To: NOW Leaders From: the NOW National Action Center

Call for NOW National ad hoc Committee Members

It's that time of year—time to appoint ad hoc advisory committees, and reappoint those committees that are still actively working on their issue-based charge. Applications must be received by November 15.

Some committees were created in response to a conference resolution, or created by the Board or Bylaws to address specific issues or constituencies more fully, but all are important to NOW's mission. The only new committee is Feminist Global Strategies and Issues, created in response to the resolution passed in Albany.

I am soliciting suggestions and recommendations for these committees, as well as self-nominations, and would appreciate your forwarding this to any NOW member you think would be interested. I will be making the appointments at the National Board meeting on December 3, 2006, subject to confirmation by the board. Each committee will have between six and twelve members, and I will endeavor to have diversity of all kinds represented Current active committee members are welcome to reapply, but in order to provide opportunities for broad-based participation, there will be at least some turnover on all committees.

Please keep in mind that National Board policy requires that every appointed committee be racially diverse, with at least 1/3 of committee members being people of color. This brings important perspectives to all of our work, and I ask you to make a particular point of reaching out to people of color in your chapter/state for these committees.

The appointments I will be making on December 3 are for the:

Young Feminist Task Force - a committee of young feminists aged 30 and under to advise the Board of Directors and National Conference on matters of agenda, leadership recruitment and issue prioritization regarding young feminists in NOW . We would particularly like to have increased representation from young feminists of color and high-school and college-age activists.

Political Action Committees - The NOW PACs make endorsement and support decisions regarding political candidates, and raise funds to support feminist candidates. Composed of three national officers, three national board members, and three NOW members at-large.

Global Strategies and Issues - to more fully develop NOW positions on foreign policy and the impact of U.S. foreign policy and expenditures on women worldwide, and help develop strategies to counter these policies if needed.

Equal Marriage ad hoc Committee - to work with the board and officers to develop and implement a strategic pro-active education campaign on equal marriage, addressing state and federal legislation, ballot initiatives, and efforts to influence and move public opinion and policy-makers.

Women and Drug Policy ad hoc Committee - to research current drug policy that has a particular impact on women and report back to the leadership and membership at the next national conference on a potential action plan to be implemented locally and nationally in conjunction with other organizations currently working toward the same objectives.

Mothers and Caregivers Economic Rights ad hoc Committee - to work with the board and officers to develop state-based and national strategies on issues surrounding the economic rights of U.S. mothers and caregivers, including online resources and action kits, talking points, programming ideas, media resources, and other materials

Family Law ad hoc Committee - to work and to further advise the NOW National Board of systematic changes or harmful legislation that adversely impacts women in the family court system and impedes justice and equality in the courtroom, and related strategies.

Disability Rights ad hoc Committee - to follow up on the November 11 "Women with Disabilities Feminist Activist Strategy Caucus," fostering discussion among and bringing together NOW activists with and without disabilities to develop new NOW strategies for action to fully integrate issues of women with disabilities into our feminist work on domestic violence, child custody, health care, equality in employment and education, lesbian rights, body image, reproductive and abortion rights and all feminist issues.

Application Process:

Please encourage any interested applicant to submit a letter of interest to me at ComApp@now.org (with the subject line "Committee") explaining her/his NOW involvement, interest and past experience in the specific issue or subject area, and what she/he would bring to the committee's work.

Commitment Required:

Most committees do not meet in person, except to caucus at the National Conference, and conduct their work via email and conference calls. Each year a few committees will have face-to-face meetings, depending on the needs of the organization and whether pending issues create a particular need for such a meeting. The NOW PACs meet in person twice a year and the Young Feminist Task Force meets in person once a year, in addition to caucusing at the national conference.

Deadline:

All applications must be received by the end of the day on November 15 so that I will have an opportunity to review them and seek any additional information before the board meeting begins on December 1. For applications that must be mailed, please send them to Committee Application, NOW Action Center, 1100 H St. NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005, in time to arrive by November 15.