Chicago Foundation for Women ( CFW ) celebrated its 30th anniversary with a symposium and luncheon, featuring a keynote address by activist and actress Ashley Judd, Sept. 29 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers.
At the morning symposium, CFW unveiled its new endeavor: The 100% Project. According to CFW's website, "the 100% Project is an all-out, all-in, coordinated effort to increase women's economic security and put an end to gender bias in metropolitan Chicago by 2030."
CFW President/CEO K. Sujata explained the genesis of The 100% Project and what CFW hopes to achieve with this initiative.
"We have our marching orders. To be bold, to go all out, to be all in and end gender bias," said Sujata. "Here at [CFW] there's an urgency to get it done. Every day I hear parents who say they cannot wait another generation for their daughters to live in a society that values girls equally for their full potential. We must accelerate the pace of change and put in 100-percent effort."
Ahead of remarks by Judd, luncheon co-chair Jerry Newton ( attorney, philanthropist and alumnae council member of CFW ), spoke about the work Judd has done as an activist and actress and noted that she would make a great U.S. Senator from Kentucky. This comment elicited loud applause from the crowd.
Newton also quoted an article that Judd wrote in response to the media obsessing over her appearance in which Judd spoke about women being picked apart and described in detail in a way that men never have to experience, especially those in the public eye.
Addressing a crowd of about 2,100 people, Judd, who received a master's degree in public administration from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, said "I'm feeling particularly empowered so my commitment to you today is I'm not going to stand here and minimize my accomplishments or my beauty."
Judd explained the work she's doing alongside Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and others as advisory council members of Demand Abolition, which works to eradicate the illegal commercial sex industry in the United States and, by extension, the world. She also spoke about her involvement with a number of social justice organizations including Population Services International and the International Center for Research on Women. Judd noted that she's also the Chair of the Women's Media Center Speech Project—Curbing Abuse, Expanding Expression.
Having experienced child abuse and parental neglect during her formative years, Judd explained that if it wasn't for a neighbor, whom she calls her godmother, during her High School years she wouldn't have graduated eighth in her High School class or made it to college. She said that strong female to female alliances come in many packages and lauded the work that CFW is doing to foster those alliances.
"Self-care isn't selfish; it's self-esteem," said Judd. "I cannot give what I don't have and who and what I am is love, loving and lovable. I am strong, smart, vulnerable and everything I do I do it like a girl."
Judd noted that it's important to include boys and men in the discussion in order to shift the paradigm and challenge the patriarchy. She said that boys and men aren't all wrong and bad and girls and women aren't all correct and great.
"The greatest vulnerability factor for sexual exploitation in this country is being a girl," said Judd. "The second factor is any contact with Child Protective Services foster-care system. Another factor regarding any individual incident of physical or sexual abuse is parents who drink and do drugs or any mental illness in the family. People of color and those whose gender identity and sexual orientation [fall outside of the cisgender and heterosexual paradigm], which some of our society don't like very much, also are at a higher risk of physical or sexual abuse."
Among other highlights, the event also featured words of welcome by luncheon co-chairs Mary Dillon ( CEO of Ulta Beauty ) and Diane Whatton ( Director of U.S. Community Affairs, BMO Harris Bank ) as well as remarks by Wendy White Eagle ( chair, board of directors of CFW and Founder and CEO of Native Capital Investments, Inc. ), Precious Wright ( WILL project coordinator, CFW grantee Youth Job Center ) Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a 30th-anniversary tribute video. The video included a testimonial by Stan Sloan ( Chicago House, TransLife Center ) about CFW's role in recognizing that transgender women are a vital part of the women's community in Chicago.
White Eagle, who is a member of the Native American Ho-Chunk Nation, greeted the crowd in her tribe's language and noted that the Ho-Chunk Nation once lived on the land that now encompasses Chicago and the surrounding area including parts of Wisconsin. She explained that CFW has surpassed its goal to get 30 people to give $30,000 with 41 people pledging to give that amount.
Wright spoke about her rocky childhood including growing up in a Chicago Housing Authority apartment on the West Side and being molested by a close family member. She noted that, at age 11, she was made a ward of the state and spent time in three foster homes before attending college. Wright explained that it was in her last foster home that she found the security she needed to thrive. She applied to 50 schools and got into Northwestern University, where she received her bachelor's degree in psychology in 2008.
Emanuel noted his alma mater, Sarah Lawrence, and said attending the event felt like coming home to him. He stated that he is on board with CFW's The 100% Project and pledged to do everything he can to achieve gender parity. Emanuel explained that too often women in positions of power are asked about their personal lives including their children while men in power aren't and that has to change.
For more information about The 100% Project, visit www.cfw.org/100-percent or join the conversation online using the hashtag #100percentCHI. To view the tribute video, visit www.youtube.com/watch .
