2015-2016 Season

Forums are held on the second Mondays of September, November, January, March, and May
at the Ventura County Community Foundation, 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd, Camarillo, CA
from 5:15-7:00 pm: 

5:15-5:40 Registration/Networking

5:40-5:50 Introductions and announcements

5:50-7:00 Program

After each forum, members are welcome to stay for a steering committee meeting from 7:00-8:00.

MAY 2016 / ETHICAL DECISION MAKING

Dr. Genevieve Evans Taylor, Chief of Staff to the President at CSU Channel Islands, presented the May 2016 forum, an interactive session on ETHICAL DECISION MAKING. The session explored how ethical decision-making is complex, sometimes messy and rarely clear-cut. Through participation in case studies, attendees learned strategies to move through challenging moments with intentionality. 

MARCH 2016 / A CANDID CONVERSATION ABOUT RACE

The forum opened with a video, What Is Privilege?, that helped participants understand subtle and not-so-subtle discrimination that creates inequity in our society. Panelists Dena Rogers, Tina Urias and Elaine Crandall, along with Moderator Carina Armenta, then spoke openly about the impact of racism in their lives, citing examples of job, education and housing discrimination. Many audience members spoke about forms of discrimination they have experienced. It is our hope that this forum will be the impetus for more conversations about race in our community. 

JANUARY 2016 / BODY SHAMING

At this forum Madeline and Mallorie Mehrali, students at Adolfo Camarillo High School, shared several videos that showed how media photoshops images of women and talked about the impact these manipulated body images impact young women, causing poor self-image, eating disorders and social stress. They were joined by school mate Owen Elliot, plastic surgeon Lynn L.C. Jeffers, M.D. and Linda Rio, MFT, who co-wrote “The Anorexia Diaries” with her daughter. 

NOVEMBER 2015 / ELIMINATING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN

The November forum explored ways in which we can take local action on the United Nations women’s rights treaty, CEDAW (Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) at the local level. Junemarie Justus, women’s human rights activist, spoke about efforts taking place in cities across the country and efforts to organize a movement in Ventura County. Amy Grossman, women’s health advocate and global justice fellow with the American Jewish World Service, spoke about the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA) that requires timely Congressional action to safeguard women and girls’ rights globally. 

SEPTEMBER 2015 / WOMEN AND HOMELESSNESS

The 2015-2016 season kicked off with a panel discussion on the Crisis of Women and Homelessness hosted by Ventura Social Services Task Force on September 14. We looked at the current state of homelessness in Ventura County and explored proposed solutions to the problem of homeless women and their families through childcare, education, affordable housing, year round shelters, and other transformative means.