“Human Rights Advocacy: Educating and Empowering Women’s Voices”

A Part of the UN NGO CSW65 Forum, March 19, 2021, 9:30 am CDT. See it https://youtu.be/FXJeipjEplg Led by Yesenia G. Alcala, Safietou Dorsey, Seyma Kilic, Darcy Renfro, Erica Ruiz, Victoria A. Velazquez, Natalie Villarreal, and Sister Martha Ann Kirk, Th.D

“SA to the UN, March 19, 2021,” Sharing in San Antonio, Texas, connected with the UN NGO CSW65 Forum. See it https://youtu.be/F7cfDXAj9Og With Christine Kawuma, Niva Shrestha, KaShori Lanier, Ali Michelotti, Karen Barcenas, Anyssa Gutierrez, Amber Loera, Gaby Perales, Scarlett Crawford, Isabelle Poupard Santizo, and Sister Martha Ann Kirk, Th.D.

“Youth-Led Advocacy for Gender Equality: A Model for Global Summits” A Part of the UN NGO CSW65 Forum, March 20, 2021, 9:30 am CDT. See it https://youtu.be/-cxl1ySfFVw Led by Tatum Spriester, Cora Haskins, Erika Haskins, Zuleyha Goral, Seyma Kilic, Zeynep Korkmaz, Clarissa Garcia, Dr. Lisa Uribe, Dr. Alison Buck, Dr. Adeola Coker, Dr. Sumeyra Tek with Sister Martha Ann Kirk, Th.D,

“SA to the UN, March 20, 2021,” Sharing in San Antonio, Texas, connected with the UN NGO CSW65 Forum. See it https://youtu.be/eSyqi8fg6Zg

With Mary Marquez, Emma Huete, Hildah Claire Nyongesa, Cora Haskin, Maria Fernanda Benavides, Alejandro Abarca, Heather Speck Mendizabal, Matthew Hennessey Medicine, and Sister Martha Ann Kirk, Th.D.

See all four together on the "SA to the UN" Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLliixd61LL_3w1IOy9E5Yv1W0838XCG9S

Below read descriptions of each of those, see resources, and learn of the mentors and promoters in the background.

Human Rights Advocacy: Educating and Empowering Women’s Voices, March 19, Friday, 9:30 - 11am, Central Time. Led by Yesenia G. Alcala, Safietou Dorsey, Seyma Kilic, Darcy Renfro, Erica Ruiz, Victoria A. Velazquez, Natalie Villarreal

Click to see the slide presentation Critical issues impacting human rights around the world will be addressed in this panel. Human trafficking, indigenous women of the Shipibo-Konibo tribe in the Amazon Rainforest, reinstatement of the death penalty, immigration policies, and healthcare disparities are fundamental concerns. Our discussion will center within the framework of the UN sustainability goals and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, through the adoption of service-learning tools in the promotion of women's rights. We invite women and aspiring youth to participate in educational conversations focused on understanding the challenges and the strength that comes from global partnership.

Youth-Led Advocacy for Gender Equality: A Model for Global Summits, March 20, Saturday, 9:30 - 11 am, Central Time

Civic, business, and educational leader, Erika Prosper, who is also San Antonio's "First Lady" will share the importance of women's participation in policy making. Led by Cora Haskins, Erika Haskins, Zuleyha Goral, Isabel Holland, Seyma Kilic, Zeynep Korkmaz, Dr. Sumeyra Tek. The panel emerging from girls who have been a part of the Girls Global Summit which will be on Saturday: There is a lack of safe spaces for women’s empowerment through the sharing of knowledge and active engagement in leadership. This panel offers a model for summits that open dialogue on women’s issues worldwide based on eight years of data from the Girls Global Summit (GGS) in Texas. GGS has been facilitated by Women’s Global Connection via an 8-month multi-level mentorship program. The model is one built by youth, for youth, attracting a diverse audience. The panel will share firsthand experiences by attendees, interns, and facilitators along with a toolkit modeled after the Generation Equality Roadmap outlining the aspects that serve to best prioritize female leadership.

