The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), enacted by Congress in 1994, focuses on four areas: domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. The first three of these issues were each given a designated "awareness month" years ago, but it wasn't until 2010 that February was designated as National Teen...

From the 11th floor of our offices in downtown Chicago, I could hear the Occupy Chicago protestors chanting, "We are the 99 percent," as they marched down LaSalle Street to City Hall last November.

They've been "occupying" Chicago for over three months as part of an international protest movement...

At the end of each year, I like to take stock of both the highlights and setbacks women have encountered over the past year. Great strides were made for women and minorities in 2011 and, looking ahead, I hope to see a positive impact in our community as several new...

A recent article in the New York Times brought into the public eye an issue that is all too familiar to those of us working on behalf of victims of sexual assault -- the lack of a clear definition of "rape."

Since 1927, the FBI has been...

As many of you know, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I'd like to take this opportunity to address some of the realities of this type of violence against women. Domestic violence affects women of all ages, races, ethnicities and religious backgrounds.

It doesn't discriminate based on socio-economic or...

Over the last decade, the term "affirmative action" has become more controversial than the actual racial and gender inequities it was originally designed to address. However, regardless of your feelings about the term, the fact remains that women and people of color have yet to achieve the type of equality...

Can you imagine going into work every day and knowing that before the day is over, someone will have physically assaulted you? You do not know when or where the assault will come, so you change your routines and look over your shoulder, trying to put it off. But you...

Just a few months ago, the Supreme Court made a historical ruling impacting the future of pay discrimination in this country. The court, in a five to four decision, ruled in favor of retail giant Wal-Mart against a group of its female employees. Wal-Mart was facing a possible class action...

It's no secret that common sense is in short supply in contemporary policy-making. A case in point is the situation that most lower-income women with children find themselves in. They are under tremendous pressure to go to work, no matter how old their kids are (because parenting choices are apparently...

The summer movie season is upon us, and while there is an increase this year in the number of films geared toward women and featuring women in lead roles, I can't help but feel disappointed about the lack of diversity in roles for women and their absence as decision-makers in...

Corporations play a significant role in the structure of the economy and how we conduct business. Today, corporations are involved in every aspect of our lives, including our entertainment, transportation, food and financial decisions. However, if you read the names of the top executives for many of these companies, it...

Anti-abortion billboards recently unveiled in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood feature a picture of President Obama and read: "Every 21 minutes, our next possible leader is aborted."

As the leader of an organization whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women, I find this message not only misleading,...

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month, and I'd like to honor the importance of this month by discussing a form of sexual assault that is a critical issue still affecting women and girls -- acquaintance rape and its lack of prosecution.

While many of us tend to think of "stranger...

The Illinois' Government News Network, a website that covers the goings-on of state government, has summarized the budget changes recently announced by Governor Quinn, which identify four priorities:

• economic growth
• paying bills on time
• budgeting for results
• spending restraint

Those are obviously necessary priorities for a...

If we ever had any doubts about this being a global society, TV and the internet are making it more obvious every day. Over the past few weeks, I, like many of you, have been moved by the efforts of the citizens of Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya in their efforts...

My grandparents survived the Great Depression, and I am hopeful that my generation will demonstrate the same endurance and innovation necessary to recover during these difficult economic times. That said, while our elected officials focus on balancing budgets and creating jobs, I believe we are losing focus on our greatest...

As we move forward into a new year, the health of our economy is still one of the biggest challenges facing the nation. Unemployment is still high and new job creation is still slow. While many are looking to the health of large corporations as an indicator of the economy,...

2010 is officially over. The tree is put away, a new puppy was welcomed into the house, and I'm almost done making my resolutions for 2011. As I think about my goals, I'm also thinking about resolutions all of us can have for 2011 to benefit women and girls.

As we near the end of 2010, I am taking stock of both the setbacks and highlights women have encountered in the past twelve months. After reviewing the year's news headlines and latest statistics, I've compiled a list of what I believe to be the most significant events impacting women...

Those of us in leadership roles often want to be all things to all people, control everything in our environments, and do it all ourselves. But sometimes we can't. Sometimes, unexplainable and undeserved challenges face us and we lose our balance, our sense of control. Challenges like the loss of...