Far East Reporter Lack of Degrading Consumerism Which Is So Exploitative of Women Some People, She Said, but the Is a Welcome' Change
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'O~ew < //. - -" - ' , Honoring Subscribers, Contributors, Advertisers and Award-Winners Breakthrough's Woman ofthe Year Award Dr. Nikki van Hightower City of Houston Women's Advocate Breakthrough's Media Awards presented by Mercedes Valdivieso, Sara Lowery, KPRC-TV Jan Carson, KTRK~TV author of "La Brecha." for her series on battered women for her reporting on the dissolution of "The Crime Nobody Reports'! the University of Texas System School of Nursing by the UT Board of Regents JoAnn Valli~ Rush of KYOK-Radio and The Forward Times Elma Barrera & Phyllis Deter of KTRK-TV A for her reporting on the three el~erly sis~ers for their news reports from Guatemala ~n~ the documentary ~ who were living in poverty and received assistance, "Return to Guatemala JIll'' after he r.reports on their plight, , Houston Breakthrough • January 1977 • Pale 1 ); ~ancuso unmanned " ! ./ -Adver--- justice counsel DREY Teagu Woman-of.the.year Adv. ~ PROD ~';;l ~.~~~~~~t " ~ "~ '~~ :)-~.; J:i?' ,~:t,;:~.: Friend The Bicentennial. ¥ear pas);~d,,~withQu(. mehtion".,frQ)n:,.this Donna women's press: As·'MS ...~a:id'on·'rtsTu'lY'cove'r:'The~first2b6 years are the hardest." _ --'.~.. , Antiq~ But the year 1976 did hold·,.one,m'e:morable breakthrough for.the women in this city - the'mfd-v.e?,(llppointment of Dr. Nikki :V.ln GREA Hightower as the city's new Women's Advocate. 618 Tc We give emphasis to mid-year because in less than six months THE ( time Van Hightow.er has become the strongest voice women have . Amerf ever had in city government. At the same time, we can'not overlook 303W the fact that she was appointed to that office by Mayor Fred Hofheinz, whom we now thank for the courage of that appointment. Apartr Looking back one year at Breakthrough's first editorial, we find we described the qualities and' character of that office as we hoped YOUR ,JPiIi, , '\ it would be served. Of the Advocate we wrote: EHRC ...• 1:11 \ Div. E "She must have total freedom to speak ?,ut for all women - and. L,:i ," . '. v::., Yesterday the Houston City Council voted 9 - 0 particularly those most excluded from the favors of society -:, to increase pregnancy benefits to city employees. Artisal Black, Browri, poor, old and young, unemployed and under- employed, and gay women, women in jail and women out of jail for FRAN whom there is now no direct voice. Batiks "She must be visible and vocal before the media and in the 2411 S community as she expresses evidence of sexism and racism deeply rooted in city government. CRAF "She must be a strong, independent, and courageous woman, Media Awards 1513 V 78Wo one who commands respect from all segments of the community by her sensitivity to their needs." W•••.•e...v.Hews GAYL Van Hightower has been such an advocate - a "strong, Jan Carson, news reporter and As part of her research, which Sculpt independent, and courageous" voice for the women of the city of Breakthrough's philosophy is co-anchor at KTRK-TV, who took more than a month to com- Houston and women employed by the city. rooted in improving communica- followed the controversial disso-. plete, KPRC sent Lowery and a SNYG' Wall I Within city government she has been monitoring the city's tion among women in this com- lution of the University of Texas film crew to Phoenix, Arizona to Affirmative Action program, advocating a merit system for depart- munity and between women and System's School of Nursing by report on a center there for ment promotions and studying the salary discrepancies between the media. Because of this, we the UT Board of Regents. Carson battered women. PRAIF white male and other city workers . give recognition to. journalists and her film crew covered the JoAnn Vallie Rush, KYOK- Vision When she found the city pays less for" so-called women's jobs," who have covered important story in Houston and in Austin. Radio reporter; did a series of in pail she made public statements in support of the city's clerical workers news stories affecting women's This was one of the most impor- news stories on the three and er whose jobs she said, "require a high degree of skill but who are issues, and also to women re- tant news. stories of 1976, in elderly Stephens sisters, living in paid less than the city's unski lied laborers'." porters who have undertaken terms of its effect on the nursing extreme poverty in the Acres Van Hightower worked to increase' pregnancy benefits for the major news assignments. community and all health-care Homes area. They were all Auto C city's women