Meet our Steering Committee

Six Question Saturdays

Volume 5 - May 9, 2020

On Saturdays this spring, we will feature one of the members of SuffrageForward’s Steering Committee. We will post a short biographical sketch, together with a fun and informative Q&A with hopes that you will learn a bit more about the inspiring people who have come together to make SuffrageForward a reality.

SuffrageForward - One hundread years and onward!

SIX QUESTIONS

1)  Who inspires you and why?

Sheryl Sandberg is inspirational to me on many levels. Sheryl is an accomplished leader within a male-dominated business and she is breaking through societal and gender barriers leading the way for other women to follow. A quote from her book, Lean In, that spoke to me,  Speak Up, Believe in Yourself, Take Risks, applies to each one of us now, and was clearly embraced by the women of the suffrage movement, 100 years ago. Without speaking up, believing in ourselves and taking risks, we will never move forward toward gender equality and we will deny ourselves that seat at the table.

2)  If given the opportunity to meet an historical woman, who would you choose?

The historical woman I would enjoy meeting is Margaret Sanger.  A pioneer who understood the need for sex education and access to birth control, she continued her campaign until her death in 1966 at the age of 87.  I volunteered at Planned Parenthood while in college and my daughter volunteered for them when she was in college. Here we are almost 50 years after abortion was legalized and we are still fighting to keep abortion and access to birth control available. If Margaret Sanger was still alive, she would be at the forefront fighting this fight.

3)  What do you think is holding women back?

I believe that there are many forces holding women back, both external and internal. The internal forces, that are the most destructive and which plague most, if not all of us, are self-doubt, and the fear of taking risks and failing. One cannot truly succeed without having suffered failures, from which we learn and grow.  The external forces are and remain open and obvious. The dearth of mentors who support and encourage women to move up and take positions of control, the expectation that girls are better suited for humanities as opposed to math and science, and the roles that still define the sexes. Clearly women have come a long way since the 50's, 60's and 70's, but until women equally occupy C-Suites and are on parity with the earnings of their male counterparts, we have more work to do.

4)  What would you like to see in your community to empower young girls and how would you accomplish these changes?

It is important to start the process early to encourage girls to accept challenges and to push themselves beyond their comfort zones. The Nyack high school has a wonderful 3-year science research program that pushes all of the students outside their comfort zones while offering the encouragement, guidance and support of fellow students and teachers. I know many girls who successfully completed this rigorous program and went on to study science in college. We need more programs like this in other fields of study that are predominantly male-oriented, such as finance.

5)  What would you like SuffrageForward to accomplish in the coming year?

SuffrageForward could reach out to other not-for-profits in our community, such as the Nyack Center and the MLK Center to offer programs to girls in the areas of health, finance, education, and employment opportunities. We can explore creating internship opportunities with the small businesses in town to teach these young women the necessary skills to be successful and the courage to take that seat at the table.

6)   If you could morph into any animal, what would it be?

The animal that I would morph into would be a wild pony living on the island of Chincoteague. They exhibit the rebellious spirit that is the true nature of these beautiful horses. They are undomesticated and live freely among their kind. It would be exciting to shed the constraints of society and just be.

Volume 4 - May 2, 2020

SIX QUESTIONS

1)  Who inspires you and why?

In fifth grade, it was Ginger Rogers because I loved to dance, and she did everything Fred Astaire did—and did it backwards and in high heels!

But when it comes to who inspired me for all the rest of my life, I have to choose both my parents and my husband.

My father Arthur was the sweetest, most generous of people, and his sage advice on business or personal matters was sought by relatives, friends and strangers. As a father, he always conveyed, by words and deeds, that I could become anything I wanted. What greater inspiration could one hope for.

My mother Judith was a first generation American, the oldest of four children. The family was poor, but happy to be in Brooklyn, USA. When her father died suddenly, Judy was 14 and became her mother Rose’s chief mainstay, rushing home from school to run the small dry goods store Rose had started to support the family—and caring for the younger children. Judy graduated at the top of her class, but gave up her dream of college and went to work full-time to support the family. When she married Arthur, they moved to Long Island. Rose and the other children soon followed.

My mother died in 2004, but continues to inspire me, with her wisdom which kept me on track throughout my life. One example: When I was 12 years old, my school announced that our class would have its first “formal” dance. I said “yes” to two different boys who had asked me to be their date for the big event. I told my mother that I was going to the dance with Michael. She looked at me and said, “Didn’t you tell me you had accepted Bob’s invitation?” I said I had, but I liked Michael better and when he asked me I said yes. “And what are you going to tell Bob?” she asked me. What was I going to tell Bob? I started to make up a story, and my mother stopped me: “When you tell a lie, even a small one, you will always have to struggle to remember what exactly was that lie you told. When you tell the truth, you will never have that problem.” She was right and I have lived by her words! 

