Category Archives: Amazing Women

Women I have met who are an inspiration

Jane Fischberg: leading a life of service

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Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.
– Marian Wright Edelman, American activist for the rights of children and disadvantaged Americans, and president and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund

Jane, outside the Rubicon offices in Richmond.

Jane, outside the Rubicon office in Richmond, CA.

My friend Jane Fischberg and I have known each other for more than 22 years, when I left my managing editor position at a B2B publishing company to work as an administrative assistant for Lutheran Social Services (LSS) in San Francisco, where she was the administrative director. At the time, I was contemplating going back to social justice work with a master’s degree in nonprofit administration or social work but was advised to work for a nonprofit before making the career change. In the end, I didn’t return to grad school or stay very long with LSS, though two things remained constant from those days – my friendship with Jane and my desire to somehow keep my hand in social justice work. I have always admired Jane for her work and dedication, but in all honesty it was stepping into her world at Rubicon Programs that I gained a greater understanding of her and the largeness of her heart, leaving me humbled and in awe – and proud to be called her friend.

Rubicon staff member catches up with a client.

Rubicon staff member catches up with a client’s progress (photo credit: Pat Garvey).

Leading Rubicon Programs and making a difference
In her professional life, Jane has always worked for social justice organizations, though she has been with Rubicon Programs (510.235.1516, 2500 Bissell, Richmond, CA 94804) the longest, 17 years and running. The primary reason she came to the nonprofit was because she felt that Contra Costa County, especially West Contra Costa County, had few high-capacity community-based organizations, unlike San Francisco. “I continue to feel that that’s true, which helps make me feel like we can make more of a difference,” she said. Rubicon’s multi-disciplinary approach of combining services appealed to Jane, as well as the organization’s size – not so big that she feels like a “cog in a machine” nor so small that she feels the organization is “just a mote of a solution.” As president and executive director, having worked her way up from various leadership roles, Jane says she has been “honored to be in a position where” she “can have an influence.” Not surprisingly, Jane has been honored because of her work, having been named a Woman of Distinction by the East Bay Business Times and recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by the San Francisco State University’s MPA Department.

Jane finds her work at Rubicon Programs fulfilling (photo credit: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover).

Jane finds her work at Rubicon fulfilling on many levels (photo credit: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover).

Finding inspiration
Jane finds motivation from the people who work at Rubicon. “We’ve got a great team of people; our staff is incredible,” she enthused. She is equally inspired by the stories of the people the nonprofit serves. While much of her work deals with the abstract – developing appropriate program models, theories of change, and strategies to meet funding gaps – tangible touch points such as the monthly graduation for clients who complete the financial opportunity center workshops give her work meaning. “They’re inspiring,” she said. “Meeting program participants and hearing how we’ve had an impact on their lives makes it all worth it.”

To get into the workshop, clients attend information sessions and intake meetings and then undergo review board meetings. In the comprehensive and intensive workshops, clients begin a learning process that includes understanding their attitudes and behavior about money and credit, addressing legal barriers to employment, encouraging and promoting pro-social behavior among them as a cohort, developing behaviors that will be constructive on the job such as conflict resolution with peers and employers, and developing interview skills through mock interviews. “Graduation is just the beginning,” Jane added. Upon graduation, clients are paired with an individual career coach who will help them develop a personalized plan and job search. Homeless clients work with a housing placement specialist. The staff attorney works with clients who have been involved with the criminal justice system, as well as provides credit report and consumer law support. People participate regularly in Rubicon’s job club – a “power hour” in a Starbucks-like environment to share job leads aggregated from the internet.

A Rubicon client who has benefited from the nonprofit organization (photo credit by Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover).

A Rubicon client who has benefited from the nonprofit organization (photo credit by Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover).

While workshops can only accommodate a certain number of people, Rubicon is still working with clients who have come before and begin working with people who are coming in. “The numbers grow geometrically, so we designed our program to work with people for three years because we know there isn’t going to be a quick fix,” Jane explained. Rubicon experienced what was called the “In and Out Burger” syndrome of getting housing and a job for a client who then returned after a year. “We began looking at this model – the financial opportunity center – working with people over a longer period of time,” she said. “The idea is that hopefully over time people will need less and less support so you can take in more people.”

Facing challenges head on
Many nonprofits struggle to raise funds and are especially hard hit during a recession. But for Rubicon, according to Jane, it’s always been difficult to secure donations, regardless of the state of the economy. The population Rubicon serves is not as universally supported as, for example, animals needing rescue, young children, or the environment, all of which are also important to support, Jane added. Rubicon has been fortunate to secure public contracts that are renewed year over year; however, while the amount of the contract never increases, costs obviously do. “We need individuals to support us so we can continue to meet our costs and to keep up with the increasing demand for services,” Jane explained. Last year, approximately 250 people who came to Rubicon for services couldn’t be served because of the set number of slots for workshops. That number has increased year over year, with a 20 percent increase alone from 2012 to 2013.

Part 1 of Rubicon's awareness program.

Part 1 of Rubicon’s awareness program: “The How.”

Having to adapt and find solutions to the impact of public policies is also a challenge. Whatever belief people may harbor about welfare reform, Jane pointed out that the reality is more children are living in poverty than ever before. That fact coupled with the mass incarceration of people of color, especially men, and its impact on families and communities have made being a child and being a single parent in our society harder than ever. “After welfare reform, people got jobs – low-quality jobs – and many are still living in poverty due to foregoing income assistance benefits,” she pointed out.

