Greetings from the Florida Commission on the Status of Women! I am privileged to serve alongside very dedicated and accomplished women who are committed to improving the status of women in the great state of Florida. We are working on many programs, events and initiatives highlighted here in our newsletter but I wanted to touch on a few.

Recently, we were proud to stand with CFO Jeff Atwater to celebrate some great accomplishments in our state, including that Florida ranks #4 in the number of women owned businesses as well as 4^th highest in closing the wage disparity gap nationally. We were joined by the Associated Industries of Florida, The League of Women Voters of Florida, all of the Jr Leagues of Florida, and Working Women of Tampa Bay as we highlighted the Centre for Women of Tampa which is representative of many organizations statewide focused on bridging the gaps at critical times in women's lives to give them the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential.

We are very excited and honored to host the National Commission on the Status of Women's annual conference in Sarasota July 24-26^th and invite you to join us for this dynamic event. We are also pleased to announce a "Listening Tour" around the state to connect with organizations and leaders to hear from them on the issues affecting women in their area. Our annual report of these findings will be presented to legislators at our Women's Day at the Capital on March 11, 2015 and will propel solutions, collaborations and ultimately help create shifts on these issues. The Florida Women's Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held that day also and we hope you will mark your calendars to be a part of this historic event.

We are working on a brand new website and rebranding the Commission as well as updating our communications plan and hope you will enjoy the new look and are looking forward to you engaging with us through social media. As we continue to expand our programs, we also are excited to offer formalized partnerships with organizations that support our work and want to be aligned and stay connected on all of our initiatives. The details of all of these programs and plans are further explained throughout our newsletter, but I cannot contain my excitement about the many new ways we can engage, connect and create meaningful dialogues and action plans throughout the state.

Thank you for your support and enthusiasm for our work. My fellow commissioners and I are thankful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Florida and believe that the status of women affects the status of cities, counties and our state in such significant and varied ways. We welcome your feedback, ideas and input and hope you will reach out to find out more on any of our programs or the many ways you can be involved. 

by Commissioner Barbara Wall, NACW Convention Committee Chair
 

This is an exciting time for us on the Florida Commission on the Status of Women as we prepare to host the 44th Annual NACW Conference & Business Meeting. The dates of July 24 - 26 are fast approaching so don't forget to register and make your reservations at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Sarasota.

Waves of Change ~ Oceans of Opportunities promises to be interesting and motivating with a stellar line up of speakers. Sessions will include such topics as Strategic Planning, Women in Politics, Women's Health, Networking for Women and much more. Commissions throughout the country will share information on programs and events that were successful in their communities.

The Public Policy Committee is off to a great start. The Committee's mission is to encourage women from across the state to become educated about the legislative process and bills that are being considered that affect Florida's families.

We will be hosting our second annual  Florida Women's Day at the Capitol on March 24, 2015, so please mark your calendar. This is a day dedicated to informing and motivating women to engage in the legislative process. Attendees will gain a better understanding of the law-making process, and will given the tools needed to be leaders on policy changes impacting women. Hands-on training during the educational portion and will bring added value and education to the women in attendance. In addition, round table discussions are being planned with Legislators in conjunction with the fall public forums that will be help throughout the state this fall.

We hope to increase sponsorships and engage more women by reaching out to women's organizations across the state to partner with us in this important endeavor. If your organization is interested in joining us and supporting this event, please contact the Commission office at 850-414-3300.

The Committee  will also release the 2014 Summary of Florida Laws Affecting Women and Families this summer. This is an annual publication designed to encourage women from across the state to become educated about the legislative process and new laws that affect Florida's families.
 

We will continue to focus on plans to help Florida make an impact on women issues prior to the 2015 Florida Legislative Session.

by Commissioner Chloe Gentry, Public Outreach Commitee Chair

This year, the Public Outreach Committee is focused on developing more tools and opportunities to distribute information in support of the empowerment and success of women.We continue to look for opportunities to build partnerships with organizations around the state that provide programs focused on issues affecting women. We are developing a stronger presence online via social media, blogs and e-newsletter in order to reach more women and leaders in the state of Florida. We will be bringing people together at some wonderful conferences and events throughout the year such as the Annual Conference for the NACW, Women's Day in the Capital and a series of local events throughout Florida. We are excited about the impacts that we can make as a commission with a network of women and leaders who come together to communicate their goals, celebrate their successes and look for synergies in their work.

FCSW Assistant Director Michele Manning attended the17th Annual Rural Training Institute of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence on May 7 and 8, 2014, at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida. The conference entitled "Behind Closed Doors: Breaking the Silence in Rural Communities," brings together advocates and practitioners working to protect battered women and their children in rural communities. The conference addressed the systems' responses to domestic violence when the batterer and survivor no longer reside together however the abuse continues and/or escalates. Conference participants were afforded the opportunity to learn the latest information nationally and locally in domestic violence prevention. Participants learned from a wide array of inspiring and educational speakers designed to help domestic violence advocates, professionals and community member's work together to end violence.