ND Women’s Voice VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1 WINTER 2012 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: From the Director’s Desk Bridging the 2 As the North need to be asked. So, we’re doing strong partnership with Planned Political D a k o t a the asking and the training. We Parenthood of ND, MN, and SD. Women’s held a Ready to Run: Campaign Gender Gap Network Training for Women in the fall of None of these efforts could be ushers in 2012 2011 and have another scheduled carried out without membership Contacting 3 we’re excited for February 3 rd . This project is a and financial support. On th ND’s to see the blooming of our collaborative effort with Bismarck February 14 , we will participate Delegation endeavors. Our mission to State College and AAUW-ND. in Giving Hearts Day, an online improve women’s lives is rooted 24 hour fundraising event. Board Ready to Run is only one of our member Melissa Gillett and her Giving Hearts in women’s power. We know 4 efforts, we have been exploring cousin Carla Christofferson are Day women are the missing ingredient to policy progress; as such we are redistricting problems with the challenging everyone to give to working diligently to increase the ND League of Women Voters; NDWN that day through Searching for 4 number of women serving in we continue our strong advocacy www.impactgiveback.org and they 2012 NDWN public office. for low and moderate income will match, dollar for dollar, each Woman of the women through our leadership donation up to $4000. You can Year Research shows women are just on the ND Economic Security read more of the details on as likely as men to win an and Prosperity Alliance; and we Giving Hearts Day on page 4. 2011 5 election, but much less likely to keep vigilant watch on women’s Opportunities step forward to run. Women reproductive freedoms through a and Advancements for Women Member’s Corner: Featuring Jessica Haak Ready to Run 6 As a statewide organization, the organization was to help create and a cooperative balance to North Dakota Women’s Network is awareness about domestic legislative involvement. Event comprised of a talented and violence and sexual assault. Announcement remarkable group of individuals NDWN fights for the rights of North Dakota Women’s across the state with limited victims of these crimes. NDWN Network is an incredible 11 Lessons 6 opportunities to meet one another. stands with allied organizations opportunity to network with from 2011 for prevention and intervention women leaders across the state. The Member’s Corner was created Woman of the when these horrific crimes are Each person provides unique for you to become acquainted with a committed. experiences and a different Year Judy fellow member of the Women’s perspective. It is that network DeMers Network. Say “hello” to this issue’s Another important issue is that that works together to stand up featured member… women make up less than 15% of for women, in your community, ND’s legislature; clearly that does in your county, and in this state Recognizing 7 The North Dakota Women’s not reflect the population and has and you can make a difference. NDWN Network matters not only to to be changed. NDWN is a way Donors women, but also to children and to encourage and train women’s families across the state. leadership. It provides great NDWN is a non-partisan opportunities for women, such as Become a 8 organization that addresses many the Ready to Run program and Member concerns that North Dakota WE Rise during legislative years. citizens face everyday. One of Women offer a different my main reasons for joining the perspective, unique experiences P A G E 2 Bridging the Political Gender Gap By Kjersten Nelson leveled off, and in some cases, leadership should and does look dropped. Seventeen percent of like, what sorts of problems are Last September, I joined a the current Congress is female most important to society, and group of about thirty women – better than it has been in the what are some of the best from around the state who past, but nowhere near solutions to these problems. came together in Bismarck for mirroring the general For instance, political scientist NDWN’s Ready to Run. The population. Michele Swers found that day-long seminar brought Democratic women and together women who have run Statistics for North Dakota are moderate Republican women for office, women who are in even worse. The state are more likely to introduce office, campaign experts, and legislature is 14.6 percent legislation on issues like others who are interested in female, making us forty-sixth – domestic violence, reproductive running