Part 2 of Rubicon's awareness campaign.

Part 2 of Rubicon’s awareness campaign: “The Who.”

As far as Rubicon sees it, three segments of society exist: those who will never support the population Rubicon serves, those already on the bandwagon, and those sitting in the middle. “Connecting the dots and telling a compelling story” to the latter group is critical. Rubicon is conducting a public education campaign leading up to its annual gala that focuses on its service to individuals, many of whom have children. “When we help the individual we help the children and the families, and when we help the families we help the community,” Jane explained. “So it’s in everyone’s best interest to help that individual because it will impact them.” When the individual succeeds, the whole community succeeds because streets are safer and children in schools receive more consistent parenting and are in supportive and non-chaotic homes, and more of them live with their parents as opposed to being in foster care. Instead of laying a guilt trip on people, which she points out simply doesn’t work, the campaign is designed to appeal to people’s “enlightened self-interest.” Smiling, Jane noted, “That’s my job.”

Part 3 of Rubicon's awareness campaign.

Part 3 of Rubicon’s awareness campaign: “Rubicon’s impact.”

Our reason for being
Coming from “a place of privilege,” Jane never had to worry about basic needs. Growing up in Massachusetts, the seat of the Kennedy political dynasty, she nevertheless most admired Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, who represented New York’s 12th Congressional District for seven terms, from 1969 to 1983. “She fought against all odds and broke so many barriers,” she said of the educator and author. The Vietnam War also made an impression on Jane; she found a diary she had kept as a child that contained several entries about her student teachers going on strike because of the war. As she grew up, she saw more and more inequities in the world and came to believe that “if you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem.”

Jane, her husband, Dan, and her son, Eli, at my wedding in September 1998.

Jane, her husband, Dan, and her son, Eli, at my wedding in September 1998 (photo credit: Art & Clarity).

Jane walks the fine line of ensuring that her son, Eli, knows what her and her husband Dan’s values are but not “hitting him over the head with it.” Now a sophomore at Berkeley High School, Eli volunteers at the annual gala and has participated for the past three years with Soccer Without Borders, an Oakland, CA-based international organization that was set up to provide organized soccer activities for children in refugee camps. In the U.S., the organization provides organized soccer opportunities for refugees from abroad and other children who have scarce resources. Oakland Unified School District funds the local Soccer Without Borders’ summer soccer camp, where Eli serves as a coach, for kids in foster care. “He likes sports and working with kids, and we encourage that,” Jane said. Seeing her son grow up with good values and whose “heart and mind are in the right place” has made her a proud parent.

Being a part of the solution includes being philanthropic. While Rubicon receives Jane’s most generous gift, she also gives to other causes she cares about – protection for wildlife and domestic and farm animals, and other organizations that move people out of poverty. “I really do believe in giving back and I feel like a life of not giving back is not fulfilling,” she said. “I’ve always felt the reason for living is to be of service, so that informed what I’ve always done.”

Clients leave Rubicon with support services and hope.

Clients leave Rubicon with support services and hope.

Editor’s notes: If you would like to make a donation to Rubicon Programs, click here.

Rubicon Honors 2014, Rubicon Programs’ annual gala, is set for tomorrow Saturday, April 5th, 6 to 10pm at the Oakland Rotunda, 300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland. Last year, more than 2,000 children in the East Bay were positively impacted by the work Rubicon Programs did with their moms and dads. This year, Rubicon Programs has set a goal of raising $200,000 to change the lives of 2,100 children who are most in need in our shared community. At the gala, come enjoy live music, wine reception, butlered seasonal hors d’oeuvres, sit-down gourmet dinner and dessert, and the live and silent auction. Individual tickets are $225. It’s not too late; you can still purchase your tickets here.

Rubicon Programs: the movers, shakers, and changemakers

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We help them harness their strengths and dreams to begin the journey to change.
– from Rubicon Programs’ 2013 Annual Report

Rubicon offices in Richmond, CA.

Rubicon’s office in Richmond, CA.

The success of any program or organization relies heavily on the people who make things happen. And for Rubicon Programs, nonprofit provider of integrated housing, training, employment and mental health services (510.235.1516, 2500 Bissell, Richmond, CA 94804), there is no shortage of talented, motivated, and compassionate people. My good friend Jane Fischberg, president and executive director of Rubicon Programs, opened a window for me into her world and her big-hearted colleagues who provide so much support to the disadvantaged and disenfranchised people right here in our local communities.

Porschea gives two thumbs up for the services Rubicon provides for the local communities.

Porschea gives two thumbs up for the services Rubicon provides to the local communities.

Porschea Brown: a ‘bright, shining star’ with a ‘small bit of hope’
Porschea Brown, financial coach at Rubicon, went to college in Washington, DC, and was expecting to stay there, but the Richmond native found her way back home. As a girl, Porschea used to walk by the Rubicon office every day, although she didn’t know anything about the organization. As a young adult and concerned citizen, she began attending city council meetings, in particular the re-entry solutions group meetings, and met Rhody McCoy, director of Rubicon’s Economic Empowerment for Contra Costa County. She even attended these meetings when she came home on school breaks. Impressed by her dedication and commitment to the issues and the community, Rhody, who today calls her “a bright shining star,” invited her to volunteer at Rubicon. By then, she had already researched the nonprofit and likewise was impressed by its programs.

