WPI members attend conference with Prime Minister of Netherlands Antilles

Kate and I had the opportunity yesterday to attend a keynote address by Her Excellency Emily Saïdy de Johgh-Elhage, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles. The Council of Women World Leaders hosted the event at the Aspen Institute, which also featured opening remarks from Ambassador Renée Jones-Bos, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United States and Laura Liswood, the Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders. The event focused on the constitutional restructuring of the Netherlands Antilles, the events leading up to the proposed dissalution of the islands (which was postponed until a later date), and the political and financial future of the islands.

Both Prime Minister de Jogh-Elhage and Ambassador Jones-Bos also spoke about how they became involved in politics and the different struggles that they each face as women in the political realm. The event was both inspiring and informative and Kate and I enjoyed a delicious lunch while we learned about the beautiful islands of the Nethelands Antilles, their history, and their complex political structure within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Also in attendance were several Ambassadors and Embassy Representatives, including Ambassador Genda Phillip of the Embassy of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Ambassador Raymond A. Joseph of the Embassy of Haiti, Ambassador John Beal of the Embassy of Barbados, Minister for Aruba Jocelyne Croes of the Royal Netherlands Embassy, several representatives of the Embassy of Venezuela, and many other advisors to foreign Heads-of-State.

Leadership Skills Intensive Seminar at the Women & Politics Institute

From May 11 to May 15, Professor Jessica Waters taught an intensive seminar for graduate and advanced undergraduate students, Women and Politics: Leadership Skills. The course examined the scholarly literature regarding why women don't run for elected office and the barriers they face when they do run, as well as providing hands-on training in the leadership skills necessary to succeed in the political world.

The week was action packed, and we were thrilled to welcome 18 outside experts to discuss everything from the realities of campaign work to the nuts and bolts of lobbying and legal advocacy. A few of the week's highlights included:

* Recent veterans from the 2008 campaign shared their war stories with the class;
* Ambassador Connie Morella led a candid discussion about making the decision to run for office;
* The class traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with Senate staffers and veteran lobbyists; and
* W&P's own Julia Piscitelli conducted a media training workshop.


The class culminated in students putting their newly honed advocacy skills to the test by presenting legal oral arguments and engaging in debates about hot button public policy issues, such as whether states can make the HPV vaccine mandatory for female students.

Written by Professor Jessica Waters

Campaign College Promoted at AAUW’s Summer Conference

At the end of last week, AAUW hosted their annual National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) at the University of Maryland. At the conference, I participated in a workshop that introduced college women to Campaign College and encouraged them to bring the program to their campuses.

Campaign College is our one-day campaign training program that encourages college women to run for student government office and teaches them how to win. Last summer, the Women & Politics Institute partnered with AAUW and Running Start to bring Campaign College across the country. We successfully completed two pilot programs at Iowa State and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

At the workshop I talked about the history of Campaign College and my experiences running for student government office. I also talked about what a typical Campaign College training looks like. Workshop attendees also heard from Kate Farrar of AAUW and Kelly Keenan of Running Start about our partnership and the networking opportunities available through Campaign College. Kate also talked about the application process and what we look for in pilot schools.

We also heard from Maggie Luttrell and Mary Anne McDougall, our Student Liaisons at Iowa State and UL: Lafayette, respectively. They each talked about the highlights of Campaign College at their campuses and some of the challenges they faced.

Karen O'Connor featured in Washington Post interview

Karen O'Connor, J.D./Ph.D, Founder and Director of the Women & Politics Institute, is featured in a Washington Post video interview on President Obama's Supreme Court nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor.
In the video, Professor O'Connor gives her reaction to the President's nomination of Judge Sotomayor, who, if confirmed, will be the first Hispanic and only the third woman to serve on the Court. Professor O'Connor is a nationally recognized scholar and expert on the impact of women on the Supreme Court. She has published widely and in numerous journals about the impact of Justices O'Connor and Ginsburg on the court's decisions.

