Journal

Read our notes about the previous Conference & Celebration!

Preparing to Take a Stand

CARE President and CEO Helene D. Gayle opened the conference by commenting on how the current economic climate makes CARE supporters and the people supported by CARE more interconnected than ever before. ''With more people around the world being thrown into poverty,'' Gayle said, ''there is a greater need for our collective voice to advocate for the rights of world's poorest and most marginalized people.''

''You are part of a global movement,'' Gayle continued. ''So speak up, be heard and bring those voices to Washington.''

Eager to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill, conference participant spent the rest of the morning preparing for their meetings by attending workshops on three key legislative issues they would be asking their members of Congress to support:

  • President Obama's call to double the food security budget and support legislation that addresses global hunger and food security;
  • U.S. leadership in addressing climate change by passing legislation that makes immediate mandatory cuts in carbon emissions and provides robust funding to help the world's poor adapt to climate change; and
  • Passing of the ''International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act.''

 

Support for these measures is critical to reducing poverty and overcoming the immense obstacles faced by communities in the developing world.

After the morning's workshops, a luncheon plenary session featured a keynote address by Wolf Blitzer, anchor of CNN's ''The Situation Room.'' The veteran journalist shared his  observations from 30 years spent witnessing the shaping international policy.

''Continue doing what you're doing,'' Blitzer encouraged participants. ''To care is so important.''

Later in the afternoon, attendees participated in additional learning sessions to further hone their knowledge of CARE and key advocacy and development issues, such as:

  • The Obama Administration and the 111th Congress: A Changed Political Landscape;
  • Connecting the World's Women in the Fight against Global Poverty;
  • Voices from the Field: A Roundtable Discussion with Humanitarian Aid Workers; and
  • Delivering an Effective Message: Media Training for Today's Advocates.

 

Participants then regrouped with other constituents from their congressional districts to prepare for their meetings on Capitol Hill, rehearsing key talking points and participating in interactive role-playing exercises to enhance their advocacy skills. 

''You can see [the political process] on TV, but not really know how things really work,'' says Melissa Geathers, a participant from Connecticut. ''But it's a great feeling to know that you can go meet with [your representatives], tell them your ideas and what you want them to support on your behalf – and hope they do it.''

Celebration: Many Voices Making a Difference

After a full day of learning, it was time for some socializing and fun. Following dinner, participants gathered for a celebration, where keynote speaker, Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), rallied advocates for their visits on Capitol Hill and beyond, encouraging them that, ''the squeaky wheel does get the grease. After you visit the Hill tomorrow,'' she added, ''be certain to stay in touch with your members of Congress. Get others involved as well. It's that kind of pressure that moves us.''

Then CARE presented actor, social activist and philanthropist Richard Gere, who has been at the forefront of the fights for human rights and against HIV and AIDS, with our ''Humanitarian Award for Global Change.''

''There is a ‘we' here,'' Gere remarked. ''In the ‘we,' you can accomplish anything. In the ‘we' our hearts open up and compassion flows. Abilities, skills, commitment, compassion, partnerships – together, there's nothing we can't accomplish. It's an extraordinary gift we have to genuinely care. In that realm there are no boundaries.''

The 2009 ''I Am Powerful'' Award went to Arnulfa Romero Cruz, who provides women from remote parts of central Nicaragua with care, a place to stay – and a comforting smile – before they deliver their babies at a health unit. Romero Cruz was recognized for her hard work and endless dedication to improving her community, particularly through her leadership as a midwife and role model to young women. She learned midwifery from her grandmother at the age of 13 and has refined her skills through CARE's maternal health program in Nicaragua, which has empowered her to not only prepare women for motherhood, but also assist in the delivery of more than 1,000 healthy babies.

''Because of [CARE],'' Romero Cruz said, ''I have improved my knowledge as a midwife and learned to better assist pregnant women. My community feels very proud of this experience.''

With the ''Champion in Philanthropy'' Award, CARE recognized UPS's 15-year commitment to our mission.

''Let's face it,'' said Eduardo Martinez, director of philanthropy and corporate relations, UPS Foundation, ''women are the glue that holds families together. They nurture the young and the old. They feed the hungry. They are the heart and soul of every community in the world. To put it in business terms, women are a good investment. Equipped with the right resources, women really do change the world.''  