Porschea’s main concern was incarceration rates, particularly in her hometown. She was interested in Richmond’s realignment program for the re-entry population – the population she wanted to work with and for whom Rubicon was providing services. As a financial coach, Porschea provides income support, tax preparation, credit rebuilding, and financial counseling. Although she meets with clients to address their financial issues, oftentimes she is involved with discussions about their health concerns or what’s going on in their homes. “It’s holistic; we don’t just deal with people as it relates to their finances,” she explained. “As my supervisor has taught me – and I can see how there’s truth to it – everything affects your finances.”

Rubicon staff member offers help to a client (photo credit: Pat Garvey).

A Rubicon client comes in for his appointment (photo credit: Pat Garvey).

Porschea’s goal is to become the next Justine Petersen, the late former social worker and pioneer in community reinvestment in St. Louis who helped low- and moderate-income families purchase their homes through partnerships with local banks. “She took this for-profit attitude to work with banks, but the purpose and the goal was to work with a nonprofit and assist low-income people to become self-sufficient,” Porschea explained. Her interest lies in providing resource dissemination around credit issues for marginalized people – being the source for financial services, or, as she described it, “the walking 2-1-1 for nonprofits.”

Being from Richmond, Porschea noted that if she doesn’t personally know the people who come through the doors she knows someone who knows them. “There’s a small bit of hope in me that [tells me] something’s going to turn around for them,” she said. Although recently engaged to her boyfriend who lives in Washington, DC, and anticipating a move back there at some point, Porschea was quick to declare, “I’m not finished here yet.”

Porschea and Rhody are a dynamic duo for Rubicon (photo credit: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover).

Porschea and Rhody are a dynamic duo for Rubicon.

Rhody McCoy: paying dues through community development
Before joining Rubicon in 2010, Rhody had held a number of positions working on behalf of underserved populations. In San Francisco, he was site manager for a vocational program for at-risk adults. He made a “slight career change,” moving to the City of San Francisco Private Industry Council, where he was a contract specialist, in charge of a health program for African-American men. “I really got excited again about working in the community and having a bigger role than just running a program,” he said. “It was really about community development.”

That work led him to Urban Strategies in Oakland, led by Dr. Garry Mendez, Jr., executive director of the National Trust for the Development of African-American Men and well-renowned for his re-entry program development. Rhody went into San Quentin to work with “lifers,” putting together curricula on how to improve themselves, make use of the skills they learned inside, and develop relationships with community organizations. “It was just so innovative – incarcerated men were concerned about the community and developing systems,” he said. “It really motivated me to do this kind of work.” When Rubicon was looking for a re-entry program manager, Rhody interviewed with Rob Hope, chief program officer, who worked with Dr. Mendez. “We really resonated [with one another] and spoke the same language,” he recalled.

Rhody finds a lot to smile about in his work (photo credit: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover).

Rhody finds a lot to smile about at Rubicon (photo credit: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover).

Rhody doesn’t have far to look for what motivates him every day. “I have a lot of dues to pay; I feel I owe a lot of people some things, and it starts with my family, my children, my immediate family, and the community at large,” he said. “I’ve been blessed and privileged, and I had a lot of opportunities – some I’ve taken advantage of and some I didn’t. I have a lot to give back.” His motivation is nurtured by the relationships he has developed and continues to develop with the people who come to Rubicon, and by knowing that the organization and his colleagues are like-minded and have the same goal. “We focus on why we’re here,” he said.

Even when he endures difficult, “gut-wrenching” times in his line of work, Rhody is committed to having fun. “There’s a lot of resiliency in the people who we work with,” he explained. “Regardless of external things, their internal motivation just helps them hit the milestones when they get the support that they need.” Coming out of the recession, Rubicon has put up record numbers of getting people back to work. “The labor market changed significantly,” Rhody pointed out, “but people were still getting jobs due to the resilience of the staff and the people who come through those doors.”

Sarah Williams: celebrating small victories in a ‘very long journey’
Staff attorney Sarah Williams graduated from UC Berkeley School of Law with the desire to work in public interest or social justice after conducting expungement proceedings, getting first-time offenders’ record of criminal conviction dismissed from the state or Federal repository. She came to Rubicon when a former supervisor of hers from the East Bay Community Law Center told her about the nonprofit’s legal services. After working under a school-sponsored grant, Sarah was hired in July 2012 to lead the federally funded Promoting Advances in Paternal Accountability and Success in Work Program (PAPAS Work). What drew her to Rubicon was its model of tying in legal services with its other programs, whereas most legal services organizations are standalone. “I can provide services as part of a team,” she said. “There are a number of people working with one individual – they’re all here.” A client’s coaches for career, parenting, and financial issues are all under one roof, communicating with one another.

Rubicon's Sarah Williams and her dog, Oscar, who is a fixture in her office.

Rubicon’s Sarah Williams and her dog Oscar, who is a fixture in her office.

The re-entry population is difficult to serve, Sarah acknowledges. “It’s a very long journey,” she said. But there are victories to build on. Sarah worked with one determined client who was a driver for Domino’s Pizza but wanted a career. She helped the woman file paperwork to get her probation terminated, her felony reduced to a misdemeanor, and then the misdemeanor expunged. Her client had the support of her probation officer and career coach, and Sarah helped her write her letter to the judge. “She was young and made bad choices,” Sarah explained, “but she has done nothing but good since.” Motivated throughout the process and “setting the bar high” – getting probation terminated early is a difficult feat – Sarah’s client was “thrilled” with the outcome and now feels that she has “a much fairer chance to move on from her mistake.” She has since applied to the Stride Center (1212 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612, 510.234.1300), a nonprofit social venture working to empower economic self-sufficiency for individuals and communities in the San Francisco Bay Area, with the goal of becoming an IT specialist.

