2012 Forum

SEPTEMBER 2012

Women's Rights are Human Rights Forum: Obstacles and Opportunities

VCWF’s fifth forum, held on the California Lutheran University campus, focused on women's rights as human rights. We viewed the issue through a women's lens, exploring the specific challenges for women, identifying potential opportunities and developing coordinated action plans for improving prospects for the women of Ventura County. The keynote speaker was University of California, Santa Barbara professor Kum-Kum Bhavnani who shared portions of her award-winning film, The Shape of Water, narrated by Susan Sarandon, to set the stage for our breakout discussions and action planning workshops. 

Through the course of the day, participants attended breakout sessions on topics including: Sexual assault in the workplace; Women’s right to her own body and life; Slavery and human trafficking in our backyard; Rights for immigrant women and their families; Corporate personhood vs. women’s human rights; US policies and our sisters around the world; Taxation without representation: Elected leadership for women’s human rights; and Immigrant youth daring to DREAM. 

2012 Steering Committee

Chair: Maricela Morales, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE); Finance: Terry Gibson, Ventura County Women’s Political Council; Logistics: Diana Goodrow, California Women’s Agenda/ Women’s Intercultural Network and Sara Pressey, California Lutheran University’s Center for Equality and Justice; Database and Registration: Lee Riggan, Business and Professional Women of the Conejo Valley and Gabriella Suciu, SEIU Local 721; Communications: Carina Armenta Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties and Heather Hughes; Sponsorships: Bridget Shea, SEIU Local 721 and Elena Garcia

VCWF Member Organizations
American Association of University Women - Camarillo; Business and Professional Women of Conejo Valley; Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE); California Women’s Agenda/Women’s Intercultural Network; Concerned Black Women of Conejo Valley; California Lutheran University’s Center for Equality and Justice; California State University, Channel Islands; Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo Counties, Inc.; SEIU Local 721; Ventura County Commission for Women; Ventura County Reproductive Rights Network; Ventura County Women’s Political Council

Forum Sponsors
($1,000) California Lutheran University Center for Equality and Justice* ($500) McCune Foundation, SAGE Publications*, Aung San Suu Kyi ($250) Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties, Inc., SEIU Local 721, Social Justice Fund for Ventura County, Ventura County Women’s Political Council, United Union Professionals, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) ($150) California Women’s Agenda/ Women’s Intercultural Network, Carmen Ramirez, Concerned Black Women of Conejo Valley, Business and Professional Women of Conejo Valley (* denotes in-kind donation)