigh in on this issue as governor, but said he is opposed to abortion. He said a college girlfriend had an abortion without telling him. “In America today, you have a right to choose and your baby has a right to life.”

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Question 5: How will you ensure women can get out of poverty?

Pell called this the critical question of the election.  Raimondo said, “It’s time that we take a different approach to the way we deliver social services and we focus more on results. We re spending money but it often isn’t effective. My approach would be break down the silos, fund what works.” Taveras said he has a three-pronged approach: raising the minimum wage, ensuring affordable childcare and investing in “cradle to career” education.

Block, also talked about education, saying he is “dedicated to education reform.” He and Fung both said fostering private sector growth will help raise people out of poverty.

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Question 6: What are you plans to ensure recent college grads can find good jobs?

Instead of answering the question, Taveras and Block really get to the heart of the political difference between conservatives and progressives in Rhode Island.

Taveras said Rhode Island needs a climate that tells young people this is a place to be, this is a place to start a business and to live. But Block countered, “We won’t get the new jobs we need if it makes much more sense for businesses to set up in Massachusetts than it does in Rhode Island. It’s a brutal fact.”

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Question 7: Sexual assault on campus

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Question 8: How will you make expansion of women-owned businesses a reality?

Fung and Block spoke of focusing on the larger economy. Block said, “we need to increase the ease with which individuals can start businesses in this state, whether they are male or whether they are female.”

Raimondo said access to capital programs for women and minorities matter. “It’s time we face the reality that women have been left behind in the business world and address it.” Taveras said he wants to work with the Center for Women and Enterprise and the SBA to “open the doors and create opportunities.”

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…And their closing remarks:

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Let’s not mince words, we were bowling for abortions http://www.rifuture.org/lets-not-mince-words-we-were-bowling-for-abortions/ http://www.rifuture.org/lets-not-mince-words-we-were-bowling-for-abortions/#comments Wed, 07 May 2014 18:07:31 +0000 http://www.rifuture.org/?p=35595 Continue reading "Let’s not mince words, we were bowling for abortions"

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shoesOn Sunday, April 27, I had the pleasure of bowling at a fundraiser that benefits the  “Women’s Health and Education Fund of Rhode Island.” This annual bowlathon is part of a national campaign that funds abortion services for people who demonstrate financial need.  Anyone who needs abortion services should have access to them, regardless of financial state, location or any other of the many factors that keep pregnant people  from accessing necessary reproductive services.

If you clicked the national campaign link above, you will see that our little state is 9th (!) in ranking nationwide. This makes me happier than I can say. I am proud of this work; it is one of the most important things we can do to help people claim autonomy of their bodies and make personal choices regardless of access restrictions.

With a couple of new state bills proposed that would limit abortion access in Rhode Island, we have to take a critical look at our state’s commitment to bodily autonomy and personal choice. The most infamous of these bills, proposed by State Representative Karen MacBeth of Cumberland, has been brought back and struck down every year for the past five.

Karen, move on. Forced ultrasounds are not informing people of the choice they are making. Abortions are a deeply personal choice and quite frankly, none of your damn business. This bill is an act of intimate violation of a person’s body by the government. Every pregnant person has a right to decide what to do with their bodies without your interference.

With H 7303 and other bills like it creeping steadily into our legislation, we need to think about how we phrase our fundraising and work that we do in this state. “Women’s Health and Education Fund of Rhode Island” feels like code. Why aren’t we more transparent about the work we are doing? Why is the word “abortion” skirted around? If you visit the WHEFRI website, you see in clear language that these funds are going to abortion services. The more we use the word abortion, the less stigma there will be attached to it. I encourage the Board Members of WHEFRI to look deeply at the name and think about changing it to bring light to this important work under no cloaks or guises.

