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Pictured: Char Singleton , State Organizer of AAUW and Diana Witt, President of AAUW Georgia and Terica Scott, Founder of YWTF-ATL.

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Oppose SB98 women need to know that this bill takes away their choice in the instance of rape, incest, or medical issue. ACA already covers this funding and this bill is unnecessary! Find your state representative as this bill is now in the State House…votesmart.org!

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The Family Care Act would allow Georgia workers to use their earned sick time to care for family members who are ill. Because workers have already earned these paid sick days, the Family Care Act would strengthen Georgia’s families and economy without adding any additional burdens on businesses.

Join the American Association of University Women (AAUW) of Georgia and the Younger Women’s Task Force Atlanta Metro in supporting the Family Care Act, sign
petition today!

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By Katie Case
Policy and Advocacy Director
Younger Women’s Task Force Atlanta

Sept. 30th, 2013

“The scourge of sexual violence in the military should be intolerable, and infuriating, to all of us.” –Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

There is nothing new about the rampant rape in the United States military. There have been numerous articles written about it, research published on it and empty promises to fix it. It has currently caught the public’s attention again due to a string of recent high profile cases that have forced Congress to orchestrate some serious attempts to address this epidemic.

These high profile cases further demonstrate how prevalent sexual assault is in the military and its academies. Incidents this year include three U.S. Naval Academy football players charged with gang rape of a mid-shipman, the blatantly sexist email chain sent by rugby players at West Point, and a West Point sergeant, First Class Michael McClendon, charged with secretly filming female cadets in the shower. Within a short span of time it was also reported the Air Force’s Sexual Assault Prevention Chief, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, was charged with sexual battery. And, just a week after Lt. Col. Krusinski’s arrest, a second U.S. army sergeant assigned to a military sexual assault program was under investigation for various forms of sexual misconduct including rape and forced prostitution.

Just this past May, the Pentagon released a survey estimating that 26,000 people in the armed forces were sexually assaulted last year (2012), up from 19,000 in 2010. The report also suggested many victims continue not to report the crimes due to fear of retribution or lack of justice under the department’s system of prosecution.

The fact is the U.S. military is a hot bed for rape culture. It’s extremely hierarchical, hyper-masculine, and held together by unwavering obedience. This military crisis is a symptom of society’s consistent devaluation and objectification of women. We actively teach boys from a very early age to disrespect the feminine. So how do we expect them to treat their fellow woman soldier with respect and not as a sex toy or worse?

How then do we understand and stop the epidemic of sexual violence in the U.S. Military? Clearly this needs to be addressed multi-laterally with special attention to prosecuting rapists in a timely manner and providing extensive training sessions on rape culture and consent for all academies and branches of the U.S. military. Quite obviously there needs to be a dramatic over-haul on how the military handles rape allegations. Victims are often re-victimized by having to keep serving alongside their rapist or more often than not, being dishonorably discharged because they spoke out. Currently, Congress is battling ways to change the age-old chain of command when it comes to reporting sexual assault. Allowing soldiers to report the crimes without letting their commanding officers know is key. What is also key in prosecuting rapists is barring senior commanders from having the ability to overturn guilty verdicts in sexual assault cases.

The Younger Women’s Task Force Metro Atlanta (YWTF-ATL) Chapter fully supports comprehensive reforms within the military to keep our soldiers safer from sexual assault. Since many young women sign up for military service, and are likely targets as new recruits, YWTF-ATL believes it critical to raise awareness on this issue and to push Congress to act quickly and efficiently.

The good news is word is getting out and victims are speaking up, as with the award winning documentary The Invisible War directed by Kirby Dick. Also, with Senators like Kirsten Gillibrand leading the way, Congress is trying to hold the military accountable and forcing it to change its toxic culture. We believe this issue a violation of human rights and no soldier should fear her fellow soldier more than the enemy.

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By Niya Garrett
Spelman College Senior
2013 Social Justice/YWTF Fellow

The world after WWII was one in economic and social chaos but, in 1945, nations came together to create the United Nations to promote peace security and cooperation among countries in this new world era. The UN created the Declaration of Human Rights, which set the standard of the basic rights of all humans. To celebrate the 65th anniversary of this legislation, the Younger Women’s Task Force of Atlanta launched the #thisisHumanRights Campaign, centered around social media i.e. Facebook, Twittter, and Instagram. The first place where the campaign launched was on the campus of Spelman College, a historically African-American Women’s college. So every Market Friday, you could catch me, camera in hand, walking around Lower Manley asking people for pictures holding signs of what they think human rights are The goal of the campaign was to help students to engage and start a conversation and to share what human rights mean to them. Although I had mainly women participants, I was able to feature males from Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University.

