Real Women, Real Voices: Recruiting for Women's Editorial Forum 2008 Leadership Class

Hello Real Women, Real Voices readers!

Read below to find out what we have been up to here at the national office and throughout the country. We have grown our organization and turned out an amazing number of op-eds. The topics of the pieces we sent out in 2007 varied from education, to the environment, to state tax reform. We have hired new staff and begun several new programs that have expanded the number and constituencies of people who are all working to put progressive issues into the forefront of the media.

New topics are always arising and we plan on continuing to work with media all over the country and cover even more issues in the upcoming year. Our chief focus for the coming weeks will be setting up an amazing National Women's Editorial Forum Training Institute for our 2008 class. If you have an recommendations for applicants, send them our way!

Read below to hear about NWEF's past successes training a new generation of women leaders in the media:

Major Accomplishments in 2007

American Forum published over 150 Op-eds, over 40 of them in newspapers with over 100,000 readers including the L.A. Times and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Forum articles reached, on average, more than 13.6 million households via print media and 24.9 million listeners and viewers via radio and television broadcast.
Usage of Forum articles has continued to grow with more than 70% of media outlets using many of the articles distributed by the Forum.
American Forum increased its creation and use of MP3 files which enabled the Forum to provide short guest editorials in the authors own voice to media outlets interested in encouraging citizens to speak up and out about issues of the day.
The National Women’s Editorial Forum Leadership Institute media trainings were held in June, September and December with over 100 participants
Executive Director Denice Zeck held op-ed trainings for organizations nationwide, reaching over 200 participants
The National Women’s Editorial Forum launched the blog Real Women, Real Voices, which provided exclusive coverage of issues such as the Alabama anti-choice protests, the ratio of females chosen to present questions at the YouTube presidential debate and the role of women and minorities in Imus’s return to radio.
American Forum was rewarded its own Channel on YouTube – only aprroved organizations were given nonprofit channels.

First Class of Leadership Training Institute Graduates, June 2007

What participants had to say about our first media training:

“I enjoyed the purpose behind this training. It was a very worthwhile experience to hear and see so many women being so engaged, to their issues, and their willingness to share with others. The presentations were very informative, each person knew her subject and presented in a way that was clear, not boring, and relevant.”

“This conference is one of the best I have attended for sometime. The trainers were wonderful, accessible, and open to share information…Thank you for the experience! I’ll treasure it for the rest of my life!”

“The most significant thing I gained was the introduction to a wonderful think tank of women with a great deal of knowledge and the willingness to share. It will provide me with everlasting resources that will empower me and my community. I liked the diversity!”