I’d also like to address with use of the word “Women.” We have to recognize that abortion services need to be available to everyone, regardless of gender identification. In that I mean that not all people who need access to abortion services are women.  A transgender man may need abortion services. A non-binary person may need services. Keeping around terms like these may limit people’s access to these funds. I do not mean to say that WHEFRI would ever discriminate against someone because of their gender, however I will posit that it may make a pregnant person who does not identify as a woman question whether they would have access to these funds. Inclusive language is something we need to address in the reproductive justice world; without it we are limiting who we reach. If we want all people to have access to abortions, let’s work on how we present our mission and work.

As one of the biggest access funds in the state, we should be shouting loud and proud. Let’s work on ensuring that all pregnant people have access to abortion services and that our work is recognizable as such. I want to make Rhode Island a forerunner for reproductive justice.

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Equal pay for women means real prosperity for middle class http://www.rifuture.org/equal-pay-for-women-means-real-prosperity-for-middle-class/ http://www.rifuture.org/equal-pay-for-women-means-real-prosperity-for-middle-class/#respond Fri, 11 Apr 2014 00:01:38 +0000 http://www.rifuture.org/?p=34162 Continue reading "Equal pay for women means real prosperity for middle class"

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Sen. Gayle Goldin
Sen. Gayle Goldin

On Tuesday, I went to the White House where I met President Obama and many extraordinary women who have spent decades advocating for equality.  Together, we marked Equal Pay Day, the day to which women have to work in 2014 in order to catch up to what men earned in 2013, by watching the president sign two executive actions designed to remove barriers to equal pay.

Equal pay for equal work is not only a matter of fairness, it’s a matter of rebuilding our economy. What do you get when 52 percent of the population is paid unfairly? You get an economy where 52 percent of the population has diminished buying power. That’s as lousy for business as it is for families. And for women-headed households, particularly single-parent households, the effects are pronounced. We know in Rhode Island women make up the majority of minimum wage workers and are the majority of parents living in poverty.

While the president’s steps this week are important, they won’t solve the problem on their own.

In Rhode Island and nationwide, policymakers must shift our focus to what’s good for the middle class. It’s a strategy that does work: A thriving middle class is widely recognized as one of the key drivers of the prosperity the United States enjoyed in the years after World War II.

Instead of talking about merely creating jobs, we must demand that jobs pay a living and equitable wage, create pathways to success, and recognize the complexity of balancing a career while managing a family. We need economy-boosting jobs, not economy-busting ones.

When I championed Temporary Caregiver Insurance, our state’s new paid family leave insurance, I did so because when a person has to take unpaid leave to care for a family member, that family’s financial security is at risk. Just a few weeks of paid time off means a husband doesn’t need to make the difficult decision between caring for his wife struggling with cancer or paying for groceries. Instead, workers will be able to continue paying bills and putting food on their tables, which in turn helps support our local economy. As of this week, nearly 1,000 Rhode Islanders have used Temporary Caregiver Insurance, including the mother I met recently who had just returned to work after the birth of her baby. Now her husband is home with their daughter for his four weeks of paid leave. That time spent caring for and bonding with their new baby, without forgoing a paycheck, strengthens that family and our state.

When I pushed for the expansion of child care subsidies for people in job training programs, I did so because unemployed people with children are among those who most need to use our job training programs to get ahead. We had set up a system that just didn’t work for parents who are jobless, underemployed or already struggling to pay their bills, and in need of a pathway to a new career. When we talk about rebuilding the economy, we must create programs that work for everyone.

When people work hard, they should be able to get ahead; that’s our American Dream. But unless we demand fair pay for that work, and create a work environment that recognizes that people who go to work still have families and obligations outside of the workplace, it will increasingly become nothing but a dream for most people. We must embrace a strategy that puts people first, strengthens the middle class, and recognizes that businesses will succeed when middle-class families have a little extra in their budgets.

This week, I am joining with state legislators from around the country for a week of action with the theme “Real Prosperity Across America.” By shifting our state’s and nation’s focus to expanding and strengthening the middle class, we can create a Rhode Island – and a country – where we all can work and succeed.