New Class Offered Fall 2009

For the first time, a class considering the role of Latinas in American politics will be offered at American University. Govt 485-005 will examine the impact of the Latina/o electorate in shaping state and national politics. After a review of the political histories of the various Latina/o national origin groups, we will study the successes and failures of Latina empowerment strategies. The class will primarily focus on Mexican Americans and Chicanas but will consider the cross-cutting cleavages of race, class, gender and ethnicity in the political struggles of the Latina/o population in the U.S. The career paths of Latinas such as Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Representatives Linda and Loretta Sanchez and Judge Sonia Sotomayor will be presented and discussed. On occasions, guest Latinas from the DC area will visit the class to discuss their personal experiences.

Course Objectives and Goals include examining the complexity of the Latino population and divergent political agendas. This process will help developed an understanding of the historical origins of how Latina/o social and political movements have emerged and changed. We will evaluate the role of movements and activists in policy reform and explore the agency and contributions of Latinas to the process. This class will also examine the contemporary policy issues affecting the Latina population and the impact of the Latino vote. For questions, please contact Linda Mancillas Patterson at linda.patterson@american.edu.

Obama Nominates Sonia Sotomayor for Supreme Court Justice

Sonia Sotomayor has been nominated by President Barack Obama for the position of U.S. Supreme Court Justice to replace retiring Justice David Souter. Born in the Bronx, New York, Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic to serve on the Supreme Court. Her mother and father emigrated from Puerto Rico during World War II. She would also become just the third woman named to the Supreme Court, and the second female on the current court.

As WPI Founder and Director Karen O'Connor notes, "Obama made the obvious choice for the Supreme Court, fulfilling two quota positions at once. He would also be putting the sixth Roman Catholic to serve on the high court. Until the 1960s, one seat on the court was held for a Roman Catholic. This nomination also fulfills both Justice Ginsburg and retired Justice O'Connor's wishes for another woman on the bench." Professor O'Connor, J.D./Ph.D. is a nationally recognized scholar and expert on the impact of women on the Supreme Court. She has published widely and in numerous journals about the impact of Justices O'Connor and Ginsburg on the court's decisions.

Sonia Sotomayor always wanted to become a lawyer. This morning at the White House, she described her nomination as “the most humbling honor of [her] life.” After graduating from Princeton University, she went on to attend Yale Law School where she was the editor of the Yale Law Journal. After graduating in 1979, she served as the Assistant District Attorney in New York County, under prominent District Attorney Robert Morgenthau. In 1984 she entered private practice, specializing in intellectual property litigation.

In November, 1991, Sotomayor was appointed by President George H.W. Bush to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, becoming not only the youngest judge in the Southern District, but also the first Hispanic federal judge in all of New York State. Currently, she holds the position of federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, to which she was appointed by President Clinton in 1997.

Sotomayor's nomination holds the possibility of bipartisan backing in the Senate. In 1998, she was confirmed to her current seat by winning the votes of several key Republican senators, some of whom are still in the Senate. If she is able to maintain their support, it is very likely that her nomination will be confirmed.

Written by Katerina Cinkova, WPI Summer Intern

Women's Bar Association of DC Honors Karen O'Connor

Karen O'Connor, Women & Politics Institute Director Emeritus, was honored on May 19 at the 2009 Women's Bar Association's Annual Award Dinner. She was one of 11 Honorary Committee members, a prestigious group that included Senator Kristen Gillibrand (NY-D), former DC Council Member, Carol Schwartz, and Francis Townsend, former Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Assistant to President George W. Bush. 

The theme of the 2009 Award Dinner was Women in Politics. Elena Kagan, the U.S. Solicitor General was given the distinction of this year's Woman Lawyer of the Year. As one of America's oldest, largest and most active women's bars, the Women's Bar Association has a tradition of honoring truly distinguished women. WPI is proud to count our Founder and Director Emeritus in this group.