Winter 2017 Update
Thank you for your support of our mission to pursue justice for women and girls in California. The new year has proven to be an interesting year full of new challenges and we are counting on your continued assistance. There is much to do together so please join us.
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In this issue…

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Distinguished Speaker Series with Erwin Chemerinsky and Michele Goodwin

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CWLC to honor The Actors’ Gang Prison Project, State Senator Connie M. Leyva and the Los Angeles Sparks: 2017 Pursuit of Justice Awards – May 16, 2017

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Policy Brief Released: Aging, Women and Poverty In California

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Join Us: Upcoming Title IX Webinars

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CWLC Welcomes New Board Members

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Executive Director’s Message

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Greetings Friends:
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With the tremendous amount of change and uneasiness many have felt since November, I write now to assure you that the California Women’s Law Center has been and will continue to be on the frontlines of the fight for justice and equality for women and girls. Over the past few months, many have actively responded to the uncertainty by rising up to make sure their voices are heard, especially when discriminatory and harmful acts or policies are being carried out against others.
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CWLC has been making our voice heard as well. We are committed to fight any effort or attempt to force women and girls backward or diminish our possibilities. We will continue to be advocates for reproductive choice and women’s health care, equal pay and fair treatment, and we remain committed to ensuring there is Title IX parity on playing fields and campuses across the state. CWLC will continue to be champions for the most vulnerable among us including older Californians, low-income families, veterans and women who are incarcerated. We will work tirelessly to ensure the gains that have been made to secure equality and justice for all are not reduced or reversed.
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It is with this objective in mind that we are very excited to announce our 2017 Pursuit of Justice Awards lunch honorees. This year we will be acknowledging The Actors’ Gang Prison Project, State Senator Connie Leyva and our Los Angeles Sparks. CWLC is proud to recognize these leaders for their commitment to building and strengthening women and girls’ ability to achieve their dreams. Please join us on May 16th for an inspiring event as we honor incredibly dedicated individuals and organizations who are making a difference and improving the lives of others everyday.
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March is Women’s History Month. We hope you will join CWLC by celebrating and thanking the fearless women who shaped our past and upon whose shoulders we now stand in our ongoing fight for fairness and equality. As we leave February, a time to pay special tribute to the tireless crusaders of justice during Black History Month, and continue the march for equality during Women’s History Month, let’s reflect on the bravery and purpose with which those before us fought for fairness and opportunity for all. Let’s remember and draw strength from these heroes and heroines everyday, not just during an appointed month, because now, more than ever, we are going to need to harness their undaunted spirit of perseverance and patience to ensure that every American’s right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness remains the law of the land.
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As we have for nearly thirty years, the California Women’s Law Center stands ready to support and defend the unalienable rights of women and girls. With your help, we will be successful in our effort to ensure a bright future for every woman and every girl throughout California and across the country.
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In strength,
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Betsy Butler
Executive Director
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness
But still, like air, I rise.
– Maya Angelou
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Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that;
Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Los Angeles Women’s March – January 21, 2017
Los Angeles Women’s March – January 21, 2017  
 Los Angeles Women’s March – January 21, 2017

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Distinguished Speaker Series with Erwin Chemerinsky and Michele Goodwin

On Wednesday, February 22, 2017, the California Women’s Law Center hosted a Distinguished Guest Speaker Series at the Feminist Majority Foundation with UC Irvine School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and UC Irvine School of Law Professor Michele Goodwin. The title of their thought-provoking conversation was “Forecasting Reproductive Health and Rights in the Era of President Trump.”

We thank Dean Chemerinsky and Professor Goodwin for leading an impactful discussion and sharing their valuable insight with us!

Photo: Dean Chemerinsky and Professor Goodwin with CWLC’s Betsy Butler.