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Obamacare a boon for women http://www.rifuture.org/obamacare-a-boon-for-women/ http://www.rifuture.org/obamacare-a-boon-for-women/#respond Thu, 03 Oct 2013 16:27:35 +0000 http://www.rifuture.org/?p=27288 Continue reading "Obamacare a boon for women"

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HealthSourceRIDue to the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, millions of women will have expanded health care options and reduced health care costs. For the first time in their lives, many women will find themselves able to access decent and reliable health care for themselves and their families.

Starting October 1, millions of Americans will be able to enroll in new affordable health insurance plans through state level marketplaces set up by the health care law. In Rhode Island the website can be accessed at HealthSourceRI and there is a customer service staff available at 401-222-5192. How affordable are these plans? Millions of Americans will be able to find coverage for as little as $100 a month.

Under Obamacare access to affordable health insurance will become available for the nearly 12 million women of reproductive age (including nearly two million African-American women and more than 2.5 million Latinas) who will be newly eligible for insurance coverage. Already more than three million young adults continue to be covered under their parent’s health care plans until the age of 26. Also, more than four million women will be eligible for tax-credits, making their insurance even more affordable.

Over 20 million women have already received care without co-pay that they previously had to pay for, and over 24 million women covered under Medicare can now receive access to basic preventive care at no cost, including birth control, cancer screenings, well-woman exams, and screenings for diabetes and high blood pressure.

Women will no longer be charged higher rates simply for being women, and insurers will no longer be able to deny coverage because of “preexisting conditions” such as breast cancer, high blood pressure, or diabetes. Some insurers have even claimed that being pregnant or a victim of domestic abuse counts as a preexisting condition, but no longer.

Under Obamacare women will have guaranteed access to an OB/GYN provider without having to seek the permission of the insurance company. Women will have their choice of doctors. Additionally, all employers and insurance companies (except for churches and other places of worship who decide to opt-out on religious grounds) are required to cover contraception without any additional co-pays.

Too often women are confronted with impossible economic decisions; having to choose between basic health care and other life necessities. Under Obamacare some of this economic worry will be alleviated. Serious illness will no longer lead inevitably to economic ruin, access to preventive medicines now can avoid more costly interventions in the future, and families will have one less thing to worry about economically.

According to the Economic Progress Institute, an estimated 45,000 single adults with income below $16,000/year will be eligible for free health insurance through Medicaid, and another 44,000 Rhode Islanders who do not have affordable health insurance through their jobs can enroll in commercial insurance through Health Source RI and pick a plan that fits their needs and budget.

The Affordable Care Act changes the landscape of healthcare for women in Rhode Island. Under the new law women and men are equal when it comes to insurance coverage, a great advance towards real equality. The greater economic stability women will have as a byproduct of Obamacare will open up new economic and career opportunities for many.

October marks a great step forward towards accessible and affordable healthcare for women, and we should be celebrating this landmark. Ten years from now we will all look back and wonder that families could function economically at all in an era before the arrival of Obamacare.

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A former prisoner’s view of ‘Orange Is The New Black’ http://www.rifuture.org/a-former-prisoners-view-orange-is-the-new-black/ http://www.rifuture.org/a-former-prisoners-view-orange-is-the-new-black/#respond Thu, 22 Aug 2013 09:38:01 +0000 http://www.rifuture.org/?p=25996 Continue reading "A former prisoner’s view of ‘Orange Is The New Black’"

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orange_is_the_new_black_xlg1-940x1317Those of you without Netflix might be wondering what’s all the fuss about with “Orange is the New Black.”  The first 13-episode season of ONB is the second TV show to debut on the website.  It is time to get past the controversy over who created the show and use it for advancing discussion on mass incarceration in ways that only mass media can accomplish.

The setting of ONB is simple: a women’s federal minimum security in upstate New York.  Roughly a dozen main characters provide the drama, humor, and sex.  Yes, sex (go figure).  The storytelling device is that the show’s central viewpoint is through the character Piper Chapman- a White chick.  She is based on a real life character, Piper Kerman, who wrote the book “Orange is the New Black” after serving a year in just such a penitentiary.  Chapman/Kerman both went to a fancy college and were born with privilege, rather than the working class and impoverished neighborhoods destroyed by a war on people, dubbed the “War on Drugs.”