Friday, March 19, starting at 11:15 am, 15 minute sessions:

“Challenges for Ugandan Women Related to Climate Change and Transportation” By Christine Kawuma, the Project Coordinator for the African Forum for Mobility and Development. As a result of poor transportation and climate change, females in Uganda face many challenges in regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These further gender inequality. It relates to the sustainable development goal 11 of sustainable cities and communities: Bike, walk, and public transportation and goal 5: gender equality which involves empowering women and girl to ensure their equal rights. Learn of the African Forum for Mobility and Development and some of the creative solutions that they are working on. As we understand more from one country to another we can encourage each other and develop in solidarity.

“The Impact of COVID-19 on Women's Education and Leadership Potential” by Niva Shrestha

The United Nations has found that COVID-19 could reverse the limited progress made towards gender equality around the world. Furthermore, while record-breaking numbers of women are being elected to public office, women are still underrepresented across the board in sectors of higher education, medicine, and politics, etc. With the pandemic, the education of young women is being undervalued and thus, negatively affecting their leadership potential. My presentation will further explore this topic and what it means for our future. This topic relates to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.

"The Murder of Molly Smith: Considering discrimination and intergenerational trauma" by KaShori Lanier, will share research and a scene from The Murder of Molly Smith, a play she wrote about her ancestor who was lynched in the 1800’s. Lanier wrote the play for a project she undertook at the University of the Incarnate Word in Margaret Mitchell's Theatre for Social Change class. This gives a model of research and creativity seeking a more just world. It relates to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 Gender Equality and Goal 10 Reduced Inequality.

“Inequalities Women of Low Income Face in Pregnancy” shared by Ali Michelotti and Karen Barcenas

Texas is a widely diverse state inhabited by women and families of many different backgrounds and cultures. Unfortunately, a large number of the women in these populations face multiple inequalities during pregnancy. Throughout Southern Texas, inequalities such as lack of medical education, healthy food resources, access to healthcare, and transportation all play a critical role in the health of the pregnant mother and her baby. Our presentation will highlight how these inequalities impact women’s pregnancy in South Texas. Our project focuses on United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.

“Life Power, Monthly Periods, Compassionately Uniting and Sharing”

Women’s bodies contribute to furthering the human family. Through the ages, women have had unequal opportunity related to their bodies. Whether we consider biblical stories of women over 3000 years ago or disadvantaged women in our city today, monthly menstrual periods can be challenging. Not all girls and women have the feminine products they need. Limited access to products is a public health issue. Join the conversation with Anyssa Gutierrez, Amber Loera, and Gaby Perales of Incarnate Word High School sharing about “Period Poverty” and helping each other. Learn from Scarlett Crawford about HER DRIVE, a national non-profit that UIW Women’s and Gender Studies has partnered with. The group "aims to close the gap for under-resourced people, particularly BIPOC who are disproportionately affected by poverty and homelessness. Bras and period products are frequently overlooked as essential items of donation." Patriarchal societies have often excluded females as “unclean” because of the bleeding, but actually females are “empowered.” The Hebrew and the Arabic words for the compassion of God in the Bible and the Quran come from the root word for womb. God’s compassion protects and nurtures us as a mother is doing for the child in her womb.

“Human Rights to Life in the São Pedro Valley” By Isabelle Poupard Santizo. UIW Education Graduate Student shares about an isolated and impoverished rural area of Brazil, where families have no running water and depend on crops to survive in a harsh environment. Over the years, their livelihoods have been severely affected by granite extraction activities. Granite quarrying is known to cause irreversible damages to people and nature (Ibrahim et al., 2019). Paradoxically, the demand for granite in the world continues to soar with consumers worldwide inadvertently pushing extraction activities up. Consumers’ choices are affecting communities’ right to life. This presentation aligns with the UNSDG in seeking a more equitable and humane future among a vulnerable community. This topic encompasses poverty and inequality because it widens the gap between the rich and the poor.

