WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!
May 18, 2009
by Amy Siskind
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A TNA member who lives in my community made an interesting observation the other day:
If Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin or Michelle Obama or for that matter, any woman, ran for office today, would she be treated any differently than the misogyny-fest of 2008?
Unfortunately, we both knew the answer: “no!” The member added:
The New Agenda is our only HOPE.
Which brings me to an email that I received:
I believe TNA has an incredible opportunity here for a truly unique organization to help women move forward and educate the country that sexism is alive and thriving- enabled by pervasive attitudes that need to be changed in a positive way- When sexism becomes toxic in business, society, the media and pop culture only then will we know that we’ve come a long way baby!
And another:
TNA has become a national grassroots organization reaching as far away as Europe and Canada that is filling a huge void in giving women a voice on many issues.
All true. When the media wants to hear the opinion of women’s organizations, who do they reach out to (other than NOW) – The New Agenda. Check out, for example, all the press we got around the Supreme Court opening. Surely, there was huge void to be filled and we are filling it.
The New Agenda is so much more than a blog. Yes, we want to keep you posted on relevant stories, topics, and opinions. But to really make the change we so surely need, The New Agenda needs to grow into a national organization with 100,000s or millions of members and all the infrastructure that goes along with it.
AND WE NEED YOUR HELP! We need funding to move forward in the direction of becoming a major national organization. We see the future, and in order to grow into a national, powerhouse organization that can improve the lives of women and girls, we need funding.
For those of you in the NYC area, please join us at our FIRST FUNDRAISER. Or if you cannot, please consider making a DONATION. Whatever you can afford. We need all our supporters to pitch in whatever they can.
One final thought from my inbox:
If not now – when? if not TNA then who?
Did anyone from this grooup speak out about the treatment of Carrie Prejean.
I just gave $25.
Thank you TNA!
Denise,
We posted a blog piece that got many comments on Carrie Prajean titled: Ms. California: Where’s the Outrage:
http://thenewagenda.net/2009/0.....e-outrage/
We have also spoken out in defense of many conservative women – not the least of which is TNA being the only women’s group to consistently speak out against the sexist treatment of Gov. Palin.
Why not base the sliding scale for contributions on ability to pay, not age? Some people under 30 may be able to afford $250 whereas some people over 30 may not be able to afford more than $75, especially in these difficult economic times. It is unfortunate that supporters’ ability to be a part of this event is limited to the well-off. I realize it is a fundraiser, but maybe more people would get involved.
Gem,
If you or someone you know would like to attend but cannot afford the $250, reach out to us via the join box and we will make an exception. Most of the fundraisers these days range from $250-500 so we tried to price this on the low end given the small size of the venue, but we also want those that want to come to be able to come.
Amy, I appreciate your comment on this. I can’t be there but do have a couple of friends in the NY area who believe strongly in TNA’s work but who are struggling financially. I’m not sure if they’ll come but am very glad they can know they do have the option to do so. Thanks.
Have them reach out to me. We would love to have them!
OT, but hats off to Sheila Bair and Brooksley Born and to the Kennedy Library for their Profiles in Courage awards.
Quick comment: I know that you contacted me to answer my question about what the money will be spent on (and thank you for doing that), but I’ve been on vacation for a bit and so unable to reply. I will, though.
However.
(And you knew there’d be one.)
For an organization like this, I think a page on the site that answers in some coarse detail “Where Will My Money Go?” is absolutely needed. That’s the first question that came to my mind was, “What will my money be spent on?” Only I was pushy enough to ask directly for an answer. Some people might not be, or else their reaction would be, “Yeah yeah, another hand held out for a check, whatever.”
Just to give some basic idea of the spending strategy (and the general strategy) is crucial. Simple bullet points with examples: get women elected (from all parties, not just Dems), outreach to young girls (with examples from programs), press releases (with links to pickups). That sort of thing. It’s got to appear transparent or else people will be skeptical. I still am, frankly. After the nightmare of 2008, I no longer believe jack shit that a woman tells me about how “feminist” or “woman friendly” she supposedly is. I’m afraid that Nancy Pelosi’s frozen face chirping away on cable TV about how there’s no such thing as sexism and being a girl in today’s world is just peachy has soured me on that.
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The New Agenda is a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls by bringing about systemic change in the media, at the workplace, at school and at home. More...