employees and alerted women's groups recently. to suffering from malnutrition and The honorees for this year's consumers in the state of Texas. "For ( testify before the City Council on the issue. one of the sisters was serously ill. Breakthrough Media Awards: Carson and Channel 13 gave it HOUS Acutely sensitive to the problems of battered women and Elma Ba~re'ra, news reporter, more coverage than any other They had no money for medical TRAN displaced homemakers, many of whom call her office daily for help, and Phyllis Deter, camerawom- local broadcast or print media. expenses. As' a result of Rush's 37Wa Van Hightower has been instrumental in raising , community an, both of KTRK-TV, for their radio stories and news reports in ,Kathfj consciousness to the plight of these women. She serves on a Forward Times, coverage from Guatemala of -the C___ I ...,•[.•....._., ....,..,.••. ,.... .........•....._...f..... ••....•.••• the two of the Affirmative Action program" aavocatrng a mennystem tor ctepart- munity ana-5etween'women~a-n ystem"sSCfioo[Qfl\Jursing-by report on a center mere T17o"r~---------- ment promotions and studying the salary discrepancies between the media. Because of this, we the UT Board of Regents. Carson battered women. PRAll white male and other city workers. give recognition to journalists and her film crew covered the JoAnn VaHie Rush, KYOK- Visior When she found the city pays less for "so-called women's jobs," who have covered important story in Houston and in Austin. Radio reporter, did a series of in pai she made public statements in support of the city's clerical workers news stories affecting women's This was one of the most impor- news stories on the three and e whose jobs she said, "require a high degree of skill but who are issues, and also to women re- tant news stories of 1976, in elderly Stephens sisters, living in paid less than the city's unskilled laborers." porters who have undertaken terms of its effect on the nursing extreme poverty in the Acres -- Van Hightower worked to increase pregnancy benefits for the major news assignments. Homes area. They were all Auto community and all health-care :.r., city's women employees and alerted women's groups recently to The honorees for th is year's consumers in the state of Texas. suffering from malnutrition and -- "For testify before the City Council on the issue. Breakthrough Media Awards: Carson and Channel 13 gave it one of the sisters was serously ill. HOU: Acutely sensitive to the problems of battered women and Elma Barrera, news reporter, more coverage than any other They had no money for medical TRA~ displaced homemakers, many of whom call her office daily for help, expenses. As a result of Rush's and Phyllis Deter, camerawom- local broadcast or print media. 37W, Van Hightower has been instrumental in raising~ community an, both of KTRK-TV, for their radio stories and news reports in ,Kath consciousness to the plight of these women. She serves on a coverage from Guatemala of -the the Forward Times, two of the Sara Lowery. news reporter - steering committee for the YWCA Crisis Housing Center project. February 1976 earthquake. They sisters were placed in nursing Barb and co-anchor at KPRC- TV, pre- - She also serves on the steering committee for WIRES, the returned in May to film a docu- homes and one was hospitalized. sented a ten-part series on bat- Women's Information Referral and Exchange Service, a project of mentary on the aftermath. This So quick was the humane reac- SEB tered women, "The Crime No- Hair Women In Action that she sees will be of direct benefit to everyone, was the first time a women's new tion to her airing of the sisters' body Reports." Since no local 'Hern but especially to women 'in personal and family crises. team covered a story outside plight that when television news studies have been done on the -- Under her leadership, a city-wide coalition of women's groups is this country. cameras came to the house to being formed. To be called the Women's Rights Coordinating extent of the problem, and since cover the story, they were al- Council, nearly 50 groups have expressed interest in joining to women and· the police were ready being cared for in the hos- Book unwilling to speak freely with r.nprove communication among women's groups and to focus on pital and nursing home. Hun- -- actions that will improve the status of women in the Houston her, Lowery faced a formidable dreds of donations from all over L1BR community. task. She was finally able to get the country were sent to the 3700' We are very proud to present out first annual Woman of the Year women to talk by placing an ad in Stephens sisters because of Award to Dr.