                                         

As students and Americans, we often speak of Human Rights or discuss the Human Rights violations of others but what are Human Rights exactly? Often when approaching students to be featured in the campaign, I was met with hesitation or apprehension as many students declared they “didn’t know what to say” or simply, “didn’t know”. I have to admit I was quite surprise especially being a student in the Atlanta University Center, an educational hub for Black Americans containing three HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges & Universities). As we are very aware of the struggles and history of African-Americans and other peoples of color, I thought students would write thought provoking answers. Or at Spelman, an all-women college, write answers pertaining to the current situation of the political battle of a woman’s right over her body. I received a lot but some were generic responses, which were true, but lacked the depth I was seeking. When defining Human Rights, even for myself, it takes time to engage and conceptualize the situations around the world. One Spelman student wrote that Human Rights is “not limited to National Origin”, which engaged controversy concerning immigration and the rights of immigrants in the United States. As a young woman witnessing the women’s bodies becoming nothing more than a political agenda, I see Human Right as having a voice and choice over my own body. As young people we need to step outside of our bubbles and actually see and conceptualize what is occurring in the world.

So what does Human Rights mean to me?

Human Rights are the most basic rights that everyone are entitled to regardless of gender, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, sexual orientation, nationality, etc. The freedom to prosper and exist should be in possession of all people. The Declaration of Human Rights was ratified in the late 1940s, in world quite different from the one in 2013, but its 30 articles are still more than relevant and necessary today. Human Rights is my own personal, and other women’s, freedom of making choices concerning our own bodies or Ana’s, my Ecuadorian host sister, ability to access adequate healthcare and education. Human Rights is the freedom for millions of children enslaved in human trafficking, the right to a childhood or the women in the same situation, the right to choose sexual partners and control over their sexuality. Human Rights is ability for the residents of West End Atlanta access to healthy and affordable foods. The definition of Human Rights is more than a one-word answer but it should reflect the engagement of current issues in our world and local community.

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July 8, 2013

Dear Chapter Advocates at Large, Partners, and Supporters:

The Younger Women’s Task Force Atlanta Metro Chapter (YWTF-ATL) is now powered by the American Association of University Women (AAUW)!

Aligning with AAUW locally and nationally gives YWTF-ATL chapter access to a network of 150,000 members and supporters, 700 college and university partners, and more than 1,000 branches nationwide that has been empowering women since 1881. This new affiliate effective July 2013 is one of a national movement to align the Younger Women’s Task Force nationally with AAUW to help to build the next generation of members and leaders for the organization.

Since the chapter’s inception in 2009, led by Chapter Founder, Terica Scott, YWTF-ATL has become a visible force in the local Atlanta community. Of many accomplishments including the younger women’s legislative and advocacy agenda to implementing its signature, A.S.C.E.N.D. Leadership Conference, Younger Women Leader Awards, to the chapter’s proud contribution to the Three-Year Initiative for Women and Girls with the National Council for Civil and Human Rights with dozens of women’s organizations in Atlanta.

This chapter will focus on college-educated younger women and building great alliances with key local universities and college to promote women’s empowerment, well-being, and prosperity in Metro Atlanta. The younger women’s movement is part of the larger women’s movement with particular interest on the lives of college educated women in their 20’s and 30’s.

In this new shift of focus, the chapter’s programs will continue to deliver outstanding resources in women’s health, leadership, education, violence against women, economic empowerment, and to enrich the lives of younger women in Atlanta. YWTF-ATL will remain steadfast and committed to its work and the partnerships that have opened many doors for the chapter’s ability to live its mission and expand its reach.

Like AAUW, the chapter activities will be produced by our membership and strengthened through your continued generosity and eager participation in chapter advocacy, programs, research, and initiatives.

With this new affiliation, the chapter will become a 501 (c) 4 membership organization. YWTF-ATL members will automatically become full members of the AAUW community upon joining the chapter.
The chapter will update its branding to align with the new AAUW identity soon.
Also, the chapter is working on its new website-which will make it easier to join the chapter, make a donation, and engage with other younger women in Atlanta.

