Editorials for 2012

Editorials provided by contributing members of WRC.

Editorial March/April 2012
Happy New Year! January/February 2012

Editorial March/April 2012

by Barbara Greco

Among the many well known quotations are the opening words of Ecclesiastes‚ “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heavens.” These words hold especially true for me at this time‚ as I have renewed my activities with the FRWRC. Not only has this been the season for my renewed purpose/interest in the Women’s Resource Center‚ this also has proven to be the season of a deeper understanding and connection between others and myself. As a result of having become an active member of the FRWRC Book Circle‚ I have discovered an intelligent group of women with whom stimulating conversation and laughter readily flows. From this connection‚ friendships are developing based on mutual understanding and respect. During the intervening twenty years between my first involvement with the Women’s Resource Center and my current membership‚ my psyche has matured‚ thereby producing a fertile environment in which new relationships can more readily develop.

The FRWRC’s third Friday Book Circle‚ which meets in members’ homes‚ provides a safe environment in where we can explore new ideas and confirm the validity or fallacy of others through the spring board of published texts. By letting go of numerous relationship expectations‚ I now have a deeper appreciation of what it means to be human. Arriving at this point has been made possible by the many preceding seasons I have experienced during my life. The season of peace is now upon me. May it be so for each of you; but should this prove otherwise‚ please remember‚ “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heavens.”

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Editorial January/February 2012

Happy New Year!

Dr. Cheryl Thompson-Stacy, President of Lord Fairfax Community College

I hope your holiday season was a joyful one and that you had plenty of time to share with family and friends. I also hope that you took time for yourself to relax and reenergize your batteries! As the new year begins‚ I find myself thinking about the power of women. We are so good at balancing our lives and juggling many commitments. My concern is that as a “power base” in this country‚ women have not made as much progress as we need to in order to have a real say in the laws‚ regulations and other areas that have a true impact not only on females but on our country in general. As the website (www.offthesidelines.org)‚ getting off the sidelines‚ states so well – “Getting off the sidelines is a state of mind. More women need to embrace the fact that their voice matters and that they can make a difference‚ with their vote‚ with their advocacy‚ with their candidacy”.

More women must get off the sidelines and make a difference in their community. Whether it’s in the classroom‚ the boardroom‚ Congress or at home‚ it’s crucial that more women adopt this philosophy to affect change in ways both big and small. Because if they don’t‚ decisions will be made without them that they won’t like the outcome of. If we don’t become more involved nationally‚ decisions are made for us not by us!

In 2012‚ only 17% of United States senators are women and‚ as you know‚ the majority of people in this country are female so we are woefully underrepresented. Only 12% of the members of the U.S. congress are female – again‚ we are woefully underrepresented.

As I write the column‚ just 3% of the Fortune 500 companies in this country are run by women and when you expand that to the Fortune 1000 companies‚ only 2% are run by females. Another troubling fact is that the United States has no guaranteed medical leave for childbirth and we trail 168 other countries that do offer this benefit to women – yes‚ 168 other countries offer this benefit to women but the United States does not.

I do not want to start the New Year with a negative column but I guess it’s too late for that! Seriously‚ what I want to convey to all the women reading this piece is that we must encourage the girls and young women in this country to step forward and take on leadership roles.

Our message is Women have the power to shape the future‚ it’s just a matter of getting off the sidelines and getting involved. Please help spread the word and continue to be a mentor to younger females. They can change the world in such positive ways and our experience and wisdom can help them have the confidence to lead the way to a better tomorrow – we want to have real decisions that affect us made by us not for us!

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