So lets get a few things out of the way: 

1.  This is neither a documentary film nor a news piece.  It is thought-provoking television entertainment.  i.e. the last review I wrote was for the film “Les Miserables.”  My thoughts have been provoked.  For those of you in Rhode Island who want a scholarly assessment of incarcerated women, find the book “Mothering in Prison,” by Prof. Sandra Enos.

2.  The show is racist.  Yes, I said it.  That’s because the entire prison apparatus is racist, thus any show based on it, rooted in it, must also be racist.  For my non-believers in racism, I leave it to endless studies showing that similarly situated White people overwhelmingly receive less-punitive treatment than Black and Latino folks.  This starts with where police patrol to the discretion of police, prosecutors, grand juries, judges, juries, parole boards… and it all compounds at every stage to form a massive ball of racism.

3.  The writer, Jenji Kohan, did not do time in prison.  She wrote the show “Weeds” about a suburban mom who sells weed.  I’m not sure if Kohan has experience with that, but I know several weed dealers who loved the show.  She, her brother and father, have all won Emmy awards for their writing.  Here, Kohan pulls her story out of Kerman’s book, and consults with Kerman on the scripts.  And wherever she is pulling it from: she’s got skills, and not just getting by because she’s Jewish in Hollywood.

Considering the above, some are outraged that it’s “only a story when a White person gets locked up.”  There is some truth to that, but ONB is not just about the White character.  I’m reminded of “ER,” where the storytelling device is to show the insanity of the hospital through the eyes of Dr. Carter, the rookie intern.  It’s a device, to create some tension- and in prison culture, roles can be reversed.  As a guy told me within a few weeks of my incarceration: “You people run shit out there, we run shit in here.”  Yes, I would love to watch Mumia’s TV drama, if he wrote one.  I also know that if it were my show, there would be flack that it’s a White writer, even if the main character were Black.  And finally, it seems to me that people want stories about either total monsters or people who were justified/innocent.  We don’t like to wade in the murky waters of good people who do really bad things.

The Power of the Female Lens

Women are about 7% of people in prison.  Clearly they are not representative of the norm, however, I believe this is a better lens for society to see through and comprehend what is going on.  We often have little compassion for men and no outrage when they are trampled.  If America were presented with a cellblock full of Black men, people shut down, revert to stereotypes, and innate prejudices drive their view.  Consider all the voyeurs who watch the MSNBC “Lockup” series, or the other one (you know the one).  Such shows are reinforcing the norm that “these people” belong in prison; that these dangerous dudes shouldn’t live on my street.  Some people rush to judgment at the slightest hint of “thug” behavior.  The fact that a significant percentage of America could do this over a skinny unarmed high school kid who was shot and killed… it is almost astonishing, unless you have a pulse of American cultural wavelengths.  Trayvon Martin’s story, in 2013, has many lessons still to be addressed.

I was in a prison group where a counselor showed us part of an Oz episode.  About two guys were shanked, three raped, a few tattoos, massive drug use… all within a few minutes.  “That’s what people think you’re doing in here,” she said.  Imagine hearing, years later, someone in a social justice sphere say (only half joking): “I know what prison is like, I watched Oz.”  I gave her a look and said “ouch.”  She knew what I meant to say.  With ONB, I hope these female characters will succeed in exploring (for the viewer) genuine issues of the human condition.  It just so happens that my favorite book on prison is also written by a woman who served time.

One of my friends once said, “They should give us royalties,” while walking the yard.  He concluded that without us doing crazy, messed up stuff to inspire the writers and suck in the voyeurs, those with criminal fantasies, the fetishists, even the studious- they would have no TV, no movies, because “crime” stories are everywhere.  On the funny side, he’s right.  But on a serious note, this highlights a deeper dilemma where a group of people aren’t allowed to, nor sought out, to write their own stories.  The creators of Oz (Tom Fontana) and The Wire(David Simon) are both White guys with writer backgrounds.  Both have long ‘cop show’ writing credits.

