State Controller Betty Yee announces her endorsement of Carolyn Ramsay's campaign for Los Angeles City Council at NWPC LA Westside Post-Election Breakfast

State Controller Betty Yee announces her endorsement of Carolyn Ramsay's campaign for Los Angeles City Council at NWPC LA Westside Post-Election Breakfast

We were honored and thrilled that California State Controller Betty Yee chose to announce her endorsement of Carolyn Ramsey in the runoff for the Los Angeles City Council District 4 seat at our post-March election breakfast!

The morning of March 26^th, 2015, NWPC LA Westside hosted another successful networking breakfast to discuss post-March election results at Factor’s Famous Deli in West LA. California Controller Betty Yee made an appearance, along with other notable local elected officials, including Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells (Culver City), Trustees-elect Andra Hoffman and Sydney Kamlager (Los Angeles Community College District), Councilwoman Lauren Meister (West Hollywood), and Boardmember Kathy Paspalis (Culver City Board of Education to not only discuss results of the previous election, but also to share valuable information about the importance of women making the choice to run for elected office. Over bagels and coffee in Sunny Los Angeles, chapter members, their friends and family conversed not only with LA Westside chapter endorsed women, but also reflected on data provided by Dr. Jackie Filla of Mount St. Mary’s University on the dismal turnout of the March elections and the scarcity of women candidates who were elected to serve.

One of the most compelling topics of the breakfast proved to be the prospect of adding Carolyn Ramsey to the 18-member City Council roster. Currently, there is only one woman sitting on the Los Angeles City Council, Councilwoman Nury Martinez, so Ramsey is the one shot that Angelenos have to add another for several years. On May 19^th,  Ramsey, former chief of staff to Councilman Tom LaBonge, will faceoff against healthcare director David Ryu to succeed LaBonge as the representive for Council District 4. Both Ramsay and Ryu advanced to the May 19^th General Elections for Los Angeles City Council District 4 according to the results from the March 3^rd primary elections.

Ramsey is an environmental advocate and was a former freelance journalist for local and national news outlets. She has preeminent experience in servicing the 4^th district community and has spent most of her career as a neighborhood advocate.  In announcing her support for Ramsey, Controller Yee stated,

“I feel tremendous kinship to Carolyn. You can always know that behind the electeds are good people who do the work and are solid in policy. I know she will make her district proud”.

NWPC LA Westside is proud to join with Controller Betty Yee in support of Carolyn Ramsey in her campaign for election to represent Los Angeles City Council District 4. In support of her campaign efforts, NWPC LA Westside chapter is collaborating with other women leaders and organizations to host a fundraiser for Ramsay on May 11^th in West Los Angeles. Details will be released shortly, but, in the meantime, you can help us support Ramsay’s campaign by visiting our website and contributing. No contribution is too small!

HELP NWPC LA WESTSIDE SUPPORT WOMEN CANDIDATES FOR APPOINTED AND ELECTED OFFICE!

It seems like the election cycle is neverending! NWPC LA Westside is dedicated to working with women in the community to take the step towards running for office or seeking appointments to boards and commissions. To join our movement, become a member! Visit our  website to enroll or make a contribution to our endorsed candidates. You can also follow us on Twitter and facebook to stay up-to-date with coming events, including trainings, networking events and more!

Councilmember Alarcón Takes Action to Protect Lifesaving Cancer Screenings

Resolution Calls for Action After Komen Foundation Ends Funding for Cancer Screening Services

As you know, we have spent the last year fighting against the extreme attacks on women's health. Sadly, the fight has not ended. Yesterday, we all heard that news about the Susan G. Komen Foundation pulling their critical funding from Planned Parenthood. This funding was used to provide low-income women with breast cancer screenings. These screenings save lives and families every year and without funding, Planned Parenthood might not be able to provide this life saving treatment.

Sadly, we continue to see a decline in women in elected office at all levels of government, particularly right here in Los Angeles where we are left with only one woman on the LA City Council. In times like these, we need strong allies who are willing to fight for us. Today, Councilmember Richard Alarcon was that ally, urging the Susan G. Komen Foundation to resume funding to Planned Parenthood so all women can continue to have access to this critically important preventative health care.

Download PDF of below Press Release

We urge you to send this to your friends, thank Councilmember Alarcon and continue fighting for equal representation in elected office so we no longer see these extreme attacks on our bodies, our families and our health. Sign the petition to send a message to the Komen Board of Directors: click here.

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PRESS RELEASE FROM COUNCILMEMBER ALARCON'S OFFICE

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Los Angeles City Councilmember Richard Alarcón today introduced a resolution calling on the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation to resume funding lifesaving cancer screening services at Planned Parenthood health centers across the country.  Yesterday, it was reported that after facing pressure from anti-women's health political organizations, the Komen Foundation announced that it would end future funding for lifesaving breast cancer screenings and breast health education at Planned Parenthood health centers.