Sarah reviews clients’ California criminal records, or RAP sheets, to determine their eligibility for an expungement down the road. While some may have to endure a few years of probation, she noted that “the promise that there is a light at the end of the tunnel is an incentive [for them] to keep doing what they’re doing.” For clients who have recently been released, the victories are small but important – showing up for workshops, making an appointment with a coach, figuring out transportation to make the appointment, getting the first job. It takes working hard, doing the right things, staying in touch, and more. “I tell them, ‘there’s no magic wand that’s going to make your past go away,'” she said. “People have to live with mistakes they’ve made, but there’s a way to move beyond them. We try to give a message of hope.”

Sarah credits her mother, who was the first in her family to go to college and became a lawyer who represents unions, with instilling in her the belief that “you can do good as a lawyer.” “Growing up seeing her help people so much really made me feel like I can go to law school and it doesn’t have to be all about making money,” Sarah said. “It can be about making a difference in people’s lives – using my education and my privilege in a positive way to make a difference in somebody else’s life.”

Another Rubicon client whom the nonprofit organization was able to help (photo credit: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover).

Another Rubicon client whom the nonprofit organization was able to help (photo credit: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover).

Editor’s notes: My profile on my good friend Jane, president and executive director of Rubicon Programs, will be posted Friday, April 4.

If you would like to make a donation to Rubicon Programs, click here.

Rubicon Honors 2014, Rubicon Programs’ annual gala, is set for this Saturday, April 5th, 6pm to 10pm at the Oakland Rotunda, 300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland. Last year, more than 2,000 children in the East Bay were positively impacted by the work Rubicon Programs did with their moms and dads. This year, Rubicon Programs has set a goal of raising $200,000 to change the lives of 2,100 children who are most in need in our shared community. At the gala, come enjoy live music, wine reception, butlered seasonal hors d’oeuvres, sit-down gourmet dinner and dessert, and the live and silent auction. Individual tickets are $225 and a table of 10 is $2,000. You can purchase your tickets here.

March is Women’s History Month

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Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.
– Maya Angelou, American poet, memoirist, actress, and American Civil Rights Movement activist

Worn-out leather and jeans who well with vegan cut-out blouse.

Worn-out leather and jeans mix well with vegan cut-out blouse.

The National Women’s History Project‘s theme this year for Women’s History Month is Celebrating Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment. The Project honors 12 women whose lives and work serve as a source of inspiration for both girls and boys and women and men to make our world a more compassionate and more equitable place for everyone. In honoring these women and bringing their accomplishments to the forefront, the Project is making good on its goal of “writing women back into history.”

With that in mind, I thought a worthy exercise in honor of Women’s History Month would be to write a short essay on a woman in your life who exhibited character, courage, and commitment, and inspired you to do the same. For me, that’s easy – it would be my mother. Born in 1926 in the Philippines, she endured the occupation of her homeland by the Japanese in World War II, forced to witness such atrocities as the bayoneting of babies thrown into the air in the town square. “We looked away,” my mother had murmured when I asked her if the story my sister had told me was true. She worked to help put her brothers and sisters through school. She forsake true love and ended up marrying my father and coming to the States after the war. Instead of working to get her teaching credential here – she was a school teacher back home – she picked grapes in the summertime and packed oranges in the wintertime for decades, until she retired. She saved money like crazy, though she and my father didn’t make very much money, and we grew up never feeling poor, though we lived in a rural farming community. My mother instilled in my two sisters and me the importance of education, especially higher education, and being a good citizen. Those were the facts of her life, but there is so much more.

Boxy blouse, jeans, kitten-heel pumps, and clutch are an easy uniform to throw on.

Boxy blouse, jeans, kitten-heel pumps, and clutch are an easy uniform to throw on when mornings are hectic.

The day after my mother passed away on January 3, 2012, my old high school friend, Kimi, wrote about my mother in an e-mail to me in the early hours of the morning: “She was steel. Thin, lithe, wiry, graceful, resilient, unbreakable; tempered. She was beautiful, proud, determined, resolved, smart. If she had lived in a different time or place, if she’d had our opportunities, we can only imagine what she would have accomplished. But, she took the yoke and humble, coarse work that was available – and she lived her dreams through you. As an observer, and not the one grinding away to meet your mom’s expectations, it was always clear to me that she was very, very proud of you, Joyce and Heidi. She built the runway, you flew. She was happy. She felt accomplished. In the end, she achieved her dreams and she had a good life.”

I wrote Kimi back, accusing her of making me cry. What haunted me, what moved me the most of her words – If she had lived in a different time or place, if she’d had our opportunities, we can only imagine what she would have accomplished – still resonates with me as I think about Women’s History Month. My mother was at once meek and determined, dutiful and unrelenting, bearing burdens and yet strategizing for a better life for her family. Had she lived in a different time or place, had she been led to more windows and doors, she would have opened them and gone through. She would have built the runway and taken off herself.

Against a creamy cut-out blouse: Anthropologie statement earrings, stack of rings by Kate Peterson Designs (El Cerrito, CA), Alkemie scarab cuff made of recycled metal, and Laura Lombardi necklace (Eskell, Chicago).