It isn’t fair to writers, in general, that they be lauded only when they write from their direct experience.  But it is more unjust when the subjects are excluded from the storytelling process.  This is not to say anyone who has been in prison can construct a complex web of characters with properly paced plot lines.  Nor to say any “writer” can use their skills for any scenario.  There are writers who have been incarcerated, of all skin tones, and this Kohan/Kerman story is just one of the tales that can be told.  Lets not ever forget that Netflix is in it for the money, not to advance an agenda.

Most agencies that serve incarcerated, and formerly incarcerated, people also have disproportionately White staffs.  The same can be said for those who study us or represent us in court.  Most of them have folks running reentry programs who have never reentered society from prison.  Many People of Color who do such work aren’t from low-income over-policed communities, and perhaps went to colleges like the ONB lead character rather than the state homes like Taystee.  Ultimately, we can draw hard lines in the sand to exclude all but the perfect voices, perfect in both style and substance, or we can embrace it a bit- based on people’s true intentions.  Lease with the option to call you out on some bullshit.

Character-Driven Issues

Chapman, like the book’s author, caught a year for being a money mule- yet never actually getting arrested with drugs or money.  It is true that the biggest drug dealers in the world never get caught while people just getting by, often Black and Latino folks with few (if any) economic alternatives, are fueling an incarceration industry.  Once the dealing goes corporate, those millions of dollars create private bankers, private militaries, and paid-off officials.  My frustration with this character’s legal dilemma is that she didn’t go to trial, not the presumption that, if she were Black, she would be serving 20 years on a mandatory minimum sentence.

pennsatucky-640x366Its tough to pick a favorite character, as the acting is brilliant.  None of the characters are just cartoon cut-outs, they have multi-dimensions, and most manage to remind me of someone I knew in prison.  Pennsatucky is brilliantly portrayed by Taryn Manning (8 Mile); lovable/avoidable ‘Crazy Eyes’ (Uzo Aduba) allows a window into mental illness, and the grim reality of prison medical treatment; Red (Kate Mulgrew) grows on you like a Soprano, and you quickly forget she is not the captain of Starship Voyager.  I’m not feeling Laura Prepon’s character (Alex) who, sadly, is a central character.  I’m not sure if its her skinny eyebrows, hipster sarcasm, or stool-pigeonry, but she can just go away.  Some may argue that ONB has too many characters who appear justified in their criminal behavior, and/or they were not the real culprit (just along for the ride), or it was an accident, or they only victimized themselves.  Lets not forget this is a minimum security where, typically, people are in on bullshit charges.  But yes, for some of us: we did some fucked up shit and can never take it back.  With a show like this, however, we can take the time to see that even the most heinous actions have a story attached to them.

Laverne+Cox+23rd+Annual+GLAAD+Media+Awards+kHegfVwk1cPlThe show goes far enough to create a transgender character (Sophia) played by Laverne Cox, who is (surprise) a transgender woman in real life.  She is another potential show-stealer, with many story lines to work out.  Surely the creators can consult with Miss Major and TGI Justice on this issue.  The problem with prisons brutally failing trans people, in many ways, starts with their troubling policies on where to incarcerate someone.  I’ll leave it to others to discuss the reality of the character’s journey, but its excellent to see ONBattempt to cover the landscape.

Allowing for character development is a bonus where a show has perhaps five seasons and over 60 hours to spend- especially where the characters are in prison.  New people will come in, some may get out and come back, and an incarcerated mother’s life is perhaps one of the most complicated personalities to unpack and understand.  Elizabeth Rodriguez portrays Aleida, whose own daughter becomes incarcerated.  She is probably my favorite character, in anticipation of her growth on the show.

And then there is Chapman, the main character.  She is lovable and hate-able, which I believe is the intent of the show.  ONB may vault actress Taylor Shilling into a leading lady, or sideline her to a memorable role, like the friends on Friends.  Either way, she is just right for the show.  Her awkwardness and confidence are evident, two traits one might expect from an Upper West Side-type-of-girl who finds her way into the Joint after thinking her adventures in the drug world were above the law… and buried in the past.robably my favorite as I sense the room for her growth and the revelations of what drives her.