P.S. I had a wonderful time at my first dance—with Bob. 

I met Martin Cornell at Swarthmore College. We had a lot in common and enjoyed each other’s company. He taught me to ski and tutored me in Economics class. I was always struck by his poise and strength of character: I didn’t know how someone still so young could instantly recognize charlatans, discern the truth, and see the right path—but was never condescending or bragging. When in his senior year, he was applying to law schools, he asked me to write a recommendation for him. I said, “Your father knows so many distinguished lawyers: don’t you want one of them to write the recommendation?” His answer: “No, you are the one who knows me best. I want you to write it.”

He was my pillar of strength, giving me the confidence to seek to be the Chairwoman of the County Democratic Party and later to run for Legislator. He was my best friend and trusted advisor. Had he lived, he would have been very proud to see my election as the first woman to Chair the Rockland County Legislature. He was a wonderful life’s partner, and I miss him greatly. But how fortunate I’ve been!

2)  If given the opportunity to meet an historical woman, who would you choose?

I was a grown woman before I had ever heard of Sojourner Truth. Browsing in a bookstore, I happened upon a book published by Scholastic for students: the title was Sojourner Truth – Ain’t I a Woman? As soon as I opened the book, I knew I had to buy it and read it.  

Born in Ulster County, NY in 1797 to parents who were slaves, she was given the name Isabella and called Belle by her parents. New York had become a flourishing slave market over a century earlier, with an ever increasing slave trade to meet the demand of landowners seeking free labor. By the time Baby Belle was born, New York and New Jersey were the only Northern states that still permitted slavery. Resistance to slavery by Quakers and others led to the gradual freeing of slaves.

Belle’s parents instilled in her the importance of hard work, honesty, obedience—and to suffer in silence. At age 11 she was sold by the slave-owner at an auction. She was brutally beaten by the new owner and when her father, no longer a slave, came to see her—he saw blood on her back and her pain. Somehow he found another family who bought Belle. At 13 she was sold once again. This owner was a more considerate person, but she had no choice when he arranged a marriage for her with Tom an older man. Together they had 5 children. When her owner refused to honor his promise to free her, she took her baby and left the four older children with her husband. She was taken in by a kind Quaker couple.

The story of Belle’s life is an unbelievable one—deprivations and personal losses beyond belief. But this woman, 6’ tall, believing deeply in God, left New York when she was 43 years old, determined to travel and tell the story of the Black experience at public gatherings. When asked her name that first night on the road, she said “Sojourner” and when asked for her last name, she hesitated briefly and then said “Truth.” After attending a Women’s Rights Convention in Ohio, she always included women’s rights in all her talks. “Ain’t I a Woman?” Her truth was simple: racism and sexism were unacceptable to people of good reason. 

Sojourner Truth was a preacher, an abolitionist, an activist for the rights of both blacks and women. She traveled East and West. Her strength knew no bounds. She inspires me.

3)  What do you think is holding women back?

I serve on the Board of Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee (ERLC), dedicated to helping women seek elected office within New York State. I was its Chair for a dozen years-during which time we sought information from a well-respected political consultant who had explored in depth the reasons why many women were held back from seeking political office. We learned that women often thought they weren’t qualified: needed more preparation, more knowledge, more background, more training. Men, on the other hand, had no such qualms.  

We also learned that when a woman was asked to run for office, that became a very significant impetus for her to make that decision and take the plunge. Certainly, many more women have been seeking political office in recent years and will continue to do so. Look around Rockland and we see brilliant, dynamic, strong women running organizations of all kinds, capable of doing whatever they wish.

We, at ERLC, took the information from our consultant, developed workshops to build confidence of women in their own talents and abilities to learn on the job, taught them how to build a campaign team and, the hardest task of all, how to ask for money. We ask and encourage women to run for office; and provide ongoing support. That mentoring is very important.

No matter the field of interest, there are common threads to building self-confidence and taking a chance. Why did I first run for office? I was asked.

4)  What would you like to see in your community to empower young girls and how would you accomplish these changes?

I am so grateful that my children grew up before social media exerted the influence it now has, which often results in causing young people to doubt their own worth.

