1. Developed leadership skills
82 women and girls with increased leadership skills
I learned to ask questions, to research it, to talk about it, to speak out, to initiate conversations.
Since 2005, FLA has graduated 82 young women that have increased their leadership skills. During two focus groups implemented in November 2010 (Alumni and Current Participants), FLA participants reported their main motivation to join FLA being to develop their leadership skills through a network. FLA is perceived as an opportunity to develop professional skills in preparation for a professional career. Some of the reported learned skills include:
* Research and analysis: I have learned to organize my thoughts and plan. We learn about issues, learn from each other, and how to get informed. I have gained education about the issues, about the civic process, about how important it is to vote. I know I need to know who is running for political positions. I know I have to be aware of what is going on, stay informed.
* Public speaking: I have learned how to speak out in big crowds, how to project my voice, how to speak to people. I am able to talk in public. I have become a public speaker. I am able to express ideas with confidence. I wanted to learn about public speaking and I did. I learned public speaking skills. I learned how to speak to the authority that are usually men. I am able to speak well and connect to people at different levels (from a gay old man to a little girl). I improved my communication skills.
* Leadership: I have become a better leader, outspoken. I wanted to learn about leadership and FLA taught me to be a leader, how to make connections with people and engage them.
* Team building: I am now able to delegate, to allow others to take on tasks and to trust in their abilities. FLA field trips and overnight trips were great to get to know each other, to connect, to team up.
* Legislative advocacy: I now know how to take action, how get organized. I know about messaging: how to stay on the issue. I learn how to advocate for myself and others.
* Problem solving: I wanted to learn how to talk to others, people not agreeing with me, and public figures; how to bridge that gap. I learned how to talk with people I disagree with, how to share my values and dialogue.
* Negotiation skills: I have learned to be open when listening to other FLA participants, to other people's thoughts, ideas and values. I have learned to agree to disagree.
2. Increased knowledge of women's issues internationally, nationally, statewide and locally
82 women and girls with increased awareness of social justice issues affecting women and girls
I joined FLA to gain knowledge on women's rights, to know about sex, HIV, and other issues, to do something about women getting beaten.
Since 2005, FLA has graduated 82 young women that have increased their knowledge of women's issues. During two focus groups implemented in November 2010 (Alumni and Current Participants), FLA participants reported that
FLA raised their awareness level, helped them realized that their personal issues were also the same social justice issues girls and women experience in their city and their county. Sharing individual experiences through FLA led to awareness at the community level. The women's issues addressed during FLA have been the following:
* Teen pregnancy and high school dropout rates. Latino families pressure girls to get pregnant and not go to college. It was everywhere. When I joined FLA I had 2 cousins pregnant at the time.
* Contraception and reproductive health
* LGBT and bullying: including bullying and teasing in schools. I was in 3rd grade when I heard the word "gay" for the first time and it was in derogative ways. We didn't have anti-bullying in school. High school was super bullying specialty about sexual orientation. It was infuriating to me. I used to yell at people and now I learned to be my own advocate.
* Discrimination against immigrants: My math teacher said I couldn't be in his class but I showed that I was better with my education so I learned math just by looking, by watching. Teachers didn't want students to speak in Spanish. Also people thought I was African American. I felt discriminated against by my own friends, from people like me of color, from my conservative family. The way I speak English, my accent, people all the time ask where I come from.
* Disability issues: I had to know and speak out about my own disability about how to explain to other people, how to deal with my issues
* Sexual assaults.
3. Increased involvement in social justice issues affecting women and girls with an emphasis on reproductive justice
-82 women and girls participating in local projects addressing women's health issues, with specific emphasis on reproductive justice
-created opportunities that connect local women and girls to statewide and national initiatives and movements* I joined FLA to be part of a community fighting for human rights, to see my community progress, to make a change in the world, to be out there, to take action and to make a difference.
* We did the research, we found partners, and we found an ally that became a champion to rally for the implementation of the SB71 policy.