And the character, Pornstache… he is possibly my favorite villain since Dr. Evil.  There are also some “good” guards.  But keep watching- we shall see if they go the way most go over time.

 

 

Its not all Perfect

Struggles with poverty, addiction, violence and difficult choices are not gender-specific.  Rape by prison guards is almost (not totally) unique to women prisoners, and the rate of HIV is much higher.  Hardly any men are in prison for prostitution, but the root cause of desperately needing money is often the same: addiction, a health issue.  Despite some differences, the insanity of prison regulations is the same for both genders.  Addiction is part of ONB, but I expect to see further health problems- including amongst the older “Golden Girls,” as people die in prison every year, often amidst brutal neglect.

My primary critique thus far is that there is not enough emphasis on children of the prisoners.  Organizations such as Women On the Rise Telling Her Story (WORTH) in NYC, and Justice Now in Oakland, must be going nuts, as they do the real work with women locked up.  About 75% of incarcerated women are mothers, and most of them are in constant struggles with DCYF over visitation, or even termination of their parental rights.  Prisons are still sterilizing women.  A few mothering plot-lines exist: one woman who gives birth behind bars (which received decent treatment, but could have been more intense); or the Mother-Daughter who are both incarcerated.

I’m hoping to see not just a political prisoner (there is one), but prisoners who become political.  Some refer to such people (I was one, myself) as “Political Prisoners” all the same.  I won’t mince words and terms, I just want to see some higher analysis of The System by a few of these women.  It is self-evident that wherever there are people caged for more than long enough to gather their thoughts, there will be wisdom.  One might think that Red, the kitchen matriarch, would be the font for such perspective, but I think it may be better drawn out through Gloria, with her constituency of Latinas.  Taystee is a quality “brains of the operation,” but a certain college girl not named Chapman could also develop into an intellectual force.

I would like to see more exploration of the racial dynamics in prison.  It is not the same as the outside, although it is an extension of an America that protected slave ownership through force of laws and weapons; a society that can currently whip some people up into a fury by mentioning “illegals” on welfare.  I’m someone who directly confronted racial politics and culture while incarcerated.  This was some of the most rewarding experiences for me, as it was a strike against the “Divide and Conquer” power structure that serves an outnumbered master class.  ONB sets up the “tribes” and “families” that form the society in this prison, creating a large canvass upon which to paint our human condition.

If you want to know the humanity of society, look to its prisons

Prison is a peculiar place that molds us in ways that often depends on our disposition towards other people.  Do we care about other people?  Despise them?  With that said, self-preservation is crucial.  Chapman is not an angel.  She screws up on more than a few occasions.  If this prison were more violent, she may have been shanked two or three times already.  She is like the “NewJack” that inspired me to write “NewJack’s Guide to the Big House,” when I finally got to minimum security, after 11 years of prison.

In full disclosure, I know the writer of the book ONB (Piper Kerman), upon which Jenji Kohan based the show, and had breakfast with her the other day.  She corrected my false assumption that the prison setting, including the seeming unlimited movement of the ladies, was made for TV.  In fact, the real version of this prison is much like the show.  I was also quick to recognize that she is not the character “Chapman”- its just an awkward derivative.  We are both looking forward to the second season.

Prison is a funny place.  It is a scary place.  It is a hole in the ground where power dynamics can make you a ruler or an outcast in a matter of hours.  Someone who spent a year in there can’t know it all, and neither Piper Chapman nor Piper Kerman nor Jenji Kohan knows it all.  We can watch the show and think about fake characters confronting real issues, or we can just change the channel.  Yesterday, a guy on the plane behind me, who was finishing up his degree in accounting, was saying how one particular show is “the best, its real.  The guy basically just fucks women and makes money.” The girl next to him asked, “is that your goal in life?”  He replies, “Basically.”  We can always aspire to be that guy.

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