The E-Newsletter of the Pennsylvania Center for Women, Politics, & Public Policy at Chatham University

Ready to Get Involved!

The E-Newsletter of the Pennsylvania Center for Women, Politics, & Public
Policy at Chatham University
April 2008
Volume 2, Issue 3

Contact Us
Pennsylvania Center for Women, Politics, & Public Policy
Chatham University
Woodland Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
P: 412-365-1878
PCWPPP@chatham.edu
www.chatham.edu/PCWPPP

Greetings from the Director
This may be our most exciting political April in memory! We have candidates
crisscrossing the Commonwealth, more voters registered than ever before, and
thanks to your participation in our programs, women ready to run, ready to
win and ready to vote! Let's go!
Up next, is your chance to be Ready to be Heard at our annual advocacy
training on April 25. Registration forms at
www.chatham.edu/pcwppp. This year we have legislators from the PA House and
Senate to advise on advocacy strategies, editors from both Pittsburgh
newspapers to share tips on how to get your voice heard in their pages, and
new this year, using conflict resolution techniques within your coalition
and in the legislative process.

Finally, we are just weeks from the primaries. Get ready to vote. Request
your absentee ballot if you need one from your county office. Statewide
voter information is available through the links below. Every vote matters,
Pennsylvania still matters, so let's make sure women count!

Allyson Lowe
April 25, 2008
10 am - 4 pm
Advocacy 101 covers an array of information including lobbying legislators,
creating messages, and maximizing the impact of coalitions. In addition to
learning the skill set necessary to effectively advocate for your concerns,
the Ready to Be Heard training provides an opportunity to network and begin
to build a coalition of your own.
To register for this program, follow this link:

Advocacy Training
The Center Receives a Proclamation
City of Pittsburgh
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's Office
proclamationweb
In honor of the work the Center has done to further the status of women
throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and specifically in Pittsburgh,
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl presented a proclamation to Chatham University's
President. Dr. Esther Barazzone received the proclamation on behalf of the
Center for Women, Politics, and Public Policy.
The Mayor cited the Ready to Be Heard Advocacy Training, Winning Edge
Campaign Schools, NEW Leadership, and the Regional Women's Initiative as
reasons that the Center should be commended for its work.
PUMP IT UP!
Last newsletter, the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP) and the Center
presented the Wake Up Call/Leadership Series. The first in the series was
well received by students, faculty, and PUMP members.
The last Friday of every other month there will be Wake Up Call Breakfasts
held at Chatham where students and PUMP members will engage in discussions
with local, state, and federal officials. The next session is on April 25,
2008 from 7:30-8:30am and we'll recap what just happened in the primary and
look ahead to the general election and how you can get involved or stay
involved.
Participation is restricted to PUMP members or Chatham University Students.
Tales from the Trail
http://my.chatham.edu/covershots/012.jpg
JESSICA BYRD (Chatham University, Class of 2009)
I am a self proclaimed campaign trailblazer. If you wanted, you could lump
me in with one of those "hope mongering," formally politically dismayed
college students you've read about in the news, who've been rejuvenated and
called back to the political system. You could do that. Or you could take
heed to my frequent flyer miles and gas points as a sign that rhetoric such
as hope and inspiration can mobilize people to action.
From New Hampshire, to New York, on to Ohio and finally in my residential
state of Pennsylvania, I have literally "put my money where my mouth is" in
order to elect Barack Obama as the democratic nominee. Inspired by the
bottoms-up, grassroots Obama campaign, whose average donation is $109, I
have been offered a seat at the table, and I'm taking my rightful place.
Having knocked on over 300 doors, made several hundred phone calls, and
staffed event after event, I definitely feel like I own a piece of this
campaign.
As I currently organize my sister Chatham women to cast their vote for
Obama, I am continually reminded of the important role that we all play in
fostering a dialogue about not only my ideal candidate, Barack Obama, but a
dialogue about the future of this nation and young people's place in it.
So, you could lump me in that group of students any day. I'll gladly take
it, and we'll be mobilizing all the way to the White House.
AAUW Voter Training
The American Association of University Women and the Center held a
successful "Woman-to-Woman Voter Training" at Chatham University on February
23, 2008. Over thirty participants from undergraduate level to beyond,
represented their own demographics, interests and concerns towards GOTV
efforts.
groupweb
The program highlighted the skills needed to effectively target women both
in registration and in transforming the registration into actual votes!
Among the participants were students active in the League of Young Voters
registration drive intent on taking the skills learned at the Woman-to-Woman
voter training and immediately put them into action.
Chatham University's Get out the Vote!
With elections right around the corner, students are making sure that
everyone is registered to vote on campus. Students have found ways to
attract people who have not registered. "Wii Will Vote" parties were held in
each residence hall. Everyone was able to vote and play Wii with their
friends while registering to vote. Every person that registered to vote or
brought a friend to register was able to enter a raffle for prizes.
GO VOTE
APRIL 22, 2008
Pennsylvania Primaries
For additional information about candidates visit out "Campaigns and
Elections" page:

http://pcwppp.org/index.php?option=com_weblinks&catid=83&Itemid=178

www.pavotes.com