It’s important for girls to feel empowered and have confidence in themselves. There are a variety of ways for this to occur. Most important is to help each young person find one or more areas of interest in which she can become involved and excel. For some, it may be an athletic sport, theater, music, arts, dancing; or academics; for others it may be girl scouts, or involvement in environmental issues such as climate change activism; or volunteering to help food pantries or other local organizations, volunteering for political campaigns. Participation, often working side by side with adults, builds confidence in young people.  

Giving girls opportunities to meet role models—older girls or women who have achieved something in their lives--can open their eyes to new ideas. Big Brothers/ Big Sisters is a good example of a community organization that successfully utilizes mentors for children who need special guidance and support. Internationally known Dr. Edmund Gordon, a Rockland resident, has written extensively about the importance of “supplemental education”—referring to the after-school and summer opportunities that are often unavailable to youth of color because families do not have the money to pay for these enrichment programs which can open a world of new and exciting things. A number of Rockland’s not-for-profit arts organizations give scholarships and/or provide free workshops in various communities, as was done when some school districts had cut arts programs from their budgets.

I have taken a lead on the formation of a number of county-wide initiatives that have been change agents for young people, both boys and girls—particularly Rockland 21C which brought together families, schools, government, community, religious organizations to ensure that all Rockland’s children achieve optimal development. While not specifically geared for girls, all these critical systems have a role to ensure that girls are encouraged and given opportunities to explore new interests, and to recognize how special it is to be a woman. 

As a Legislator, I also formed a Women’s Commission which, among many other accomplishments, created STOP F.E.A.R. 30 years ago to protect girls and women from any and all forms of violence and trafficking. I co-chair this with Elizabeth Santiago of Center for Safety and Change—and the membership includes all parts of Rockland’s law enforcement community.

5)  What would you like SuffrageForward to accomplish in the coming year?

By calling attention this year to the legions of strong, dedicated women who fought for 72 years to achieve passage of the 19th Amendment and the precious right to vote, it was always my goal to excite the attention of young girls and young women who will be the leaders of the future. Many of them are already community activists, fighting for the environment, saving their neighborhoods from over-development, rallying to protest injustices. Some of them will join the long fight to achieve the Equal Rights Amendment—and their efforts will succeed. 

Many good men were involved in the long struggle for women’s suffrage, and many good men are needed to support the goals of women—whether in athletics, career choices, marriage or no marriage. Suffrage Forward celebrates the past so that the future can be one where everyone’s talents are valued, where no one is put down or ridiculed or treated as an object.  

When a few of us sat down in early 2019 to discuss this 100th Anniversary year, the last thing on our minds was the possibility of a deadly virus that would delay and even sabotage many of the planned events. Nevertheless, if our forebears fought for 72 years, Suffrage Forward can easily keep right on going in the years ahead, encouraging and supporting and building an ever-stronger nation which uses the full capabilities of all who live here. Now that will be something to celebrate!  

6)   If you could morph into any animal, what would it be?

If I’m morphing into an animal, and am still “social distancing” and staying at home, I will become a Maine Coon Cat, just like ones we used to have. Although I was a “dog person,” my husband loved cats and they loved him. They were beautiful and so affectionate; one in particular would jump on Martin’s lap when he was reading a book, and crawl onto his chest and fall asleep, probably lulled by the sound of heart beats. 

Post-pandemic, I will morph into a Labrador Retriever, also like one we had. This time I will absolutely insure that dog and I take obedience lessons. For one thing retrievers are very strong, love to run fast and swim. I want to be sure that when I take him or her on a leash for our daily walks, that I don’t get killed!

Volume 3 - April 25, 2020

Six Questions

1) Who inspires you and why?

I am inspired by Ankie Spitzer, the wife of Israeli fencing coach Andrei Spitzer who was among 11 Israelis murdered by Arab terrorists during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. Ankie and some of the other widows and family members have been working for 48 years to have their loved ones remembered with a minute of silence at the opening of the games. Until now, the International Olympic Committee has rejected their requests, despite a growing worldwide clamor for it.Ankie’s refused to give up, even when the odds were so severe, and success seemed so remote. Because of her nearly 50-year effort and never giving up, the issue is as close to fruition as it’s ever been.

2) If given the opportunity to meet an historical woman, who would you choose?

Sirimavo Bandarnake from Sri Lanka, Golda Meir of Israel and Indira Ghandi of India. These women were the first to be elected prime minister and lead their governments. I’d love to talk with them about the issues they faced by being the first women to lead their governments. Did they find their service gave women a level of acceptance they hadn’t had prior to their election?

