On Wednesday September 8, 2010 NOW Juneau had a successful meeting with local Democratic candidates about the upcoming general election.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Letter Featured in the Juneau Empire September 2, 2010
Here is the link to the opinion letter that Juneau NOW board members wrote.
The letter was featured in the Juneau Empire on September 2, 2010.
Here is a copy of the article:
Proposition Two
Unfortunately, the people whose lives will be most impacted by proposition two were not old enough to vote in the primary election August 24. Proposition Two, which requires that a physician notify parents before performing an abortion and requires teens to notify or in lieu of, go to court to obtain a notarized statement about abuse, won voter approval.
Being a teenage girl is hard, especially in a state with some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy, interpersonal violence, rape and abuse. Now, more than ever Alaskans must stand together as allies to young women (and men) in our communities who face incredibly hard choices everyday.
Luckily, there are many services available to teens in Juneau. Men and women, including teenaged victims, can continue to look to Planned Parenthood for a range of legal options when face with the need for confidential medical services. Juneau Youth Services and AWARE provide counseling to students at Thunder Mountain and Juneau Douglas High School. Young women who are experiencing abuse can also seek counseling and support services through AWARE, even if they are not residents of the facility. Finally, Zach Gordan Youth Center hosts healthy relationship classes and support and services for young parents.
While we, at Juneau NOW, are disappointed in the Proposition Two election results, as is much of Alaska, we are heartened by the progress made towards developing a strong coalition in support of a voice for women’s rights. This political force must continue forward by supporting young men and women. We can do this by prosecuting to the full extent of the law sexual offenders, support community services and by promoting comprehensive sex education in every school district, so that no teen ever has to make the difficult choices surrounding pregnancy.
Here is a copy of the article:
Proposition Two
Unfortunately, the people whose lives will be most impacted by proposition two were not old enough to vote in the primary election August 24. Proposition Two, which requires that a physician notify parents before performing an abortion and requires teens to notify or in lieu of, go to court to obtain a notarized statement about abuse, won voter approval.
Being a teenage girl is hard, especially in a state with some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy, interpersonal violence, rape and abuse. Now, more than ever Alaskans must stand together as allies to young women (and men) in our communities who face incredibly hard choices everyday.
Luckily, there are many services available to teens in Juneau. Men and women, including teenaged victims, can continue to look to Planned Parenthood for a range of legal options when face with the need for confidential medical services. Juneau Youth Services and AWARE provide counseling to students at Thunder Mountain and Juneau Douglas High School. Young women who are experiencing abuse can also seek counseling and support services through AWARE, even if they are not residents of the facility. Finally, Zach Gordan Youth Center hosts healthy relationship classes and support and services for young parents.
While we, at Juneau NOW, are disappointed in the Proposition Two election results, as is much of Alaska, we are heartened by the progress made towards developing a strong coalition in support of a voice for women’s rights. This political force must continue forward by supporting young men and women. We can do this by prosecuting to the full extent of the law sexual offenders, support community services and by promoting comprehensive sex education in every school district, so that no teen ever has to make the difficult choices surrounding pregnancy.
NOW Newsletter 8/12/2010
NOW NEWSLETTER 8/12/2010
I want to thank each of you for your membership in NOW, your enthusiasm and desire to make a difference in our Juneau community.
NOW had its annual meeting on Aug. 2 and we had a terrific turn out!
Probably the most immediate event is the August Primary which has two Propositions which need to be DEFEATED. Most particularly Prop. 2: This proposition would mandate that an adolescent have parental consent before having an abortion. She could avoid this by going to court. Nationally, the Pro-Life people have tried to make inroads into Roe vs. Wade for decades and this proposition is such an attempt. Obviously the teenager is under great stress and these conditions may present an insurmountable obstacle. Juneau Pro Choice Coalition has been working hard to defeat this. Let’s show our support by attending a planned parenthood rally at the clinic August 20th from 11:30 to 1:30.
AND on election day rally at 10th and Egan urging folks to Vote NO and finally urge all your friends to Vote NO!
NOW Juneau has new officers!
And..Thank you so much to our out- going officers!
How can we support NOW’s mission?
Mission: NOW works to eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace, schools, the justice system, and all other sections of society: secure abortion, birth control and reproductive rights for all women; end all forms of violence against women; eradicate racism, sexism and homophobia; and promote equality and justice in our society.
There are many ways our Juneau chapter can support this mission and one way is to be a public voice behind those organizations that are already in the field. For example, how can we better support AWARE? AWARE is doing what NOW is all about! They shelter women, they fight against domestic violence, they are involved in educational programs for girls 8-12 years old.
What are some other organizations? Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Gay Pride, Turning the Tide (toxic free environment) Senior Centers, Association for the Education of Young Children (advocating for quality and affordable childcare) Juneau Pro Choice. All of these organizations do outstanding work and NOW can add its voice of support.
And…what about our own actions? The legislature will reconvene in January. Melissa urged us to lead a workshop on how to effectively testify and lobby. It was suggested that we also have a city candidate forum in late September.
So many opportunities to make a difference in Juneau. Please come to our next meeting. We will establish priorities, examine how we might be most effective.
Remember to visit our website juneaunow.org or find us on twitter or facebook!
See you at the voting booth!
-Juneau NOW President
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