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WFA's annual luncheon will be held on Fri, Oct 21 in Governor's Hall IV of the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.  We hope you will be joining us in celebrating WFA's 2011 grantees, honoring 2011 Woman of the Year in Philanthropy JUDY KOHN TENENBAUM, being inspired by keynote speaker ABIGAIL E. DISNEY.   

The RSVP deadline is Tue, Oct 11.  Reservations ($100 ea or $1,000 for a table of 10) can be made ONLINE or mailing a check to WFA, 1202 Main Street, Suite 230, Little Rock, AR 72202.

Watch for updates on WFA's WEBSITE and the POWER OF THE PURSE FACEBOOK PAGE.

PRAY THE DEVIL BACK TO HELL tells the remarkable story of a small band of unarmed women who risked their lives to bring change to Liberia. 

WFA will have a closed screening of the documentary followed by a Q&A with Executive Producer ABIGAIL E. DISNEY on Friday, October 21 beginning at 6:30 PM in Little Rock.  

To secure tickets to this screening, watch for opportunities on WFA's FACEBOOK PAGE and blogs by SAVANNAH BUTLER,  AMY BRADLEY HOLE,  JERUSALEM GREER, SARABETH JONES, and TONYA OAKS SMITH. 

Screening hosted by Little Rock Film Commission & sponsored by Centennial Bank.

Other opportunities to see Pray the Devil Back to Hell

Thurs, Oct 20 - 6:00 - 8:00 PM:  The UALR Gender Studies & International Studies Programs are hosting a film screening & discussion in the Engineering & Technology Building Auditorium.  This event is free & open to the public.  More Information/Questions: Sarah Beth Estes by EMAIL or phone (501/569-3191)

Fri, Oct 21, 8:00 PM on AETN:  Pray the Devil Back to Hell will premier on PBS through the five-part special series WOMEN WAR & PEACE. (Also airing Oct 22 at 1:00 AM and Oct 23 at 4:00 PM.)

Click to watch announcement.

Africa's first  democratically elected female president, a Liberian campaigner against rape and a woman who stood up to Yemen's autocratic regime won the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of the importance of women's rights in the spread of global peace.

The 10 million kronor ($1.5 million) award was split three ways between Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, women's rights activist Leyma Gbowee from the same African country and democracy activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen - the first Arab woman to win the prize.  FULL ARTICLE

 Nobel laureate Leyma Gbowee is featured in Pray the Devil Back to Hell for her push for peace in Liberia.

There are almost 200 nations across our globe and ten currently have women holding the position as president.  

While Doris Leuthard is Switzerland's third female president and Mary McAleese is suceeding Mary Robinson in Ireland, each of the others are the first woman to lead their countries: Dilma Rousseff in Brazil, Cristina Kirchner in Argentina, Laura Chinchilla in Costa Rica, Tarja Halonen in Finland, Dalia Grybauskait in Lithuania, Roza Otoubayeva in Kyrgyzstan, Pratibha Patil in India, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Liberia.

Seven more women including Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (also named Forbes Magazine  MOST POWERFUL WOMAN) are not heads of state, but their positions make them heads of their governments.  FULL ARTICLE

Nonpartisan nonprofit organizations such as  RUTGERS CENTER FOR AMERICAN WOMEN & POLITICS and SHE SHOULD RUN encourage & empower women to run for office.

The Little Rock branch of AAUW co-sponsored a reception with WFA in September providing a forum for CLINTON SCHOOL OF PUBLIC SERVICE students Jillian Underwood, Trish Flanagan, Hilary Trudell & Billie Thomas to meet with original members of the Arkansas Governor's Commission on the Status of Women and other women community leaders passionate about the creation of an up-to-date report on the Status of Women in Arkansas.  A comprehensive REPORT has not been compiled since 1973.  

CLICK HERE for WFA's September e-Newsletter for details about the research these young women are working on.

Click on image to be directed to video.

Women's Foundation of Arkansas is just one of the millions of nonprofit organizations that utilize social media with the purpose of driving social change. CLICK HERE for a 4:17 video to see how 25-year-old Tammy Tibbetts is figuring out how to help girls around the world to become the first in their family to graduate - all through social media.

Community leaders in a number of Arkansas towns are leading the way for education and workforce development by establishing "Promise Scholarships" - programs that guarantee college scholarships for students who meet minimum academic requirements.

Arkansas Community Foundation will host the ARKANSAS PROMISE CONFERENCE on November 3 to discover what it  takes to create a Promise Scholarship in your town - and to learn the nuts and bolts of building and managing a scholarship program from community leaders who are making it happen right now across our state.  REGISTRATION $25

Around the world, girls and women continue to suffer from a lack of economic opportunity, inadequate health care and education, early marriage, sexual violence, and discrimination. The good news is that empowering girls and women yields undeniable returns - for everyone in the community.  

CGI 2010 Plenary: Empowering Girls and Women

Carve out 48:39 minutes of our busy schedule to watch this plenary discussion from the CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE 2010: EMPOWERING WOMEN & GIRLS. 

Also watch: THE GIRL EFFECT: THE CLOCK IS TICKING - this video is only 3:05 and highlights the power of educating girls
.

WFA hosted Local Committee leaders in September for an orientation on utilizing the Girls of Promise Tool Kit  and today hosted our first all-committee conference call to begin gearing up for eight conferences in 2012!  Almost 100 women and several men from across our state are volunteering their time to make these conferences successful, educational & inspiring.

Interested in serving on a committee?  SIGN UP HERE.  Committees are active around Arkadelphia, Bentonville, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Magnolia, Monticello, Russellville, & Searcy.

Susan G. Komen fought breast cancer with her heart, body and soul. Throughout her diagnosis, treatments, and endless days in the hospital, she spent her time thinking of ways to make life better for other women battling breast cancer instead of worrying about her own situation. That concern for others continued even as Susan neared the end of her fight. Moved by Susan's compassion for others and committed to making a difference, Nancy G. Brinker promised her sister that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. 

That promise is now SUSAN G. KOMEN FOR THE CURE, the global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested more than $1.9 billion since inception in 1982. As the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, Komen works to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. 

One of the largest Komen races in the U.S., the 18th annual KOMEN ARKANSAS RACE FOR THE CURE will be Sat, Oct 22 beginning at 8:00 AM. 

Women's Foundation of Arkansas has a new BLOG by Executive Director Lynnette Watts:

"The Women's Foundation of Arkansas is involved in such rich and rewarding work.  The women with whom we meet and interact each day are incredible.  In my blog, I will share some of their stories and write about some of the issues that affect their lives on a daily basis.  From time to time, I'll invite guest bloggers to share their thoughts.  I will also be happy to share the many videos, reports, and articles I come across in my daily readings and research.  I look forward to and welcome a dialogue with each of you." 

VISIT our blog each Friday for updates!