“Allowing misguided partisan political battles to jeopardize lifesaving services is despicable,” said Councilmember Alarcón.  “Cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood health centers save the lives of mothers, sisters, daughters and wives every day.  People need to know where their money is going – or isn’t going – when they donate to an organization like the Komen Foundaion.”

Planned Parenthood reports that Komen Foundation grants totaled roughly $680,000 last year and $580,000 the year before and helped fund services at 19 Planned Parenthood centers around the country (many of these centers are located in rural and underserved communities).   Komen Foundation funding enabled designated Planned Parenthood health centers to provide women with breast health education, screenings, and referrals for mammograms — lifesaving services for women where Planned Parenthood is their only source of health care.  In the past five years, Planned Parenthood has provided more than 4 million breast exams, including nearly 170,000 exams as a direct result of Komen grants.

“The Komen Foundation’s poor decision isn’t just dangerous for the women who depend on Planned Parenthood for cancer screenings, it affects us all,” said Councilemmber Alarcón.   “Without Planned Parenthood’s services, taxpayers may eventually be burdened with rising health care costs for those unable to use the organization’s low-cost services.”

In addition to calling on the Komen Foundation to resume funding Planned Parenthood health centers, Councilmember Alarcón’s resolution additionally includes support for legislation which protects adequate funding of women’s health programs at Planned Parenthood in the City’s Federal Legislative Program.  If approved by his colleagues, Councilmember Alarcón’s resolution will allow the City of Los Angeles’ Washington D.C.-based legislative staff to advocate on behalf of women’s health services in meetings with Federal representatives.

The City of Los Angeles has previously supported programs hosted by the Susan G. Komen foundation, including providing free banners promoting the organization’s events in Los Angeles and honoring representatives of the organization during breast cancer awareness month.

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For more information, CONTACT: David Graham-Caso at 213.393.9196

"Old Boys" may be filling council seats again

With Janice Hahn moving to Congress, Jan Perry will be the only female member.

By Rick Orlov Staff Writer
The Daily Breeze

The Los Angeles City Council is close to becoming an Old Boys Club again.

Once Janice Hahn takes the oath of office for Congress on Tuesday, Jan Perry becomes the last woman on the council.

"It worries me," Perry said. "And, when I leave office in two years there is a chance this will be all males again." Perry, who is running for mayor in 2013 and is termed out from the council, is the last of a wave of women who, at one point, made up one-third of the 15-member council.

"I think women bring a different perspective," Perry said. "We are more hands-on and problem- solvers. We have to deal with family issues, raising the children and caring for aging parents. It is something most men don't deal with."

Perry said she has already begun trying to find a woman to replace her when she is termed out in 2013.

"I speak to different groups and tell them that I am here to help them, to mentor them," Perry said. "And I know there will be no shortage of men running for this seat."

The City Council was composed of all men until 1953, when Rosalind Wyman was elected to the 5th District seat and Harriett Davenport was appointed to finish the term of her late husband, Councilman Ed Davenport, in the 12th District. By 1997, five council members were women.

City Council President Eric Garcetti said the lack of women on the council is worrisome. "Women are more than 50percent of the city, and we will have only one on the council and that could be none after 2013," Garcetti said. "The City Council should reflect the city as a whole. To reflect that, we need more women serving."

Lulu Flores, president of the National Woman Political Caucus, said organizations such as hers need to do a better job recruiting women.

"In spite of looking for more women, it has been disappointing," Flores said. "We have tried to analyze it and ... part of it is the climate of politics. Women are becoming more and more successful in the business arena and a lot of them are turned off by politics.

"They don't want to subject themselves or their families to the time demands and being under the microscope that politics puts you under."

Flores said another concern is that not as many women are seeking the beginning jobs in politics that have served as a steppingstone.

Garcetti said he has been talking to different groups to try to persuade women to run for office.

But, he agreed, the nature of politics these days has turned many off.

"Look at the race Janice (Hahn) just ran and all the attacks, many of them sexist, against her," Garcetti said. "You have to be tough to go through that and a lot of women look at it and say it's not for them."

Debbie Walsh of the Center for the American Study of Women in Politics and spokeswoman for the 2012 Project, said the peak year for women was in 1992, when California elected Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and Congress saw 24 women elected.

"Since then, we've had stagnation," Walsh said. "There's been a flatlining of women at all levels. Part of it is the tenor and tone of politics, but also a view that things don't get done and they are better off in other areas."  READ MORE