Against a creamy cut-out blouse: Anthropologie statement earrings, stack of rings by Kate Peterson Designs (El Cerrito, CA), Alkemie scarab cuff made of recycled metal, and industrial Laura Lombardi necklace (Eskell, Chicago).

How many girls and women in the world today don’t even know that windows and doors exist? How many never realize they could entertain the crazy notion that they can build their own runway and take off or actually have a voice and the audacity to dream big and make good on them – as a result of the tyranny of governments and politics, religion, misogyny, and on and on? How do we as women, who are privileged and who have had our basic needs and more met, reach them?

When I think of all those questions and wonder where in those pockets and dark corners of the world those girls and women may be, I understand the desire to write women back into history, to use our voices, and shine the light on women’s accomplishments. These subversive acts  – which one day won’t be subversive, though we must always strive to be subversive when it comes to advancing girls and women – plant the seeds. And when we scatter them all around us, beautiful things will grow.

So what can we as individuals do? Nora Ephron entreats us to be the heroine of our lives. Do the small things in our homes, our neighborhoods, and our communities. Nurture and use your gifts for good deeds. Create windows and doors. Go through them, but make sure someone is behind you doing the same. Be compassionate. Be courageous. Be present. Be.

Mixing textures: weathered chambray, metal, nude patent, vegan cut-out, and faux snakeskin.

Mixing textures: weathered chambray, reclaimed metal, nude patent leather, vegan cut-out, and faux snake skin.

Lunafest 2014 – at last

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Above all, be the heroine of your life. – Nora Ephron, American film director, producer, screenwriter, and novelist

Ready for the VIP reception before the screening.

Ready for the VIP reception before the screening!

Lunafest, presented by the East Bay Lunafest Committee this past Saturday, was a rousing success. The traveling film festival is now shown in approximately 150 cities across the U.S. and Canada, up from 125 cities last year. Here’s what makes this particular fundraiser for breast cancer awareness and prevention dear to my heart, given that there are many honorable organizations and events supporting breast cancer education, screening and diagnosis, access to treatment, and/or research. Established in 2000 By LUNA, makers of the Whole Nutrition Bar for Women, Lunafest simultaneously promotes women filmmakers, raises awareness for women’s issues, supports local nonprofit organizations, brings communities together, and celebrates women’s creative spirits. Not to mention getting to know and working with the wonderful group of women, with diverse experiences and talents, who make up the committee.

VIP guests were entertained with jazz selections from this talented duo.

VIP guests were entertained with jazz selections from this talented duo.

Our VIP reception, which was held before the screening, featured a pianist and bassist duo, wonderful catered food and wine, and a cadre of eager and polite students from the IT Academy at El Cerrito High School (ECHS) who checked guests in, served food with a smile, and lit the way from the home of our committee chair where the VIP reception was held to the ECHS Performing Arts Center the next block over. We raised money through our raffle drawing, which included a GoPro camera, Kindle, Donkey & Goat wine set, Nikon camera, and more. Jeanne Rizzo, RN, president and CEO of the Breast Cancer Fund, couldn’t make it to our event, but she sent a heart-felt thank you via a recorded video message before the nine short films began.

Cupcakes and cookies were flying out of the Braxtons' Boxes' table, manned by Pamela Braxton and Zachary, her trusty helper and son.

Cupcakes and cookies were flying out of the Braxtons’ Boxes’ table, hosted by Pamela Braxton and Zachary, her son.

After drawing the winning tickets for the raffle prizes, attendees were treated to complimentary coffee (decaffeinated, of course) courtesy of Well Grounded Tea & Coffee Bar (6925 Stockton Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530, 510. 528.4709) and vegan, gluten-free ice cream sandwiches from Green Girl Bake Shop and cookies and cupcakes from Braxtons’ Boxes (510.708.7089). Two monitors in the lobby featured student films from the IT Academy, as well. It was great to see so many friends and acquaintances from the schools and community, and it was equally thrilling to see so many faces I didn’t know and to see the auditorium fill up. We ended up having nearly 300 people come to Lunafest this year.

Lisa Stoy of Green Girl Bake Shop sold out of her ice cream sandwiches.

Lisa Stoy of Green Girl Bake Shop sold out of her ice cream sandwiches.

And now for the movies: my mini reviews
The nine films chosen ranged from animation to documentary, from serious topics to lighthearted moments, to injecting lighthearted moments into serious subjects, from filmmakers from overseas – Norway, the Netherlands, Greece, and Australia – to the epicenter of filmmaking, New York. They also ranged in length from 21 minutes to under four minutes.

Here’s a brief summary of these award-winning films:
Granny’s Got Game by Angela Alford: “Seven fiercely competitive women in their 70s bond and play winning basketball, proving you are never too old to do what you love.” From the sound of the audience, this was a crowd favorite. How uplifting to cheer on these young-at-heart women who showed us how strong and spunky you can be when you don’t let barriers keep you on the sidelines, literally, and how that will to keep going feeds the fire.

