Draft of Regional Conference

To: Greater La Crosse NOW Chapter members

From: Chloe and Andrea

Re: Proposed Friday Event for Regional NOW Conference (April 23-24)

Please take a look at this description and possible program for the Friday evening event. The main activity could be run like “speed dating” one-on-one time with women across generations or in small groups talking with panels of women from 2 decades. We could have some “artifacts” to create a set around each of the generational clusters.

We need your input before we send it out to the Regional Conference planner

• Give us your ideas and reactions – is it interesting, meaningful?
• Think about some of the logistical questions (potentially 50 attendees)
• Can you think of women who would like to attend?
• Let us know if you are interested in working on this idea (we would need a planning meeting in early January so we can get the publicity out.

Friday, April 23

Registration at 6:00 pm

6:30 pm – 9 pm

Cleary Center

Audience:

NOW Conference attendees: included in conference registration

General public: $15 or $25 for two?

Possible titles: What Women Care About: An Intergenerational Gathering

Women’s Journeys: an intergenerational gathering/event?

Roadmaps and Journeys: an intergenerational event for women

• This event crosses generational borders and builds connections between women of all ages through dialogue and celebration. (Note: do we want to invite men, too? As in “Men who celebrate the progress of women are invited, too!”) The stories of women of each generation create a roadmap of feminism that is grounded in real life experiences. Participants will interact with women and girls of all ages and share perspectives on the challenges, strategies and successes that mark a century of change. This community event opens the Great Lakes Regional Conference of the National Organization for Women.

Sponsored by the NOW-Greater LaCrosse Chapter, UW-L Women’s Studies Student Association in partnership with UW-L Continuing Education and Extension.

Possible Schedule:

6:00 pm Registration and Reception (music, art exhibit, photo essay, etc…)

6:30 pm Welcome and opening

-Musician, comic, or visual presentation on women’s history

7:15 pm Introduction and panel of women from (politics, family, employment, other)

7:45-8:45 Stories from the Journey

Stations set up with representatives from generations:

1920-30; 1940-50; 1960-70; 1980-2000

Each generation will have 3-4 women representing diverse experiences and backgrounds with chairs that invite others to join them….

After a set amount of time, people will get up and move to another “station”

2 possible formats:

1. “speed dating” model with one on one time (more intimate and personal) Needed: one prop or one story to get things started.
2. small panel with room for 3-6 other women set up to answer questions and share experiences Needed: Tell one “illustration” experience and then open for dialogues

8:45-9:00 Gather again with some type of closing