Oklahoma has been ranked the 3rd worst state for women. The Oklahoma Women’s Coalition was formed 3 years ago to improve the potential for Oklahoma women and girls through education and advocacy. We are a nonpartisan organization seeking to identify and promote programs and policies all legislators can support. Individually, we may disagree on many issues. But on this we are of one mind: Our great state must do more to improve the lives of women and girls and help them achieve their full potential.
When we succeed, all Oklahomans benefit!
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Over a hundred people gathered at Francis Tuttle Career Technology on the afternoon of November 15 for our first Fall Issues Symposium. Here are a few images from the event.

Our first panel was entitled “A Snapshot of the Status of Women and girls in Oklahoma.” In the image above, Oklahoma Secretary of Education Phyllis Hudecki (left) reports on early childhood learning and shares county-level socio-economic data; you can view her slideshow at http://ow.ly/7PEGl/. Zora Brown (center), Special Assistant for Health & Minority Initiatives, INTEGRIS Health spoke on major health issues we should be focusing on. You can read Zora Brown’s remarks at http://ow.ly/7PPxB/. Oklahoma Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Terri White (right) did a wonderful job of linking many of Oklahoma’s problems to addiction and mental health issues.
Panel #2, “Advocating for Change in the 2012 Oklahoma State Legislature,” featured two OWC members guiding us on legislative and advocacy efforts. OWC board member and YWCA Tulsa CEO Felicia Collins Correia (left) is chairing our Advocacy Committee. It is composed of the chairs of our seven issues committees. Felicia talked about how we need to identify, measure, and understand issues impacting Oklahoma women and girls…BUT we also have to get shocked, get angry, share our deep concern and then advocate! (As a case study, she shared how “domestic violence” came to be recognized as a public policy issue and the steps people took to get legislation and public awareness.) Then Jan Loftis (right), OWC’s Legislative Liaison, reviewed bills and issues OWC members supported last session that will likely receive attention again this year.
Afterwards we had a fun break with refreshments, networking and opportunities to visit with exhibitors (Oklahoma women-serving organizations). Then the third session on “Reducing the Rate as Which Oklahoma Incarcerates Women” opened with remarks by Pam Richardson (center above), OWC Incarceration Committee Chair and CEO of Resonance Center for Women in Tulsa. Pam talked about the OWC’s incarceration initiative including bills we have supported, a statewide conference we co-hosted 18 months ago, helping establish Count the Costs, and tracking the Justice Reinvestment Initiative underway. State Representative Jeannie McDaniel (right above) gave lots of reasons for us to get engaged in efforts to reduce the number of women incarcerated and caring about the impact on those women’s children. New Hope Camp in Tulsa provides support and positive activities for Oklahoma children with a parent in prison. New Hope’s Executive Director Judy Gann (left above) and Program Director Lindsay Fry-Geier both shared stories. We also heard from a remarkable woman who had been incarcerated numerous times for drug-related offenses who — with help from Resonance Center — had turned her life around.
Our final session was entitled “Celebrating Organizations and Programs Serving Oklahoma Women.” Mary Mélon, President and Publisher of The Journal Record told about why her newspaper hosts a Woman of the Year banquet each year and why they also are recognize ten outstanding Oklahoma women-serving organizations. Major General Rita Aragon, Oklahoma’s Secretary of Veterans Affairs, closed out the afternoon with a personal account about how a family member can go down the wrong path and why we should always consider what life experiences may have contributed to their actions and behavior. It was a extraordinary and deeply moving presentation. After the program ended at 5pn, many participants drove the short distance to the home of Susan Coles for refreshments and networking. It was a fabulous evening and 25–30 people sat out on Susan’s expansive patio sharing and getting better acquainted.
If you attended our symposium — Thank you! We hope you found it a useful and inspiring session. If you were not able to attend the Symposium, we hope you will try to attend our next major event — 2012 Advocacy Day April 4 (and our Leading Ladies reception the evening before) — both in Oklahoma City.
Special thanks to Francis Tuttle Technology Center for hosting our event and to all our exceptional presenters and exhibitors. You can click on the images above to enlarge them.
An execllent film on domestic violence is screening in Tulsa Oct 17 and in Norman Oct 19.
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Tulsa — Oct 17:
DVIS and Verizon Wireless are presenting Telling Amy’s Story — Raising Awareness of Domestic Violence project! The 43-minute showing will be followed by a discussion with distinguished panelists. The keynote speaker is Matilda Mossman, head coach for the University of Tulsa’s women’s basketball team. The event is at Circle Cinema, 10 S. Lewis, Tulsa, Monday, Oct. 17, 5:45 p.m. Seating is limited to the first 100 guests. RSVP by contacting Pat Lackey at 918.508.2707or .
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Norman-Oct 19:
Please join Carol Stoops and Verizon Wireless at a screening of Amy’s Story on Oct. 19 at 7 pm in the ballroom of the OU Student Union in Norman, OK. Hosted by actress and activist Mariska Hargitay, and told by detective Deirdri Fishel, Telling Amy’s Story follows the timeline of a domestic violence homicide that occurred on November 8, 2001. While we will never be able to change the ending to Amy’s story, we hope that its telling can change outcomes for the millions of victims, survivors, and loved ones affected by domestic violence every day.
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You can view a brief trailer about this documentary at http://www.youtube.com/watch?
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