Flying Anne by Catherine van Campen: “A young girl with Tourette’s syndrome takes ‘flight’ to navigate life with her tics.” This was the crowd favorite, according to our survey. I loved how the filmmaker put a face on Tourette’s syndrome. van Campen gave us all sides of Anne, making her multi-dimensional when many might only see the tics borne by this neurological disorder. I also appreciated watching her counselor play act with Anne to show her how to deal with people who don’t know about her condition. This led to her bravely explaining Tourette’s syndrome in an informal discussion with her classmates; she asked them to put their hands on their desks for several minutes and control their impulse to, for example, scratch their itchy heads. Hard, isn’t it, she asked them. I found two other scenes with her good friend Delano, who wanted to protect her and revealed soon afterward that he wanted to marry her, lovely and poignant – going in and out of industrial dumpsters in a field and holding one another as they went down a water slide in slow motion.

Sidewalk by Celia Bullwinkel: “A woman walks through life, confronts her changing body, and learns to love herself.” This fun animated short had many of my friends telling me after the screening that they were pegging where they were in their own lives in the depiction of a woman’s many stages of life as she walked down the sidewalk.

First Match by Olivia Newman: “A determined female wrestler prepares for her first coed high school match.” We got the chance to meet the young female wrestler, who now wrestles as a college student against young men, at the San Francisco premiere. She was impressive and her real-life determination was perfectly captured by filmmaker Olivia Newman.

Sound Shadows by Julie Engaas: “Enter a world where sound gives shape to space.” This short film creatively explored what sound looks like with the help of animation for a woman who is blind.

Maria of Many by Alexandra Liveris: “Meet Maria – Mexican immigrant, domestic worker, committed mom, and activist.” Liveris’ skill in this short film lies in being able to give us a glimpse of Maria’s multiple life roles in less than four minutes, but it’s a complete view, highlighted by scenes of her at work, with her two young children, and with the women’s cooperative that helped her to find her voice and courage in her adopted new country.

Running Dry by Dimitra Nikolopoulou: “A woman impacted by economic hardships journeys into contemporary Athens.” Although I had to run out for a few minutes and missed most of this short film, it was one of my favorites when I saw it at the San Francisco premiere because it revealed the largeness of the protagonist’s and community’s heart to forgive, to share, to bring laughter and joy amid trying times, and to persevere despite difficulties. And who didn’t have that zippy piano soundtrack running through their heads long after the film festival ended? In a good way, that is!

Date with Fate by Venetia Taylor: “When it comes to blind dating, some things are meant to be – whether you like it or not.” This short film, about a divorced couple who go to a matchmaking agency only to find out that they were matched to one another, had its laugh-out-loud moments.

Tiny Miny Magic by Danielle Lurie: “When Sam and her mailman exchange presents via her mailbox, an unexpected love connection blossoms.” I’m glad that the film festival ended with this selection because it was one of my favorites, if not my favorite. It captured Brooklyn so well, the premise was fun, and the actors – their facial expressions were spot on – were delightful. It is the type of ending to a film festival that leaves you buoyant, bouncing out of your seat and the theater – ready for your own tiny miny magic.

Luminous 1960s retro coat turned dress coat, which Laura Leventer of Personal Pizazz (Berkeley, CA) picked out for me. Thank you, Laura!

Luminous 1960s retro coat turned dress coat, which Laura Leventer of Personal Pizazz (Berkeley, CA) picked out for me. Thank you, Laura!

Perfect accessories to complement the vivid embroidery: Alkemie scarab cuff, Kate Peterson Designs stack of rings, and Lava 9 earrings (Berkeley, CA).

Perfect accessories to complement the vivid embroidery: Alkemie scarab cuff, Kate Peterson Designs stack of rings (El Cerrito, CA), and Lava 9 earrings (Berkeley, CA).

Underneath: lacy camisole and gleaming pleats.

Underneath: lacy camisole and gleaming, filmy pleated skirt.

Alternative viewing: With a vintage purse and creamy lace-up heels.

Alternative viewing: With a vintage purse and creamy lace-up heels.

International Women’s Day: take chances, make a difference, be extraordinary

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I challenge women and girls to learn from example and have the courage to overcome mediocrity. Give yourself the chance to be extraordinary.
– Saundra Pelletier, CEO of WomanCare Global

Stand tall!

Stand tall! And carry a Stuart Weitzman clutch from consignment shop Secondi (Washington, DC).

My friend, Laurel Kallenbach, posted on Facebook this past Tuesday that in honor of Women’s International Day, which is on March 8th, she made a loan through Kiva Microfunds. Her recipient is a female entrepreneur in Tajikstan, sister city of Boulder, CO, where Laurel lives. But Laurel did more than just give a helping hand to another woman. She put forth a valuable challenge to us all: “The way I see it, the celebration of women’s talents and achievements should receive recognition for a whole month, so I challenge you to help a woman succeed in your home town or around the world sometime during the month of March,” she wrote.

Taking up the challenge
International Women’s Day has been celebrated for more than 100 years, dating back to 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City to demand shorter work hours, better pay, and voting rights, which too many of us take for granted – the voting rights, that is; we still have the glass ceiling. While it’s a day to honor women’s struggles around the world, Laurel’s right in that we should honor them for a month, if not every day in our thoughts, words, and actions. Laurel’s call to action is also a wonderful way to go beyond a single act of humanity and send out ripples across the ocean, so to speak, to create greater impact.

When the tough get going, throw on a reversible knit-and-lace duster.

When the tough get going, throw on a reversible knit-and-lace duster.

