Author: Mariah Craven

The Daily Rundown — Election Day Edition

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Voted StickerIt’s primary day in Maryland and the District.  Have you voted or will you vote?

— If you’re a D.C. resident who hasn’t been to the polls yet check out D.C. Women’s Agenda’s election guide. It focuses on issues affecting women and girls.

— Still not sure where or how to vote?  If you’re a Maryland resident click here for the state Board of Elections. And for D.C. residents click here for the Board of Elections and Ethics.

— In other news — poverty in D.C. affects us all.  But a post on Defeat Poverty D.C.’s blog discusses why it impacts women, in particular.

— The Washington Post reports that more women than men in the U.S. earned doctoral degrees last year for the first time.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Voted StickerIn today’s rundown: D.C. Women’s Agenda helps you get ready for the primary elections in D.C. | The revitalization of one District neighborhood appears to be back on track. | The number of families entering homeless shelters is on the rise. | A D.C. post office may be named after an African-American woman for the first time.

— Tomorrow is primary day in the District of Columbia and Maryland, so be sure to get out and vote! To help you with these very important decisions, D.C. Women’s Agenda (a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner) has put together an election guide that focuses on issues affecting women and girls. Click here to read the guide.

— Efforts to reshape the riverfront area in Southeast D.C. are underway once again after being stalled by the economy.  Those working on the development of the area say in another 18 months the neighborhood around Nationals Park will be “ready for prime time.”

— The number of families entering homeless shelters is on the rise, according to the New York Times. The Department of Housing and Urban Development reports that the number of families in shelters went from 131,000 to 170,000 from 2007 to 2009.

— D.C. is on track to name a post office after an African-American woman for the first time, reports WAMU. D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton will introduce a bill to Congress that calls for naming the post office by Union Station after Dorothy Height.  A leader in the civil rights and women’s rights movements, Height died earlier this year.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: Voter guides for residents in D.C. and Maryland. | Plus, the number of children being raised by grandparents is on the rise.

— The number of children being raised by their grandparents has risen sharply since the beginning of the recession, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center. The study says that one in 10 children now live with a grandparent.

— Are you ready to vote in the upcoming primary election?  To help get you prepared, The Washington Post has created voter guides for D.C. and Maryland.  Click here to get started.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: Why poverty is making the District sick. | The career of a ballet dancer is honored at the White House.

— “Poverty is making our city sick,” writes Margaret O’Bryon on the Defeat Poverty DC blog. O’Bryon points to the link between poverty and chronic stress, which can lead to poor health, as detrimental to the entire District.  Defeat Poverty DC works to bring greater focus to the damaging effects of poverty on the city.  The Women’s Foundation is among the coalition of organizations and individuals that make up Defeat Poverty DC.

Whie House Dance Series Sept_7_2010

— Earlier this week, ballet students attended a workshop at the White House and then saw a performance honoring Judith Jamison’s career in dance.  Jamison is the artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: Craigslist suspends activity on its adult services section.  |  Plus, a look at why the drug that protects against the STD that causes cervical cancer is being called a “dud.”

— Craigslist appears to have shut down its adult services section after being pressured by 18 attorneys general around the country and a number of anti-trafficking advocates, including The Women’s Foundation Grantee Partners FAIR Fund and Rebecca Project for Human Rights.  If you go to the online marketplace today, the adult services link has been replaced with the word “censored.”  Click here for more details.

— Four years after Gardasil — known as the cervical cancer vaccine — entered the marketplace, sales have plummeted and the drug is being called a dud.  This CNNMoney.com article takes a look at why the drug that protects against the STD that causes cervical cancer failed to become a best seller.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: Commentary: focus on family poverty to eliminate the racial achievement gap in the District’s public schools. | Same work, less pay — Virginia’s persistent gender gap.

— Before the racial achievement gap in D.C. Public Schools is eliminated, the city needs to address family poverty, according to Walter Smith, the executive director of D.C. Appleseed, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner.  In a commentary on WAMU, Smith joins Defeat Poverty DC in calling on local candidates for office to explain what they’ll do to address poverty in the District.

— A new report on the gender pay gap from The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis finds that the higher the income, the wider the gap. The report finds that Virginia has a persistently larger gender pay gap than the region or country as a whole.  The gap widens as incomes and education levels increase.  Click here for more details.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

In today’s rundown: A Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner has a new CEO. | For the first time, voters in Maryland can begin heading to the polls tomorrow.

— The Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital (a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner) has a new chief executive officer.  Lidia Soto-Harmon took over as CEO last month.  Click here to watch the introductory message she videotaped.

— Early voting starts tomorrow in Maryland.  This is the first time voters in Maryland will have the option of casting their ballots before Primary Day.  For early voting and other election details, please click here.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Girl_at_ComputerIn today’s rundown: How pre-kindergarten programs helped improve one local county’s public schools. | Using humor to draw attention to sexism in the media.

— Montgomery County schools are being highlighted in a new report for their successful pre-kindergarten programs.  The Pew Center on the States study looks at a decade worth of data and found the extra time in school during pre-K was critical to the school district’s success.  Click here to read more.

– With just a couple of weeks to go before D.C.’s September 14 primary, mayoral candidates Adrian Fenty and Vincent Gray will face off in a Washington Post sponsored debate today at the Newseum.  There aren’t any tickets left, but you can watch the debate live online at Noon.

— Ward 8’s second large grocery store officially opens today.  Yes! Organic is located in the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Ave., SE.  At a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday, the store’s owner told The Washington Post “just because people’s incomes are low doesn’t mean that they are not looking for good quality, nutritious food.”

— “Widespread sexism in the media is one of the top problems facing women,” according to NameItChangeIt.org. This new campaign is working to erase sexism against women candidates in the media.  One of their efforts to draw attention to the issue is this funny — though slightly risque — video:

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

Voted StickerIn today’s rundown: Montgomery County political candidates speak to the nonprofit community via a candidates’ questionnaire.  Two of the candidates in D.C.’s biggest race get ready to go head to head.  Is the District still a city divided by race?

— Nonprofit Montgomery has released the 2010 Candidates Questionnaire — in-their-own-words responses to questions about Montgomery County and the nonprofit community.  Click here to read the responses. (via Washington Grantmakers Daily)

— With just a couple of weeks to go before D.C.’s September 14 primary, mayoral candidates Adrian Fenty and Vincent Gray will face off in a Washington Post sponsored debate tomorrow at the Newseum.  There aren’t any tickets left, but you can watch the debate live online at Noon.

— In spite of the progress that’s been made nationally and locally, we are still a region divided when it comes to race, economics and class, according to Petula Dvorak’s column in today’s Washington Post.

The Daily Rundown — The Latest News Affecting Women & Girls in Our Region

Posted on by Mariah Craven

grocery storeIn today’s rundown: Fresh food comes to Ward 8 — at a price.  |  Early voting begins in the District.  |  A different take on the racial achievement gap in public schools.

— Residents in Ward 8’s Fairlawn neighborhood will have access to more fresh produce and organic foods when a Yes! Organic grocery opens there later this week.  Food at Yes! Organic tends to be priced higher than at other stores.  As WAMU reports, some wonder if an organic grocer can be successful in the District’s most economically impoverished ward.  Others say they’ll pay a little extra for the convenience of having a grocery store in their community.

— D.C. residents began casting their ballots today in September’s primary election.  Early voting started this morning.  About 20 percent of primary election voters go to the polls early.  Click here for more details.

— Last week we highlighted a story about the racial achievement gap in D.C. public schools.  This week, a Washington Post columnist puts a more positive spin on the same data, saying the achievement gap can’t be a measuring tool for schools’ performance.