for office. It was a day that’s forty-six out of fifty – in the rights, and child care. We tend of practical information and nation. That places us well out- to call these “women’s issues,” inspiring stories. of-league with our neighbors. but in reality, these are issues Minnesota ranks 5 th in the that impact our families – male nation with 31 percent, and female members alike – and Montana is 23 rd in the nation our daily lives. In the words of with 24 percent, and South Congresswoman Barbara Dakota is 37 th with 20 percent. Kennelly (CT), “Women have a We currently have only one different perspective and you woman in statewide elected need women to be in the room office (State Treasurer Kelly to make sure it is heard.” Schmidt), and she joins a small group of only fifteen women in With all of this bad news, the state’s history that have where is the good news? The Sounds like fun, you might be held statewide office. good news is in opportunities thinking. But why would we Moreover, North Dakota like Ready to Run, which will be need a seminar specifically for voters have never elected a held again February 3. Sign up women who might be woman to federal office and invite a friend – research interested in running for office? (although Jocelyn Birch Burdick shows that one of the main Aren’t there avenues open out did fill her husband’s seat for a reasons women don’t run for there for anyone who might be short time after his death). office is because no one asks us. interested? Technically, yes – The tools received at this In theory, there shouldn’t be Why might this matter to us, as training also help address the anything holding women back citizens and as women? other reason women don’t run from running for office. As we Someone could argue that the – we don’t think we’re qualified. all know, most forms of gender of a candidate shouldn’t With the information and discrimination, in elected matter, that it’s about the friendships available at Ready to politics and other places, are individual person who is filling Run, North Dakota women are illegal. the role. Certainly, in a perfect one step closer to closing the world, that would be the case. state’s representation gap. The reality of the situation But despite years of progress suggests something else, for women’s place in society, Kjersten Nelson is though. As a nation, the US has the fact remains that different an assistant professor of made strides when it comes to socialization tends, on average, Political Science at women running for and to give men and women very NDSU. occupying elected office. In different perspectives on recent decades, however, the consequential things: things like proportion of women has how people interact, what ND WOMEN’S VOICE VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1 P A G E 3 Contacting our North Dakota Senators and Representative Kent Conrad (D) John Hoeven (R) Rick Berg (R) DC Address: DC Address: DC Address The Honorable Kent Conrad The Honorable John Hoeven The Honorable Rick Berg United States Senate United States Senate 323 Cannon HOB 530 Hart Senate Office Building G11 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington DC, 20510 DC Phone: (202) 225-2611 DC Phone: (202) 224-2043 DC Phone: (202) 224-2551 DC Fax: (202) 224-7776 Fax: (202) 224-7999 Email Address: Email Address Email Address https://conrad.senate.gov/ http://hoeven.senate.gov/ https://berg.house.gov/contact-me webform.html contact_form.cfm Homepage Homepage: Homepage http://berg.house.gov/ http://conrad.senate.gov/ http://hoeven.senate.gov/ US Federal Building, Room 228 US Federal Building 220 East Rosser Avenue, 328 Federal 220 East Rosser Avenue 220 East Rosser Avenue, Room 312 Building Bismarck, ND 58501 Bismarck, ND 58501 Bismarck, ND 58501 Phone: (701) 258-4648 Phone: (701) 250-4618 Phone: (701) 224-0355 FAX: (701) 258-1254 Fax: (701) 250-4484 US Federal Building, Room 306 1802 32nd Avenue South, Room B 3003 32nd Avenue South, Suite 6 657 Second Avenue North Fargo, ND 58103 Fargo, ND 58103 Fargo, ND 58102 Phone: (701) 239-5389 Phone: (701) 235-9760 Phone: (701) 232-8030 Fax: (701) 239-5112 Fax:(701) 232-6449 33 S 3rd St., Suite 104 Federal Building Grand Forks, ND 58203 102 North Fourth Street, Room 108 Phone: (701) 775-9601 Grand Forks, ND 58203 Fax:(701) 746-1990 Phone: (701) 746-8972 US Federal Building, Room 105 100 First Street SW Minot, ND 58701 Phone: (701) 852-0703 FAX: (701) 838-8196 Our delegates have offices in multiple locations, improving the access for constituents. When you reach out to any of them, you will first speak with their staff. Most often, that is the most reasonable approach.