
Program and Services > Advocacy > Women's Circle
Women's Circle
All women deserve a voice, all women deserve to be believed in, and all women want to know that “they are not alone.” Women are involved in all parts of society, but some matters affect and touch women more than others. From the power of the women's vote to reproductive rights and the pay gap, let's take a look at a few of the major issues that modern women face and how we can advocate for this issues.


November 2020
Pivot & Rise
In order to close the gender gap and empower young women, we must root out the invisible power of deeply internalized beliefs, by thinking differently. That’s where the Rise Advocates Masterclass comes in to help women.
For Nov we are offering a mini session of Diana Patton on how to become a Rise Advocates,
(Virtual course length is 90 minutes with condensed curriculum)
Course goal and objective:
• Brief history of gender and racial bias and inequity
•Understand why fear makes one vulnerable to oppression, and how to overcome it
• Learn how coming face-to-face with your personal story helps to remove shame and guilt, which in turn increases forgiveness and empathy
• How lowering your “identity gap” can increase one’s personal power and help you find your superpowers
• Take the first step toward identifying one’s personal values, and how your behavior matches those values, in order to stimulate a personal grounding effect to direct one’s purpose
• Identify deeply held words and narratives that can positively impact confidence

September 2020
Belonging
In conjunction with Welcoming Week with the support of our partners, Welcome Toledo Lucas-County of the Toledo Public Library, we will be hosting a conversation exploring the state of belonging during our September 3rd Wednesday, Women’s Circle.
Humans crave a sense of belonging and connection--to one another and to the places we call home. Unfortunately, many people--including immigrants and longtime residents - feel like they don’t belong. Whether through policies or more subtle encounters, messages of exclusion work their way into our minds and social fabric. It is time to come together to explore our own sense of belonging, and how we can create more welcoming communities.

Women & Housing
It is a place where we gather, discover and integrate ways of speaking, listening, and relating to others. And serve the women we are becoming. As each woman claims her seat in the circle, we come together as equals united by our common purpose. “They're not always easy, but the hardest conversations can actually strengthen your most cherished connection” -Oprah Winfrey. As long you are willing and acknowledge the #1 fact that to have a difficult conversation – is asking the right questions and willing to listen.
February's conversation -issues surrounding gender discrimination on 'Women and land, property and housing'.
Circle of Expertise/facilitator team:
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Sena Mourad Friedman with The Fair Housing Center
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Ambrea Mikolajczyk with ARK Restoration & Construction
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Kathy Tucker with NWO Homeownership

October 2020
The Notorious RBG
For the October session, we will dive deeper into Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s most iconic quotes and wisdom on women, justice, and equality as we fight for her legacy! The Notorious RBG - a champion of women's rights and equality for all - is a modern-day icon with wisdom to share. It’s safe to say, we could learn a lot from Ruth’s approach. Let's dive deeper into the incredible life & legacy of RBG so we can continue the fight and work that she paved for us.
Join us and share a pearl of wisdom or a quote or two that will inspire you to fight for justice, to live by, or to remember RBG, a true icon of our time.

August 2020
We've Got Issues, Girl!
Carrie Hartman and Schuyler Beckwith, known for their work in campaign politics and as advocates for women’s rights, want to empower women to become more involved in the electoral process. When it comes to politics, women’s issues don’t have to be limited to abortion and reproductive rights. Carrie and Sky know that women’s issues also involve the economy, voting rights, education, and so much more! Each week on their podcast, We’ve Got Issues, Girl, they discuss current events and legislation, and interview guests to help women better understand the issues that matter most.

Mentor Me!
Women & Advocacy
For this session, we invite you to join Panel Discussions with Mentors & Leaders in Advocacy. This group of Panelist will help mentor & share with us all, on how to do better at advocating on issues that are important to your cause, movement, and current issues.
Moderator:
Gretchen DeBacker, Legislative Director for City of Toledo
Panelist of Leaders & Mentors:
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Katy Crosby, Chief of Staff, City of Toledo
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Kelli Daniels, VP of Operations, Jayramon LLC
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Rhonda Sewell, Manager, External and Governmental Affairs/Executive Leadership at Toledo Lucas County Public Library
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Ashley Futrell, Attorney & Community Advocate

June 2020