What Would the Founders Think?

Last year, before the 2007 CA NOW elections, I called many of my “older sisters” to ask what they think about NOW these days and advise me on running for office. All of them told me that they want NOW to return to the women who are in NEED of women's rights - to a membership led organization that addresses women from the bottom up. It should be led by the very women who need equal pay, reproductive autonomy, universal health care, true representation for their taxes, day care, maternity leave and fundamentally a community that engenders the unfolding of leadership from within.

But then they also told me that it will not happen, NOW will never allow the organization to be in the hands of young women, middle class women, multi-cultural women.  They said that it is too late to return it to its point of original intention.   And yet, here I am the old lady on the block, surrounded by an Executive Committee, ages 22 – 36 (me 59). Campus chapters are percolating with the I <3 Consensual Sex Campaign, Eco-feminism and Peace & Safety. It seems like CA NOW is returning to the hands of the women who most NEED women’s equality. As the VP Membership, I am proud to invite young women to join and proud to show my older sisters this re-newed direction.

Comments

[Lani Lee]

Hell yes! We are talking about a feminist revolution, the third wave is a tidal wave of passionate activism from the heart and mind! Go CA NOW!

[Chelsea]

Here here, Zoe. Well said. I sure hope too that CA NOW is returning to its grass roots roots.

[Chelsea]

I mean, "hear hear". Whoops.

[kbosch]

Thanks to Zoe for giving a positive perspective. I want nothing more than to prove the older sisters wrong. It has been a rough 5 or so years for CA NOW, having to struggle with those who fear change; those who choose FIRST to accuse, belittle and intimidate, rather than to embrace, comfort and support.

But as Zoe said, CA NOW has entered a new era. How ALIVE we are with fresh, young ideas. How EAGER we are to enable feminist women’s movement in ways the world has never seen. How PASSIONATE we are to serve the women and girls of California.

This is for YOU: blogreaders, students, mothers, business owners, waitresses, lawyers, daughters.

Tell us what you want, we are ready.

- Kirsten Bosch, CA NOW Treasurer