To a degree
not yet recognized in public policy, the major problems of aging in America
are women's issues, the legacy of a lifetime of dependency and inequity.
Midlife and older women must take the initiative to bring their concerns
out of the shadows. We will select specific issues, develop
an effective strategy, and concentrate the heat until the job is
done. We will combat the combined impact of ageism and sexism,
and in the process become more effective citizen advocates ourselves."
Tish Sommers, Co-founder of OWL
Several months ago, Naomi Cavalier shared with you how OWL,
The Voice of Midlife and Older Women, was founded. In
honor of Older American's month, I would like to share some of
the activities and accomplishments of this organization.
OWL began as The Older Women's
League on October 11, l980 at the White House Mini-Conference on Aging,
in Des Moines, Iowa. Three hundred multi-ethnic and multi-racial
women became charter members. The first three issues selected to
comprise the National Agenda were:
-
Access to Health Care
-
Social Security and
-
Pensions
This laid the groundwork for OWL'S activism. Hereafter, OWL would
work for recognition of women's economic plight in their later years and
the inequity in public policy.
Since 1980, OWL has created
a powerful and effective grassroots network of women dedicated to winning
economic, political and social equality for mid-life and older women. It
is the only national grassroots membership organization that focuses exclusively
on the critical issues facing women at this time of life.
OWL was headquartered in Oakland,
California at the home of Tish Sommers and Laurie Shields where a group
of dedicated women worked to build the organization. There were now
19 chapters and a national newsletter, the OWL Observer. In
1982 OWL held its first national convention in Louisville, Kentucky home
of the first local chapter. Three new issues were added to the national
agenda;
-
Support for Caregivers and Independent Living
-
Job Training and Employment Discrimination, and the Effects of Federal
Budget Cuts on Older Women.
By 1983 OWL was ready to spread its wings
and opened a National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. At the same time
it began a national advertising campaign to publicize its efforts to reduce
the inequities faced by women midlife and beyond. OWL and women's issues
were now in the national spotlight. The Washington Headquarters put
the organization where the 'action' was and where policy is made.
OWL testified at ten congressional hearings that year. Local chapters
continued grassroots advocacy.
OWL's second national convention
took place in Washington D.C. in 1984. That same year Louisiana became
the first state to pass a bill using OWL's model legislation, "The Health
Insurance Rights Act". Owl continued to grow and 20 new chapters
were chartered.
The following year OWL published a paper on
"Women and Pensions" as part of Women's Pension Literacy Campaign.
A Congressional Forum on Living Wills was held. Proceedings
of the forum were published in book form. For the first
time Congress was educated on issues of advance directives for
health care at the end of life. That year, OWLs were
saddened by the death of its first President and Co-founder, Tish
Sommers.
In 1986 the third National Convention was held
in Oakland, California. A seventh issue was added to the
agenda: "Staying in Control Until the End of Life". Cobra, the
OWL initiated federal health insurance continuation legislation
became law, and a public information campaign was launched
to educate women on their rights. OWL won passage of the
National Caregivers Week resolution and two years later the organization
played a key role in the first of a series of hearings on the
status of older women held by the House Select Committee on Aging.
In 1988 the first statewide chapter was
chartered in California, and Illinois quickly followed California's
lead. While continuing to work on national issues, OWL/CA and OWL/IL
work to educate state legislators on women's' issues and the need for more
protective state legislation. The first regional board members were elected
to the National Board of Directors to take office in 1989.
OWL continued to be a respected
presence in Washington D.C. Local chapters continued their
advocacy. OWL raised the caregiving issue at all levels
of the community and published a Report on Mother's Day.
Later, Newsweek published a cover story, The Daughter Track, inspired
by this report. OWL was cited as being " the only consistent
organization to focus on the issue of Caregiving." Owls were again
saddened with the loss of co-founder Laurie Shields
In 1990 the 4th national
convention was held in Chicago and Housing was added to the Action
Agenda. Through the 90's OWL has continued to testify before congress,
and investigate and publish reports on issues such as Age Discrimination
in Employee Benefits, Single Payer Health Insurance, Retirement
Income, Medicare and Social Security. It spearheaded the
Campaign For Women's Health and joined with two other groups in
creating a Women's Pension Policy Consortium. In 1998 the national
convention was held in Washington, D.C. and members re- energized
themselves to continue their activism .
OWL's grassroots efforts have made a
real difference in the lives of women. It is a strong, highly respected
organization. It's education campaigns, publications and Congressional
testimony throughout the past 20 years have helped put vital issues of
women in the spotlight. OWL's agenda today includes but is not limited
to:
-
Economic Security
-
Availability of Long- term Care
-
the need to protect Social Security and Medicare (Pharmaceuticals as part
of Medicare)
-
Assistance with Caregiving
-
Staying in Control till the end of life
-
Ending Violence Against Women and the Elderly.
OWL will continue to work for a Universal Health System and be a leader
in working for a better life for all women.
If you would like to know more about OWL or to join their work for midlife
and older women, please visit the OWL
web site, or contact me at Milbet@aol.com