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2017 Pursuit of Justice Awards Lunch

The California Women’s Law Center will host our annual Pursuit of Justice Awards lunch on Tuesday, May 16, 2017, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. We hope you will join us in recognizing three amazing honorees who are committed to strengthening our communities by pursuing justice for women, girls and families throughout the state. Our 2017 honorees are: The Actors’ Gang Prison Project, California State Senator Connie M. Leyva, and the Los Angeles Sparks.
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In 2006, astounded by high recidivism rates and mass incarceration, Sabra Williams, a member of The Actors’ Gang, created The Prison Project. Today, over 20 company members work with Ms. Williams and Tim Robbins to facilitate their highly physical and emotional theatrical workshops inside twelve California state prisons, including four facilities for women and girls. The work seeks to unlock human potential in the interest of effective rehabilitation, thereby helping prepare participants for life beyond bars. The Prison Project has been incredibly successful, having expanded to include re-entry programs, working with juveniles in camps, and creating a pilot project for officers working inside correctional facilities. We thank The Actors’ Gang Prison Project for their investment in and commitment to a truly empowering, rehabilitative system.
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Senator Connie M. Leyva was elected to represent the 20th California State Senate District in 2014. She is the Vice Chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus and the Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus. A champion of women’s rights, last year Senator Leyva carried CWLC’s co-sponsored bill, SB 813, the Justice for Victims Act, which eliminated the statute of limitations on rape and sexual assault in California. Senator Leyva was the first woman president of the California State Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and she remains a champion of health care for all and she is a committed advocate for working families and veterans. Thank you Senator Leyva, for your unwavering service and dedication to Californians.
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Our Los Angeles Sparks, the reigning 2016 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Champions, are entering their 21st season having just won their third WNBA title. Their success, however, is not limited to the basketball court. The Sparks are proud to showcase what it means to be a female athlete while continuing to break down barriers and enrich lives through the power of sport. In 2015, the Sparks created the #WeAreWomen campaign, inviting thousands of young people to attend games for free as a means to encourage and promote athletic participation. We congratulate the Los Angeles Sparks for their winning record on and off the court.

Please join us for an inspiring afternoon at our 2017 Pursuit of Justice Awards lunch on May 16th. The VIP Reception will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the program will begin at 12:00 noon. For event details and sponsorship opportunities please go to bit.ly/POJ2017.

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Aging, Women and Poverty In California Policy Brief Released

CWLC has prioritized the specific and devastating effects of poverty on California’s aging population, and particularly its impact on our state’s aging women. In June 2016, CWLC joined the California Commission on Aging and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls to present a forum titled Aging, Women and Poverty In California. The forum brought together policy leaders and experts from around the state to discuss the looming crisis facing California’s older women. Speakers at the forum tackled issues including retirement, elder justice, housing, food insecurity, health care access, and many other pressing matters older Americans face.
CWLC is proud to share the policy brief covering the matters discussed at the forum last June. The brief, titled “Aging, Women and Poverty In California: we must do more,” summarizes our current crisis and makes specific recommendations to consider so that we can better serve California’s aging population. Our policy brief was introduced to the California Legislature on January 11, 2017 and can be accessed online.
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Photo: Commissioners of the California Commission on Aging in Sacramento with Senator Connie Leyva and Assemblymembers Ash Kalra and Eloise Reyes.
 

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March is Women’s History Month

The California Women’s Law Center is always proud to recognize the fearless women who shaped our past and on whose sturdy shoulders we now stand in our ongoing fight for fairness and equality.

March is a month of reflection and appreciation for women, but it is also a month of action. Please consider joining us at some of the Women’s History Month events noted here.

In recognition of Women’s History Month, please plan to join CWLC Senior Staff Attorney Amy Poyer on March 14 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. for a panel discussion hosted by the L.A. Law Library titled “Sexual Violence on Campus – Definitions, Rights and Responsibilities.” Sign up to attend this discussion by clicking here.

Amy Poyer will also be co-moderating a discussion about Jon Krakauer’s book titled “Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town” on March 28th from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the L.A. Law Library. The book documents the experiences of five victims of campus rape at the University of Montana, Missoula and investigates a crime that is all too prevalent throughout the nation. Click here to register and join the discussion.

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Title IX Training Webinars: April 18th and May 10th

April 18: “The Rights of Pregnant and Parenting Students Under Title IX and California Law”