Although most FLA participants reported being active in the community before joining the Academy, most participants increased their civic engagement through community organizing and advocacy activities. During two focus groups implemented in November 2010 (Alumni and Current Participants), FLA participants reported becoming active in the community through the following local policy and advocacy projects:
* Implementation of California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act (SB71) at the Visalia Unified School District: SB71 mandates comprehensive sexual education and promotion of reproductive health services. The educational aspect was not being implemented in Visalia schools. FLA advocacy efforts have spearheaded the implementation of a full curriculum from 5/6th grade thru high school and in-service training for teachers that will be in place in the schools and high schools for the next academic year. FLA worked with the Visalia Unified School District and local representatives to have this policy implemented.
* Pharmacy Access: a youth friendly initiative to provide sexual and reproductive health products and services in pharmacies.
* LGBT marriage equality: an initiative to create a social movement in the Central Valley around policies impacting the LGBT community.
-82 women and girls experience personal and emotional transformation, an increased sense of belonging and decreased isolation
During two focus groups implemented in November 2010 (Alumni and Current Participants), FLA participants reported that their main motivation to join was to find support (personal and emotional) through a network, a community. FLA participants and alumni report to find a sense of belonging which breaks the isolation created by social norms of their families, peers and communities. The following statements demonstrate the personal transformation most FLA participants experience during the 8-month program:
* FLA encourages you to come to peace with your own issues and step up to work in your community on those issues.
* Everything about me changed. I am a different person. I wanted to do something good. Heavily involved with drugs, and I am now completed changed. Keeping motivated to stay away from drugs. It is a completely different way of living. I can be who I want to be.
* I wanted to belong, to be intimate, to be safe. I wanted to be part of the community, to be part of the club, to be with women, to talk at a personal level about issues you don't usually talk about.
* Everything is very oppressed in Visalia and the family I grew up with. I wanted to experience the way women interact with each other, to find a safe haven.
* I am Stronger. I am more confident.
* I have learned how to manage my calendar, how to be organized.
* I am less angry. Understanding the history and politics helps me to understand why things are the way they are, why people discriminate, and I can deal better with my anger.
* FLA is the soothing, is the band aid. I am hurting and see others hurting, so acting helps me being at ease, I don't have to hold it. FLA gives me what to do with it. I can be active, go to a march, action brings something to your ache.
*FLA makes me feel I am amazing.
*FLA helps me see a vision for my future, it gives me a drive, and I can see where I want to go.
1. Increased organizational capacity to support leadership development
-Improved leadership, management, fiscal and technical capabilities as an advocacy and policy development organization
Incorporation of FLA participants into the organizational structure: of the 82 FLA graduates, 6 have been ACT board members (currently, there are 3 FLA graduates including the Chair of the board that are board members) and 5 have been ACT staff (currently, there are 2 FLA graduates that are ACT staff)
In 2010, the FLA Alumni Association was formed. The FLA Alumni Association offers continuous leadership training to FLA graduates and plays a critical role in the on-going outreach and recruitment of FLA participants. The FLA Alumni Association reports to the ACT Board on an on-going basis. As of 2012-2013, the Alumni meets twice a month. The Alumni Association represents the organization and organizes fundraising events.
2. Increased organizational capacity to advocate and implement policies that promote social justice and equity for women and girls with an emphasis on reproductive justice
-Successful coalition-building tactics developed
-Increased ability to build coalitions and collaborative partners to address identified social justice issues
-Increased political knowledge and effective advocacy and policy skillsThe network of nearly 500 individuals and 15+ local, regional, state and national advocacy and policy organizations created and supported by the Central Valley Alliance for Women and Justice (CV Alliance) plays a critical role in the organizational capacity to do advocacy and policy work. These CV Alliance network organizations include:
Educational institutions: College of the Sequoias (COS);Visalia Unified School District (VUSD);
Advocacy and policy coalitions: ACLU of Northern California;Advocates for Youth;California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC);California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ);California Prison Moratorium Project;Center on Race Poverty and the Environment (CRPE);Courage Campaign;Equality California (EQ CA);Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC);NARAL Pro-Choice America;National Immigration Forum;National Organization for Women (NOW);Sierra Club California;
Service provider organizations: Planned Parenthood Mar Monte;
Foundations: Dolores Huerta Foundation;Ms. Foundation for Women;Women's Foundation of California
Policy
and Advocacy Level (Local and County) Changes
1. Increased knowledge in social justice issues affecting women and girls
Despite the many hurdles ACT faces, ACT had a tremendous success with Visalia Unified School District with the implementation of a Comprehensive Sex Education initiative. After several years of working with them, their Board approved a district wide policy change that moved them from an abstinence only district to one who would comply with the CA Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act. This currently impacts approximately 15,000 students and will continue to impact thousands of future students.