Inspired by Laurel’s actions and challenge, I, too, went to the Kiva site and am funding a woman from the Philippines so that she can buy a new variety of seed (hopefully not Monsanto!) and organic fertilizer for her farm and tires for her motorcycle. It was easy to do, and I encourage everyone who is able to make a microloan of $25 to a low-income and/or underserved entrepreneur or student from around the world to do so. Begun as an initiative by Matt Flannery and Jessica Jackley in 2004, Kiva was founded in 2005 as a nonprofit organization that brings borrowers and lenders together via an online lending platform. In October 2013, Kiva hit the 1 million lender milestone, with $537 million lent to Kiva to date. The organization has made nearly 680,000 loans, with nearly 1.1 million users who have funded a loan. Check out Jessica Jackley’s TED talk.

Taking risks
As I thought more about International Women’s Day, I came across a blog post by Saundra Pelletier, CEO of WomanCare Global, an international nonprofit organization that improves the lives of women by providing access to quality, affordable women’s reproductive health products through a sustainable supply chain. Pelletier grew up in a small farming community in northern Maine. Her mother decided that she didn’t want her daughter to follow the “Betty Crocker” fate of many girls in the area – getting married and having babies and living a domesticated home life – so she raised Pelletier to be an independent thinker who eschewed conformity. Wow! She was so lucky to have such an unconventional mother. Pelletier understands how fortunate she was and that many girls and women don’t or did not have, respectively, strong female role models in their families, neighborhoods, or communities in their formative years and beyond.

Spread your wings and be strong - with lace.

Spread your wings and fly – with lace (one of my favorite sweater coats, almost a decade old – the dress, too! Be green: Hang on to the unique timeless, high-quality clothing and accessories and pass them down to your daughters, nieces, and so on).

Even with this handicap, she wants us all to know that strong female role models exist. We just have to seek them outside of our homes, neighborhoods, and communities, to look outside and elsewhere. “All you need to do is to seek them out for inspiration and learn by their example,” Pelletier wrote. “Every woman needs a cavalry of mentors, emotional supporters, helpful taskmasters, and strategic alliances.” As nurturers of the tribe, so to speak, women were not raised to be risk takers. But the world has changed and continues to evolve and being a risk taker is what Pelletier asks us to become. “By taking risks, not only do we learn to be brave, but we discover opportunities that lead to miraculous outcomes,” she wrote. “The women who accomplish the most are often the ones who are willing to take chances.”

Mixing vintage and contemporary accessories: vintage choker (Vintage Underground, Chicago) and Lava 9 necklace and ring (Berkeley, CA).

Mixing vintage and contemporary accessories: vintage choker (Vintage Underground, Chicago) and Lava 9 necklace and ring (Berkeley, CA).

More vintage and contemporary: Abacus earrings (Portland, ME), Lava 9 ring (Berkeley, CA), and eBay finds: antique necklace and Miriam Haskell pearl necklace.

More vintage and contemporary: Abacus earrings (Portland, ME), Lava 9 ring (Berkeley, CA), and eBay finds: antique necklace and Miriam Haskell pearl necklace.

Making a difference
When I first sat down in my overstuffed library chair and ottoman to write this blog post last night, I was tired and drowsy. But as I warmed up to this celebratory topic, I became fully awake. As a woman in her 50s, I hold dear the call to take chances and make a difference. I was an incredibly shy girl, terrified of taking risks for which the outcome was in question. I did not rock the boat. I took the straight and narrow path – the sure thing. My parents stressed the importance of a college education, but beyond that and the expectation of marriage and children there was no other guidance. All those are important to me, of course, but making a difference in the world was in my DNA, long before I could articulate my desires. Making a difference has taken on many forms throughout my life. Now with a daughter, I see the call to action evolving yet again, especially where girls and women are concerned.

Lace on the outside, but strong as steel on the inside.

Lace on the outside, but strong as steel on the inside.

The International Women’s Day site entreats us all to “make a difference, think globally and act locally.” Get inspired every day. Help make the world a better place for girls to grow up in and women to thrive. For me, it’s fitting to celebrate March 8th at the Lunafest film festival in El Cerrito, with my women friends and my community – enjoying women filmmakers’ achievements in nine short films, fundraising for local organizations and especially The Breast Cancer Fund, and supporting local women entrepreneurs. Even as March 8th passes, make every day Women’s Day by helping other women become extraordinary. By engaging in this act of humanity and heroism (as a heroine) we become extraordinary ourselves. By taking risks, we will find the miraculous outcomes for which we are destined.

Vintage is green and beautiful: choker from Vintage Underground (Chicago).

Vintage is green and beautiful: choker from Vintage Underground (Chicago). Alkemie scarab cuff is made from recycled metal. Purse from Secondi consignment shop (Washington, DC).

Vintage is green and beautiful: vintage pearl bracelet.

Vintage is green and beautiful: vintage pearl bracelet with Sundance necklace and Anthropologie clutch.

Vintage is green and beautiful with lace: antique necklace and Miriam Haskell pearls.

Vintage is green and beautiful with lace: antique necklace and Miriam Haskell pearls – eBay finds – with embroidered and beaded purse from L’ Armoire consignment shop (Albany, CA) and Sundance bracelet.

Meet the women of the East Bay Lunafest Committee

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It’s not a level playing field [for women]. So get over it. Just believe in yourself and get it done.
– Debra Chase Martin, motion picture and television producer

The East Bay Lunafest Committee.

The East Bay Lunafest Committee.