Saturday, March 20, starting at 11:15 am, 15 minute sessions:

Taking the "Special" out of "Special Needs" Led by Mary Marquez and Emma Huete. According to the World Health Organization, children with disabilities are among the most marginalized people in the world. The UN Women estimates that globally, there are more girls with disabilities than boys and they all face environmental and attitudinal barriers that lead to their exclusion from educational and other opportunities in life. Kids with disabilities are seen as someone that is sick and broken and in need of our help to heal them. Our presentation will discuss why we need to rethink how we see kids with disabilities and understand why this is important if we want to create a more inclusive and compassionate world. Kids with disabilities are just like us; they like to read, write, draw, sing, dance, hug, run, climb, talk, and have friends. They are kids just like us; they have dreams of what they want to be when they grow up, and yet, they are still treated differently. Kids with disabilities want to have the same opportunities in life, just like us, but until we change the way we perceive them, we will continue to treat them like we need to fix them instead of accepting them for who they really are. Kids with human needs and not special needs.

“Kakamega Young Women Leadership Campaign for Gender Equality and Inclusion” By Hildah Claire Nyongesa of Kakamega, Kenya’s second largest city. Hildah Claire Nyongesa, Project Officer and young woman leader working with Women in Water and Natural Resources Conservation in Kakamega County, Kenya will discuss creating a platform for young African women leadership initiatives and empowerment. This will take place through training, advocacy, and campaigns to promote gender equity and inclusion, working with many partner organizations. Significant discrimination against women has resulted through the struggles Kenya has had in adopting gender equality values. It is hoped that this project will lead to greater gender equality, particularly through more participation of women in county government structures and accountability to girls and women for the protection of their rights.

“Examining the State of Young Women Entering the Field of Animation” By Cora Haskin. Current research demonstrates the gender inequality that takes effect when young women transfer from the completion of their college degree in animation to the workplace. In partnership with Women in Animation, the USC Anneberg Inclusion Initiative, published an official report on the status of women in the field of animation. The statistics information surfaced as the presenter began research on the preparations for college applications and scholarships in the field. The presenter seeks out to share the information with other young women and discuss potential solutions to the problem. It relates to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 Gender Equality.

“A Summer With the Butterflies: A journey of Courage, Persistence, Hope” By Maria Fernanda Benavides. Tulane University student Maria Fernandez will share her experience working with refugee children in the Migrant Resource Center in downtown San Antonio during one summer. She read them story books and invited them to draw pictures of their hopes and dreams. She combined these into a book “A Summer with the Butterflies.” The children showed that despite the hardships refugee and migrant children from Africa and Latin America have gone through, their hopeful hearts remain intact. Learn of the book https://www.blurb.com/b/9724333-a-summer-with-the-butterflies-a-journey-of-courage . Considering how the children can teach us hope and resilience, start conversations considering how immigrants economically benefit the US as explained in a new bi-partisan study https://www.newamericaneconomy.org/ and specifically how the newcomers enrich Texas https://www.tpr.org/podcast/fronteras/2021-03-12/fronteras-1-3-trillion-in-spending-power-mapping-the-impact-of-immigrants-on-americas-economy

“Homeless and Human Like Us” You are invited into a conversation with Alejandro Abarca, a UIW student majoring in photography with Professor Kathy Vargas. He will share a little of his experiences with our sisters and brothers not living in homes right now. You may be among them at some time in your life. See his photography building relationship with them and others involved with Black Lives Matter https://alejandroabarcacg.squarespace.com Hear testimonies from Heather Speck Mendizabal and Matthew Hennessey, UIW students at the School of Osteopathic Medicine who have been involved in “Street Medicine” with Dr. Hans Bruntmyer. Solidarity with the homeless involves UN Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty, hunger, and inequity. We change global problems as we work on the local.

We hope you can join us!