Please join CWLC’s Amy Poyer and BreastfeedLA’s Arissa Palmer for a training webinar addressing “The Rights of Pregnant and Parenting Students Under Title IX and California Law”on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 from 12:00 – 1:00 pm PST. This informational webinar will review the laws protecting pregnant and parenting students in California and enable practitioners to identify and remedy these harmful forms of discrimination. We will share the results of the ABC’s of Breastfeeding Report Card which graded lactation accommodations in K-12 schools in Los Angeles County, and we will discuss next steps in expanding the impact of the report card. The webinar qualifies for one hour of MCLE credit. Please click here to register.
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May 10: “A Level Playing Field: Title IX and Gender Equity in K-12 School Athletics”
Amy Poyer of CWLC and Kim Turner from Legal Aid at Work, formerly known as the Legal Aid Society – Employment Law Center, will be hosting a Title IX Athletics training webinar titled “A Level Playing Field: Title IX and Gender Equity in K-12 School Athletics” on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 from 12:00 – 1:00 pm PST. This webinar also qualifies for one hour of MCLE credit. Click here for more information.
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CWLC’s New Website Launched

We are excited to unveil our newly designed website, which highlights our work and shares links to informative resources regarding economic security, gender discrimination, violence against women, and women’s health. We encourage you to check back regularly to stay current on CWLC’s priorities and events through our news and blog sections.

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Please visit our website and learn more about how CWLC continues to advocate on behalf of women and girls by visiting www.cwlc.org/dev2019.
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 2017 Equal Pay Days

CWLC is dedicated to the fight to end practices contributing to the gender wage gap and the needs of women living in poverty. Throughout the year, CWLC recognizes Equal Pay Days to increase awareness about pay inequity and other factors impacting the lives of women.
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Equal Pay Days represent the number of days that a woman must work into the new year to make the same amount of money white men, on average, made the previous year. As you can see from the list below, some women must work an entire year before they earn what a white man did the previous year, with Latinas having to work a full ten months before they reach pay equity with white men.
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March 7 – Asian American Women Equal Pay Day
April 4 – National Equal Pay Day
May 1 – White Women Equal Pay Day
July 31 – African American Women Equal Pay Day
September 25 – Native American Women Equal Pay Day
November 2 – Latina Equal Pay Day
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We encourage you to participate in equal pay campaigns and help CWLC increase awareness about these issues by following us on social media: www.facebook.com/CWLC.org and Twitter @CWLC_la.

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Human Trafficking Portals Summit

In January, CWLC’s Executive Director Betsy Butler participated in the Human Trafficking Portals Summit at the Los Angeles Trade Technical College. The Summit addressed the growth of human trafficking in the United States and the issues stemming from this global network of exploitation. All forms of sex trafficking were discussed by the panelists as a means to bring awareness of the frequency as well as the broad range of trafficking taking place in Los Angeles, throughout California and across the country.

Photo: CWLC’s Betsy Butler presenting at The Summit.

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CWLC’s 2016 Amicus Briefs

In 2016, CWLC participated in eighteen amicus briefs addressing a variety of legal issues affecting justice and equality for women and girls.  These briefs were filed in the California Court of Appeal, the California Supreme Court, multiple federal District and Circuit courts, and even the United States Supreme Court. The issues addressed by the briefs included women’s reproductive health, domestic violence, LGBTQ employment discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, and discriminatory enforcement of prostitution offenses.

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CWLC also filed two amicus briefs on our own behalf, related to the rights of victims of sexual assault on college campuses. CWLC remains active in our amicus participation and will continue to submit and sign on to briefs addressing the most important and pressing legal matters for women and girls.
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To read more about the cases CWLC provided amicus support for in 2016 or, to read the briefs in full, click here.

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CWLC Welcomes Amy Quartarolo and Diana Hughes Leiden to our Board of Directors!CWLC

Amy Quartarolo has been with Latham Watkins since 2002 and is a member of the firm’s Litigation and Trial Department and the Insolvency Litigation Practice Group.  In her practice, she represents both debtors and creditors in a range of bankruptcy-related and complex commercial litigation, and regularly practices in both state and federal courts.  She also serves on the firm’s Women Enriching Business (WEB) committee and the Training and Career Enhancement Committee, and is a member of the EEO Review Board. She graduated from UC Davis and received her law degree from UCLA.

Diana Hughes Leiden is a litigation associate at Winston & Strawn, focusing on trademark, copyright, and antitrust litigation. Ms. Leiden began her career with a year-long fellowship working as a staff attorney at the AIDS Legal Referral Panel in San Francisco, and continues to be dedicated to pro bono work. She has represented several asylum applicants in both San Francisco and Los Angeles Immigration Court, as well as parents seeking to adopt children from the foster care system. Ms. Leiden earned her law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where she graduated cum laude and was the Executive Notes Editor of the Hastings Women’s Law Journal, and her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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