Gayle continued the sentiment, commenting that the conference's them, Many Voices, One Movement, ''underscores how critical it is that many voices – from a Nicaraguan midwife to a Hollywood movie star, from philanthropists in the nation's capital to leaders of major corporations around the world – come together to create a movement dedicated to building lasting solutions to poverty by empowering women.''

A benefit show immediately following the awards ceremony was emceed by Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist Tracey Neale and included performances by Step Afrika! and singer Michael Franti, a CARE Ambassador and conference attendee.

''At CARE we have this opportunity to show people why they should care through the stirring of emotions and the sharing of ideas,'' Franti told the crown. ''We have an opportunity to make people care and to make people believe that they can make a difference. We can enable people to get involved.''

Delivering the Message to Policymakers

Over breakfast the next morning, conference participants were inspired by the words of Gwen Ifill, managing editor and moderator of PBS's ''Washington Week'' and author of ''The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.''

''Whether it's breaking through on a personal, professional or cosmic level,'' Ifill said, breaking through means overcoming self doubt, ignoring nay-sayers and refusing to take no for an answer. It's what you do when you come to a conference like this and demand to be heard. … You wouldn't be here meeting with your members of Congress today if you didn't believe you can be heard. So if you think that full-spirited, full-throated public debate is what the founding fathers had in mind when they wrote the constitution, what a time we are living in at this moment and what a day you have ahead of you.''

After receiving additional tips on presenting an effective message and having a final opportunity to make preparations for their Congressional appointments, advocates grouped by state and district charged off to visit the offices of their elected representatives to discuss key issues with lawmakers and their staffs.

''Going up to Capitol Hill has this magical sense to it,'' said Anjali Kochar, who traveled from New York with her 7-year-old daughter to attend the conference. ''Once you step in there, something just comes over you. It's very empowering. One would think when you look at the buildings, you would feel intimidated. But there's something about walking into those buildings – this aura that fills you up and inflates you. And you think, ‘I can do this.'

''I think at their cores, legislators want to do the right thing. … If they have constituents who are making a lot of noise about an issue, that's the one they'll deal with. It means we're responsible for making that noise. We need to step up. We need to act up. And we need to say, ‘This is what I want, and you're there to represent me.' …. And it's not that difficult. You can call, you can e-mail and you can come and meet them. Because they are ordinary people too,'' Kochar said.

Tying it all Together

After their long day of Congressional visits, the CARE delegates joined in the historic Russell Caucus Room for a closing reception. Recounting the day's highlights, CARE supporter Peter Martin from New York said: ''This is my third conference and I'll keep coming back every year. I love the energy. I love coming together as a group. You really can feel that you're making a difference. It feels good to speak on behalf of people in developing countries who are making a dollar a day and worried about putting food on the table, and we have the luxury to be here for them. You feel that energy.''

Second-year conference attendees, Brian and Vanessa Friedman from Georgia, agreed. ''I run my own business,'' Brian said, ''and we had a business meeting scheduled for the same days as the CARE conference. I chose to come here instead, because I really believe that we are making a difference.''

During the wrap-up session, CARE's vice-president for policy and advocacy, JoDee Winterhof, announced that to an elated crowd that Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) had just introduced the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act– one of the key issues advocated by CARE supporters on the Hill earlier that day. ''Senator Durbin's office just told me that two of the bill's co-sponsors signed on directly because of your advocacy efforts today,'' Winterhof told the crowd.

''Why is the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act important?'' asked Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN), who introduced the House version of the bill. ''Because, if we can help give a girl the chance to go to school, we give that girl a chance to play. If we help give a girl a chance to find her role in her family and community, we build a stronger community. When we have stronger communities, we have stronger nations. When we have strong nations, they are more peaceful and that means a more peaceful world for all of us.''

Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) echoed Representative McCollum's sentiments, saying that CARE and its supporters ''are already demonstrating that [they] can turn the tide on AIDS, turn the tide on malaria, and … develop the infrastructure necessary for people to have healthy, safe water and other basic supplies. You can build on these in the future to be a vibrant economy, a vibrant country and a vibrant people.''

''As we learn in the Bible,'' Isakson continued, ''‘the least of these are the most important.' The most of us need to help the least of them, and see to it they can enjoy all the promise that you and I have enjoyed being citizens of the United States of America.''

By channeling their many voices into one movement, conference participants from around the country have shown that they can indeed make a difference and move us all closer to a world without poverty.