Many details of the new affiliation and chapter membership are being developed now that the partnership is official and we will keep our members and partners abreast on new developments.

For more information about the AAUW transition, please contact Chapter Director,
Trang Nguyen, trang@youngerwomenatlanta.org or Chapter Founder, Terica Scott, terica@youngerwomenatlanta.org.

We thank you for being supporters of YWTF-ATL and we look forward to your continual support and partnership as we grow as an organization. We are proud of this new partnership and hope that you are too encouraged about the power of our voices and the impact of our work in Atlanta and beyond.

To learn more about the national organization, visit http://www.aauw.org/who-we-are/ywtf/.

Respectfully yours,

YWTF-ATL Board of Directors
Join the movement at www.youngerwomenatlanta.org!

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by Katie Case
Financially WISE Women Workshop
With Melinda Sung, CFP® is a Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley in the Atlanta Terminus Branch
June 25th@ The Purple Corkscrew

Statistically speaking, women’s retirement savings are miniscule compared to our male counterparts – an almost 2/3 ratio!

Why?
o Well, on average, women earn about 25% LESS than men (which means less income, less savings)

o Women also take on multiple roles throughout their lives, primarily those of caregiver either to children or aging parents, which makes them less likely to put energy into investments and tracking their savings

o Women also tend to take less risk when it comes to investing their money, thus leaving them behind on taking advantage of the market

Melinda Sung, CFP, quoted a statistic that claimed that almost 40% of women do not sit down with a financial advisor at any point in their lifetimes.

Here’s another tidbit: Women tend to rely more heavily on Social Security than men do, which leaves many women reliant on a check each month and with less options.

o This also becomes a young woman’s issue because there is NO guarantee that we will even have Social Security once we retire. We are currently putting money into a system that we have a good chance of never benefiting from, which leaves the need to explore MORE options of how to save and prepare for retirement.

Some tips on how to start thinking about saving for retirement:
o Think realistically about where you want to be once you retire
o Be mindful of the economy and the cost associated with the state of it
o We are living longer so there’s a good chance you could be technically retired for more than 30 years or so. Prepare!
o Healthcare = such as medical expenses associated with advanced age or in general

Unfortunately, according to Ms. Sung there is no magic formula for how to predict what could happen in your life that could impact your retirement savings, but we all need to have realistic expectations about the cost of living, how to maintain that in retirement, and to make sure all our bases covered.
Savings and Investments

Steps to Take:
o Have an Emergency Fund so that you won’t have to dip into your retirement savings if anything unexpected happens such as a medical emergency or losing a job.
o Set up a Tax Deferred Account, here are some reasons why:
o Lowers taxable income/ tax liability
o Win-win situation since as long as you don’t touch the account, you will not be taxed on it until you do (which means technically when you retire)
o Jump starts retirement savings (organic growth)
o = less taxes on your $$

So, besides your 401K and an Emergency Fund, what kind of deferred account should you choose? Melinda Sung recommends a Roth IRA account since it is an “after tax” account and after 5 years, it will grow in taxes.

Investing your money always seems tricky or too risky, but a little risk sometimes goes a long way. Melinda Sung recommends you get the big picture and acquire as much information as you can before you take the dive. Also, make sure you have a financial advisor who can help you plan and make the first move. It’s always good to have someone review your investments, just in case; especially since the majority of us don’t work on Wall Street… also don’t let anyone invest your money without them giving you sufficient information as to why you should invest with them! There are endless options for investing your money, and if done wisely, can yield an enormous return for your retirement savings.

401K – how much is too much? Melinda suggests that if your cash flow can handle it, then max out on your 401K. Match the rate that’s invested! Make sure you know the percentage your company uses for your 401K.

If you have multiple 401K accounts from multiple jobs, then you have the option of Rollover IRA. Having your money in just one big pot makes it super easy for you to keep watch over your money. Make sure you keep up with your 401K accounts when leaving and starting new jobs.

It’s never too early to start thinking about retirement!

