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GROUP NEWS

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Working Women Agenda

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Dressed as suffragists, Cleveland Women Working members launched a new political program at a voter registration rally on August 26, at the National City Plaza, 9th and Euclid. August 26th, Women's Equality Day, marks the anniversary of the day women won the right to vote in 1920. At the celebration, Sojourner Truth and Susan B. Anthony urged working women to register and use their vote to elect candidates who supported their issues. As Cleveland Women Working members registered passersby to vote, Sojourner Truth and Susan B. Anthony delivered questionnaires by horse-drawn carriage to major candidates to determine their stands on issues. important, to working women.

Over 27 million working women voted in 1980, almost one out of every three voters. Women who work vote more heavily than any other group and show clear, significant trends in opinion on both candidates and issues. Basic economic justice in the workplace, pay equity, respect and fair treatment on

New at WomenSpace

Judy Brodkey recently assumed the position of executive, director of WomenSpace, a coalition of 70 Cleveland women's organizations, Board President Sandra Prebil has announced.

Bródkey, a native of Sioux City, lowa, has been a creator and leader of women's services throughout her career. Prior to joining WomenSpace, she served as executive director of the Women's Resource Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania for two years.

Brodkey helped found the Women's Center at Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia, from which she received her Master of Social Service degree. As a planner for the U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau in Philadelphia, she was a leader in the establishment of a coalition of organizations dealing with women's employment issues. She was also a founding member of the Scranton Women's Network.

Brodkey takes over from Interim Director Nancy Conway and former Executive Director Linda Batway, who currently is serving as assistant director of Cleveland Women's Counsel.

the job are some of the issues that working women feel strongly about.

According to Carole Wiler, Cleveland Women Working's chairwoman, "Candidates can expect to hear from working women this election year. Lip service to women isn't enough any more. We want public officials to take action on our Working Women Agenda".

Cleveland Women Working, along with other local 9 to 5 chapters across the country, issued the Working Women Agenda, a statement of policies which, if implemented, would greatly improve the status of

working women. These include 1) an end to discrimination in the workplace; 2) closing the wage gap between men and women; 3) new policies to ease the burdens on the working family, 4) improved economic security for older women; and 5) safe working conditions and control over office automation.

Cleveland Women Working will be taking the Agenda to candidates for public office and questioning them closely about their stands on these issues. Final results of this candidates' questionnaire will be released at Cleveland Women Working's candidates' night in October. Other activites planned include continuing the working women voter registration drive and conducting a fall workshop entitled "Making Our Vote Count”.

What's Happening with WAVAW

Cleveland Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) is alive and busy! We've spent the last year showing “Killing Us Softly," a movie about women's image in advertising, and the slide show on women and pornography to many area groups. It's a very powerful presentation which makes clear connections between advertising, pornography and the violence in our lives. We hope you've seen it! If you haven't, it's still available.

During the past couple of months we've spent a lot of time organizing and regrouping ourselves so that we can tackle three new tasks. We are rewriting the slide show script, updating old slides and adding new slides to make the slide show more effective and to make clear the connection between racism and pornography. We are also putting together a 11⁄2 hour workshop on violence against women, which will

To Contact WSW By Phone

Reach WSW staff members at 932-8259 or 229-3753 from 6-9 Monday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings.

take up where the slide show leaves off in making connections about violence in our lives-why it happens, how it happens, and what we can do about it. In addition, we now offer a six-week (12 hours) selfdefense class for women, on a sliding fee basis. The

Rape restricts us from our activities...impels us to warn our children about friendly strangers...makes us fearful of being alone at night.

It's time to stop this physical violation of women that robs us of our independence.

It's time that we learn the myths and facts about rape. It's time that we discover our strengths with self defense. It's time that we unite to protest the crime of rape.

Come March with

Cleveland Women Take Back the Night Saturday, October 2, Cleveland State University Plaza Euclid Avenue at East 22nd St.

March at 8:00pm

Rally at 7:00pm Program & music following the march at CSU Law School, Euclid at 18th

This year, you may choose to gather pledges of support to benefit the Rape Crisis Center. Call the Rape Crisis Center at 391-3914 for sponsorship information.

This is a women-only march. Men can show support by providing child care and transportation. signing for the hearing impaired

child care provided

wheelchair accessible

first class has just ended, and another will start in September.

As you can see, we're ready to go forth and eradicate all violence against women-but we need your help! If you're interested in joining our group (we meet Thursday at 7:45) call one of the numbers below for information. If you're interested in seeing or showing the slide show/movie (or the workshop eventually), or if you want more information about the self-defense class, call Misty at 761-0216 or Kathy at 371-0914. We hope to see you at our next meeting!

Reward Fund Grows

Last June, WomenSpace established a Reward Fund for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who killed one woman and raped and shot another on the near West Side early that month. With the donation of $6,000 from the slain woman's family and the fulfillment of its original $2,000 goal, WomenSpace has raised the total offered to $8,000.

The July 31 Benefit Concert and Dance for the WomenSpace Reward Fund, organized by individual women, raised $1,600 in additional funds. This money, plus any further contributions, will likely go toward the establishment of a permanent reward fund to be used in rape cases. WomenSpace is working with other women's organizations to set up this fund.

The woman who was raped and shot is still hospitalized, although her physical condition has shown great improvement, according to a friend. She goes home from time to time and her spirits are good, and she is highly gratified by the many supportive messages she has received from the women's community.

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Anyone wishing to write her should address their letters to Jane Doe, c/o WomenSpace, 1258 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115; all correspondence will be forwarded to her room.

About the Cover: Sonia Johnson giving a workshop at the Seventh Annual Michigan Womyn's Music Festival on August 12-15. Sonia is currently running for President of N.O.W. (see article, page 3). Photo by Louise Luczak.

What She Wants reserves the right to edit all materials submitted for publication. Where time permits, we will discuss all edits with the author before going to press. If you wish to see a copy of your edited artiele, submit your manuscript no later than the first of the month and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your submission.

Page 2/What She Wants/September, 1982