Women 4 Women Day a Major Success
February 08, 2010 3:49:34
by Carmen
South Dakota Public Affairs Manager
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
“The best one we’ve had!” are exactly the words every event organizer wants to hear. The 5th Annual Women 4 Women Day at the capitol in Pierre, SD was a great success. Several important changes were made to this year’s event including scheduling and transportation. A small gathering was added on Sunday after the SDANW board meeting. The Sioux Falls bus was diverted so it could make a stop in Brookings, SD to pick up a group of 13 students from the Campus Women’s Coalition at South Dakota State University. A legislative reception was added at a local restaurant at the end of the day, instead of inviting legislators to lunch (where time is short due to the Democratic caucus starting at 1:00pm.)
Sunday evening, a small group assembled to learn from the legislators. Six female, pro-choice legislators joined us for a panel discussion organized by the SD chapter of the National Women’s Political Caucus. Senators Sandy Jerstad (D-12) and Pam Merchant (D-7), Representatives Suzy Blake (D-13), Peggy Gibson (D-22), Martha Vanderlinde (D-15) and Elaine Elliott (D-2) discussed the pros and cons of running for office as a women and different ways supporters can help.
The bill to repeal the ban on stem cell research in South Dakota had a packed committee chamber by 7:45am Monday morning. The weather made for a rocky start to the day, but the bus made it to the capitol in time for the second round of committee hearings.
Our lunch program featured four members of the Pierre and Rapid City Democracy in Action chapters. Each focused on different aspects of DIA and ended with a rousing call-to-action that set the tone for the remainder of the day. A reporter with South Dakota Public Broadcasting recorded the program and had interviews several guests throughout the day.
After our announcement in the galleries, special guests and former legislators with our group, Casey Murschel and Caitlin Collier were also announced. During the day, participants were able to visit tables in the Rotunda including Planned Parenthood MN ND SD, ACLU-SD, NARAL Pro-Choice SD, National Women’s Political Caucus, SD Safe Childbirth Options, SD Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, League of Women Voters, Democracy in Action and SD Advocacy Network for Women.
A record twenty nine legislators attended the reception at View 34 including gubernatorial candidates Scott Heidepriem and Dave Knudson, Secretary of State candidate Ben Nesselhuf, and US House candidate Blake Curd. The Advocacy Network’s main focus of reproductive rights, equal opportunity, violence against women and education appeals to both Democrats and Republicans and we had a truly non-partisan end to our day.
Trackback: http://www.plannedparenthoodadvocate.org/trackback/740/ZaAbJNyY/