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Just in case you missed our celebration on National Women’s Health Week…..

http://storify.com/ywtfatlanta/national-women-s-health-week-ywhealthchat#

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by Sylonda Lang
2012-2013 YWTF Atlanta/Spelman Social Justice Fellow
Philosophy/Pre-Law
Class of 2013

Over the past year I have interned at the Younger Women’s Task Force – Atlanta Metro Chapter (YWTF-ATL). YWTF-ATL is a grassroots movement that organizes young women to take action on issues that affect them in an effort to improve their standard of living by being politically informed and active in shaping Georgia’s legislation. In other words, the organization gives women ages 20-39 a space to openly discuss existing and pending legislation, and plan events and activities in response to the proposed legislation. YWTF-ATL’s central aim is to address a large issue- getting young women to become interested in politics and to care about the impact it has and will have on their lives.
As a policy intern, my primary task was to update the chapter policy platform for the upcoming legislative session. This process entailed reviewing current bills and attending coalition meetings to develop a platform designed to state the issues – such as women’s reproductive health and violence against women – that the organization supports. My position fine-tuned my advocacy skills, which are manifested through the meaningful connections I made with people. In fact, the position was quite different from my previous internship position at a non-profit organization because YWTF-ATL is a movement. I was able to meet and have conversations with students from the Spelman community, as well as mother, sisters, and aunts from a wide spectrum of backgrounds, races, and religions who were members of YWTF-ATL. The women volunteered in activities like voter registration drives and advocacy workshops throughout different areas in Atlanta. What more is that this semester, I was able to assist in a voter’s pledge drive on Spelman’s campus in which I challenged students to vote in the incoming elections and engaged my peers in conversations about the elections process and the consequences it could have for women.
My involvement with YWTF allowed me to juxtapose advocacy that occurs primarily at a desk and though phone calls and emails and advocacy that occurs through interacting and building authentic relationships with people both similar and dissimilar from me. The bulk of my learning at this particular internship came from conversations I had with advocacy leaders. The two approaches are vastly different, but they are equally valuable because they call community leaders and ordinary citizens alike to take action. Both approaches prompt individuals to write letters and call his/her congressional representatives about issues he/she oppose and read the newspaper in order to keep a pulse of the politics in his/her state. It is becoming more apparent to me that there is no single way to achieve “social justice,” but there are numerous ways to be an agent of change. In all, my commitment to social justice advocacy has only been solidified, and I am enthused that my career path does not limit my ability to be active in social justice. It seems to me that enhancing the lives of others is not just something that one simply does on particular days. Instead, this internship experience has shown me that social justice can be integrated in both the professional and personal aspects of my life.

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National Women’s Health Week, May 12 – 18, is a weeklong health observance coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. It brings together communities, businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups in an effort to promote women’s health and its importance. It also empowers women to make their health a priority and encourages them to take the steps needed to improve their physical and mental health.
For many young women, reproductive care ranks #1 as their primary health care need. Obstetricians /gynecologists often serve as the primary care provider for many young women and OB/GYNs are their only interaction with the health care system. Specifically, according to the Center for American Progress, “young women use gynecological visits for a range of services, from checking their blood pressure to obtaining a breast exam, from receiving traditional gynecological services such as screening for sexually transmitted infections or birth control prescriptions to being screened for depression and mental health disorders.” Despite the importance of reproductive care in the continuum of healthy life choice, young women are least like to be able to afford reproductive care and contraception.

YWTF is committed to helping young women access affordable reproductive health and contraceptive care and as part of National Women’s Health Week we are hosting a twitter chat and a health workshop to empower young women to learn more about affordable care in their communities.
1. Join us on Monday, May 13, 2013 at 1:00pm-2:00pm EDT for a Twitter Chat! Join us and engage with other women and fellow women’s health champions on women’s health issues that you care about. We will focus the conversation on the value of healthy living and access to women’s healthcare services. Please be prepared to share health education, updates on policies that affect women, resources on women’s health services, and tips on how women today can stay healthy. All tweets should be tagged #YWhealthchat.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ywtfatlanta
Hashtag for chat: #YWhealthchat
We look forward to chatting with you on Twitterverse!
2. CELEBRATE! Women’s Health Workshop, Wednesday May 15th, 6-7:30pm EDT RSVP: http://celebratewomenshealth.eventbrite.com/
The Women’s Health Workshop will be held Wednesday, May 15th, 6:00-7:30pm in the Feminist Women’s Health Center located at 1924 Cliff Valley Way NE Atlanta, GA 30329. We encourage you to invite your networks for a mix and mingle, a discussion on women’s health, as well as a Zumba Dance Party to move your muscles and get your heart rate up! Snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Tell us how you maintain your physical and mental health; what is your most important health topic; and how do you plan to access affordable reproductive care and contraceptives after graduation?