Last year was the first time I had attended Lunafest. I admitted to Peggy Murphy, one of the founding members of the East Bay Lunafest Committee, which is bringing the traveling film festival to El Cerrito for the seventh year running, that I had outright deleted her e-mails about Lunafest in the past. Let me explain. November through February is the busy season for me at work, which culminates in this big annual conference that my company hosts. Everything falls by the wayside. Everything. But last year, I wasn’t required to go to the conference and I had freed up time, so I opened Peggy’s e-mail invitation to Lunafest. For some odd reason, I thought Lunafest was something else, but the idea of a short film festival “for, by and about women” was inspiring to me in the same way that funding breast cancer prevention and other local nonprofit organizations was inspiring, as well as empowering and a wonderful exercise in building community. I went with good friends. I laughed, I cried, and then . . . I joined the committee because I wanted to get involved more. I wanted to be a part of putting together an event that was magical and transformative, celebrating women’s creativity and their determination to come together to fight and overcome cancer.

Since the fall I have been going to monthly meetings and helping to plan an event that is quite expansive in scope. As part of the 12-women committee, I saw how devoted and hardworking they all were to bringing to our community a wonderful evening that is meant to inspire and empower. So heading into the big night, this Saturday, March 8th, I wanted to honor their efforts. Some wanted to remain in the background and focus their energies on Lunafest itself. Others graciously shared their thoughts about their passion for Lunafest.

When she's not busy with community activities, Joann relaxes with friends at a local park.

When she’s not busy with her myriad community activities, Joann relaxes with friends at a local park.

Leading the charge
No committee can move mountains unless it has a strong leader behind it. As chair of the East Bay Lunafest Committee, Joann Steck-Bayat serves her role with admirable vigor and humor, and has been active in the community for many years. “The East Bay Lunafest committee loves organizing this film festival,” she said. “We love seeing family and friends enjoying the movies. We love the movies every year. We love meeting monthly to eat, drink, and plan all the details that are needed to pull off the event. We love the new friendships that are formed or strengthened each year.

“But what we love the most about this evening is the opportunity to teach you all about breast cancer prevention,” she added. “All of us have been directly or indirectly affected by the consequences of this disease.” Joann, who calls El Cerrito home, entreats everyone to Google “The Breast Cancer Fund” (or click here) and learn more about the organization, including its Pure Prevention program and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, lobbying efforts, and successes. She asks that we be educated on The Breast Cancer Fund’s vision of identifying and eliminating the environmental causes of breast cancer, making treatment the standard and available to everyone, and holding government and businesses accountable for “contaminating our bodies and the environment.” Joann emphasized, “Remember to educate not only ourselves but the next generation of women as well.”

Peggy is one of the founding members of the committee.

Peggy is one of the founding members of the committee.

Spotlight on committee members
Peggy Murphy is another founding member of the committee and fellow parent at Harding Elementary School in El Cerrito, where our kids are currently in fifth grade. She joined the committee upon Joann’s request, but her participation is in support of her mother, who is a breast cancer survivor and who continues to battle the disease. Peggy is a big supporter of The Breast Cancer Fund and its mission to eliminate the environmental causes of cancer. Since joining the committee seven years ago, she said she has “become very attached to my fellow committee members and look forward to working with them all each year.”

 

Graphic artist Beth Weil x 4

Graphic artist Beth Weil x 4 by Beth Weil.

Beth Weil, who grew up in Berkeley, was a musician by night (acoustic bluegrass bass player) and a graphic artist by day. At the age of 39 – 22 and a half years ago – she was onstage with the Good Ol’ Persons, on tour, and on the last note of the last song of the set when she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. She was hospitalized for three months and ended up being paralyzed on one side. “I am on this committee because there are no stroke-related events of this kind,” Beth said. Her mother died of breast cancer at the age of 54, “so I’m doing it for her,” she added.

Anja is active in things that she's passionate about - from Lunafest to rock climbing in Smith Rocks, Oregon.

Anja gives it her all in things that she’s passionate about – from Lunafest to rock climbing in Smith Rocks, Oregon.

Anja Hakoshima had been a fan of Lunafest for many years before joining the committee in 2010. She lives next door to Joann, who had encouraged her to join. “The funny, smart, and supportive group of women has kept me engaged in Lunafest ever since,” Anja said. “We all bring different strengths, ideas, and perspectives to the mix, and together we put on a successful event each year.” Anja brings her prowess as a publicist at Fortune PR to the committee, focusing her efforts on marketing and PR – “something I really enjoy,” she added. When she’s not working, Anja is “running around” with her nine-year-old son, cycling in the Berkeley hills, “climbing fake rocks at the gym,” and making jewelry.

“Lunafest has been such a powerful and positive experience for me as an audience member that I am delighted to help spread the word to my community and share my enthusiasm for this amazing, inspiring evening with as many people as I can,” Anja said. “The mission of Lunafest also resonates with me as I have numerous friends and family members who have had to deal with breast cancer. I wanted to be a part of The Breast Cancer Fund’s efforts to identify and eradicate the environmental causes of this disease.”

Meet these energetic and inspiring women and the rest of the Lunafest East Bay Committee this Saturday when Lunafest comes to town, March 8th, at 7:30pm at the El Cerrito High School’s Performing Arts Center (540 Ashbury Avenue, El Cerrito). Doors open at 7pm. You can purchase your tickets by contacting me, purchasing them online via EventBrite, or at the door. Hope to see many of you locals there!

Anja cycling in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, says, "What are you waiting for? It's almost time for Lunafest!"

Anja, cycling in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, says, “What are you waiting for? It’s almost time for Lunafest! Get your advance tickets!”