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For Immediate Release
June, 16 2011, 02:14pm EDT
Contact:
Latoya Veal, 202-628-8669, ext. 116
NOW to Address Ongoing War on Women at National Conference in Tampa, Fla.
WASHINGTON
When the National Organization for Women's National Conference opens in Tampa, Fla., on June 24, hundreds of NOW leaders, members and activists will turn a spotlight on the right-wing war on women. We will spend the next three days strategizing and organizing to stop the ongoing attacks by extremist politicians.
"In Congress and many state legislatures, conservatives are waging a vicious assault aimed at blocking women's access to family planning and abortion care, while simultaneously slashing funding for programs that disproportionately serve and employ women," said NOW President Terry O'Neill. "It is time to halt the attacks on women's economic security as well as their reproductive rights."
On day one of the conference, NOW will hold a demonstration outside U.S. Senator Marco Rubio's office to send a clear message: "Hands off Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, family planning and home rule in the District of Columbia." The demonstration will take place outside the senator's Tampa office, located at 3802 Spectrum Blvd. on Friday, June 24 from 10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
"We want Senator Rubio to know that we plan to fight back until out-of-touch elected officials stop targeting women in their 2012 budget proposals," said O'Neill. "It's outrageous that conservatives are gutting important programs that affect so many middle class and low-income women and their families, while giving more tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals and big corporations."
In addition to economic issues, the three-day conference will also address the 2012 elections, issues that impact women in diverse communities, and women's body image and health. The conference will offer workshops and discussions on issues ranging from violence against women to sex discrimination in employment to bullying prevention.
The conference speakers and honorees include:
>> Lois Frankel, former mayor of West Palm Beach and candidate for Congress from Florida
>> Girls Incorporated of Pinellas, who will receive the NOW Girl-Powered Media Award
>> Patricia Ireland, former president of NOW, who will moderate the electoral politics plenary
>> Sara Manzano-Diaz, director of the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor
>> Dr. Sheila Overton, an expert on teen pregnancy and STD prevention
>> Eleanor Smeal, former NOW president and founder and president of Feminist Majority
Read more about all the conference speakers >>
If you are a member of the media and would like to attend the conference, and/or set up advance interviews, visit our website to apply for press credentials.
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States. NOW has 500,000 contributing members and 550 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
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