3) What do you think is holding women back?

I believe what is holding women back is the understanding that women can function in almost all ways at least equally to men. The only way that can happen is for people to see more women in key leadership roles. The more frequently this happens, the less it will seem like a huge change in the way the country works. Changing attitudes doesn’t come exclusively from changes in legislation that reject diminishing women. That is only a start. It will succeed when it becomes a non-issue.

4) What would you like to see in your community to empower young girls and how would you accomplish these changes?

You can’t legislate people’s attitudes. The only way to change attitudes is to celebrate the accomplishments of young girls the same way we celebrate boys. We must be sure hiring is fair and pay is equal, without regard to gender in our communities.

5) What would you like SuffrageForward to accomplish in the coming year?

I want SuffrageForward to continue to bring the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment to the forefront. Increased visibility will foster an appreciation of the issue. I'd like to see SuffrageForward use media when there is no way to present events live.

6) If you could morph into any animal, what would it be?

If I could morph into any animal it would be a younger male. It is so much better for gender relations now than it was when I was a teenager. I would love to have an opportunity to be young as attitudes were changing, rather than when it was just at the beginning of the battle.

Volume 2 - April 11, 2020

Six Questions

1) Who inspires you and why?

I am constantly inspired by today’s strong, independent women of all ages, but the most influential woman in my life was Polly Bergen. At the age of 35 this award winning actress, activist & business woman turned my life around. She took me under her wing, and brought me along a path that broadened my horizons. I went from a working model/actress to running her shoe company. This experience showed me I can do whatever I put my mind to and has come full circle-show biz to shoe biz and back again.

2) If given the opportunity to meet an historical woman, who would you choose?

Katherine Hepburn. As a teen I imagined growing up becoming one of those feisty characters she played, defying dress codes and ‘women’s roles’ as dictated by society. A quote from her says it all—‘The thing about life is that you must survive. Life is going to be difficult, and dreadful things will happen. What you do is move along, get on with it, and be tough. Not in the sense of being mean to others, but being tough with yourself and making a deadly effort not to be defeated.’

3) What do you think is holding women back?

It’s the constant battle with society, and also within ourselves, to be heard, to know that we can have it all, to value our opinions and stand by them in spite of the naysayers that hold us back. We get tired, feel defeated and just want to stop fighting the fight. BUT we can’t!

4) What would you like to see in your community to empower young girls and how would you accomplish these changes?

I believe introducing young women to our history and introducing them to the many strong, independent women doing, not just the big jobs, but, the little accomplishments being made, the life changes that have been made. To take them out of the box.

5) What would you like SuffrageForward to accomplish in the coming year?

The mission of SuffrageForward is to celebrate the 100th anniversary of our 19th amendment and to highlight the perseverance and resiliency of the women and girls past, and present, while empowering those of the future. The back story is important and through a series of events, we hope to exhibit this strength and pass it on. We will always have issues to address and the need to stand strong beyond this monumental year.

6) If you could morph into any animal, what would it be?

A female elephant! Elephants live in a matriarchal society that maintains close bonds amongst themselves while interacting well with other herds, families and clans. They revere their elders for their knowledge, experience and memory while looking to their matriarch for guidance. Their personality traits are playfulness, gentleness, consistency, and they display of myriad of emotions. Oh, and by the way, my Mom’s maiden name was Elefant!

Volume 1 - March 28, 2020

SIX QUESTIONS

1)   Who inspires you and why?

Gloria Steinem inspires me because she is kind, generous with herself in terms of everyone else and she gets things done.

2)   If given the opportunity to meet an historical woman, who would you choose?

I’d love to meet Eleanor Roosevelt and Susan B. Anthony

3)   What do you think is holding women back?

We still have not shaken off the shackles of patriarchal influence completely…and in some places not at all.  We must come to the fore no matter what.

4)   What changes would you like to see in your community to empower young girls and how would you accomplish these changes?

Consciousness raising groups were very successful during the 60’s and 70’s.  Perhaps bringing these back for young women to address problems and concerns that they have with men/boys and with each other.

5)   What would you like SuffrageForward to accomplish in the coming year?

Promote more of these liberating agendas.  I’d like to see more attention paid to women of all ages and colors.

6)    If you could morph into any animal, what would it be?

I’d be a horse or one of my dogs so that I could run as fast as possible and have a deep relationship with my humans. My granddaughter kisses her horse all the time and he kisses her back.  My dogs do the same with me.