2. Increased advocacy in social justice issues affecting women and girls with an emphasis on reproductive justice
-Developed social justice policy agendas and campaigns
* Reproductive Justice: policy agendas supporting sexual education and promotion of reproductive health services (e.g., California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act (SB71)); supporting Title X Family Planning Funding for local Planned Parenthood health centers; supporting Pharmacy Access, a youth friendly pharmacy initiative; supporting STI/HIV prevention and education campaigns.
* Women's Health: policy agendas supporting the AB 1900 Bill which opposes shackling pregnant inmates thus jeopardizing women's reproductive health at risk; opposing environmental toxic chemicals in certain soaps, lotions, and cosmetics affecting negatively women's health; and opposing the Stupak Ban trying to restrict abortion coverage
* Economic Justice: supporting Equal Pay Day campaigns.
* Immigrants: supporting immigrant's rights:
* Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT): supporting marriage equality by supporting same-sex marriage-Developed successful communication strategies
* Videos: This excerpt is from the February 9, 2011 Ms. Foundation for Women's newsletter "Grantee ACT for Women and Girls went viral to promote the importance of condom usage and healthy sexuality for all. Luchador vs. HIV is the first video produced by this year's participants in ACT's Female Leadership Academy -- an initiative that brings a diverse group of young women leaders together to provide them with hands-on advocacy training. The video addresses the myths about HIV transmission and stresses the need for members of all communities to practice safer sex -- reminding us (quite aptly) that "no great fighter would ever go into the ring without their mask. Point taken." A second video Getting Schooled on Emergency Contraception is also available about the facts of emergency contraception, the morning after pill, breaking down myths and teaching the basics. Click here for a list of the videos that has been produced
* Webinars: ACT participates in webinars offered by organizations like Ms. Foundation for Women and Feminist Majority Foundation about the complications with pregnancy and childbirth in developing nations.
* Websites: FLA supports civic engagement and advocacy sites like National Women's Law Center and MoveOn.org. Example: Supporting MoveOn.org in opposing the Smith Bill which attempt to redefine rape and set women's rights back by decades. Right now, federal dollars can't be used for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger. But according to the New York Times, the Smith bill would narrow that use to "cases of 'forcible' rape but not statutory or coerced rape."2 This could mean cases where women are "drugged or given excessive amounts of alcohol, rapes of women with limited mental capacity, and many date rapes" would no longer count as rape
-Local decision-makers supporting FLA civic engagement, community organizing and advocacy activities
* Meeting with decision-makers: State Senate member Roy Ashburn originally denied interviews and meetings with FLA, but he recently met and discussed issues about reproductive health with FLA participants. He was welcoming and cordial.
3. Developed, adopted, implemented and/or enforced policies to address identified social justice issues affecting women and girls
-An adopted policy around comprehensive sexual education (The California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act SB 71) has been implemented and enforced at Visalia Unified School District.
Implementation of California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act (SB71) at the Visalia Unified School District: SB71 mandates comprehensive sexual education and promotion of reproductive health services. The educational aspect of SB71 was not being implemented in Visalia schools. FLA advocacy efforts in collaboration with CV Alliance, the Visalia Unified School District (VUSD) and local representatives have spearheaded the implementation of a full curriculum from 5/6th grade thru high school and in-service training for teachers that will be in place in Visalia middle and high school for the next academic year. This policy will affect approximately 15,000 students in the District. This will also impact many generations to come and will increase awareness around and reduce rates of STIs and pregnancy rates in Tulare County. Despite the many hurdles ACT faces, ACT had a tremendous success with Visalia Unified School District with the implementation of a Comprehensive Sex Education initiative. After several years of working with them, their Board approved a district wide policy change that moved them from an abstinence only district to one who would comply with the CA Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act. This currently impacts approximately 15,000 students and will continue to impact thousands of future students.
