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"The blaring of the alarm cut through what those days could be called a "deep sleep." My mind raced through a mental checklist, which made my heart race and my palms sweat. I wanted to stay in bed, pull the covers over my tear-stained face, and simply melt away into the mattress, escaping from all that lay ahead.  I was exhausted even before my feet hit the floor.   That phase of my life was deeply connected to the end of someone else’s, and a new, imposed identification had been added to my human resume: “caregiver.”
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Happy September! With fall weather starting to come back into full swing, so is another school year. However, this year might be the first time for many young women that they will not be going back to school and instead launching themselves into the full-time workforce. No matter what industry you are in, having an experienced mentor is not only helpful for the mentee but also for the mentor. Author Karen Gregory details the benefits of female-to-female mentorship, spotlights a local mentor, and highlights some current mentorship opportunities here in RI.
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This month's featured author is Lizbeth Guzman. Lizbeth's piece is part of her senior project on women's right to reproductive autonomy. "I want to educate women, preferably youth. I would like to inform them on current reproductive laws, how to practice safe sex, and where to go for further resources." Lizbeth also included an anonymous survey in her post to see how much readers know about their reproductive rights. No personal information will be recorded and there are no wrong answers: https://forms.gle/Xm3sURtxahSh6DAK9
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What makes a leader stand out in 2022?
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10 Actions to Break the Bias for Greater Gender Parity
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Rhode Island is a fantastically rich environment for women, working with the art world AND creating art.
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COVID caused a she-cession, where women have left the workforce in droves and many may not return. This post offers some reasons why and solutions to helping women come back to the workforce.
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I spent the last eight weeks working at Women’s Fund of Rhode Island (WFRI), learning about the hard work it takes to run an incredibly successful nonprofit organization. It requires interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and a proactive attitude. It also requires a belief in the power of systems change, a belief that guides WFRI’s social justice work. Their Women’s Policy Institute is a perfect example of this commitment. This nine-month professional development and mentoring program helps women develop and advocate for policies that advance gender equity in Rhode Island. I was so inspired by this program that I sat down with one of its facilitators, Paula Hodges, to learn more about it’s day-to-day operations and goals.
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In the past year, many women and girls experienced changes in their mental health and seeking support due to COVID-19. Isolation, along with fear and loss, has caused an increase in stress and anxiety among women. Unable to cope with the ongoing changes alone, many women sought help for mental health issues. In early November, Kathryn Power, the director of the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, said that there had been a 15 to 20 percent increase in calls from all demographics coming into their triage center.
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My time as an intern at Women’s Fund of Rhode Island has been full of learning experiences. Above all, I’ve learned the power and importance of volunteers. Between studying political science and attending a historically women’s college, I have always been passionate about gender equity. I was so excited to apply this passion to the incredible work WFRI does, and my internship has been even more engaging and educational than I anticipated. What I did not know when I started, though, is just how many and just how passionate Rhode Islanders are about gender equity too.
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