Maine Women's Policy Center

March 30, 2010 - Over 100 legislators and advocates crowded the Senator Inn to hear from Lilly Ledbetter, the plaintiff in the employment discrimination case Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and the woman for whom the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is named. On the eve of Maine’s Equal Pay Day, the Maine Women’s Policy Center and the WAGE Project joined to celebrate the ongoing transformation of the American workplace through Lilly’s historic advocacy and to spotlight opportunities for further action. ( Download…)

Feb. 21, 2010 - On Sunday, a group of young women gathered outside of the Waterville Post Office to ship off their personal care products for testing at an environmental health lab. The young women have come together because of a shared concern around the safety of their everyday personal care products. Some toxins – commonplace in consumer goods – are linked to women’s reproductive health concerns such as early puberty, impaired fertility or infertility, ovarian and uterine abnormalities, and breast cancer. The European Union has banned over 1,000 ingredients from cosmetics, while the United States has only banned ten. ( Download…)

October 7, 2009 - The Maine Women’s Policy Center held the annual Breakfast of Champions at the Spectacular Event Center in Bangor on Wednesday, with remarks by a national expert on women in the economy. Participants in this year’s event, As Women Succeed, Maine Prospers: Women in Business and the Economy, discussed opportunities for increasing Maine women’s economic prosperity. ( Download…)

October 8, 2009 - The Maine Women’s Policy Center culminated the annual Breakfast of Champions event series at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland on Thursday, with remarks by two national experts on women in the economy. Participants in this year’s event, As Women Succeed, Maine Prospers: Women in Business and the Economy, discussed opportunities for increasing Maine women’s economic prosperity. ( Download…)

October 6, 2009 - The Maine Women’s Policy Center held the annual Breakfast of Champions at the Northern Maine Community College on Tuesday, in collaboration with area members of the AAUW and the Maine Centers for Women, Work and Community. Participants in this year’s event, As Women Succeed, Maine Prospers: Women in Business and the Economy, discussed opportunities for increasing Maine women’s economic prosperity. Keynote speaker Lisa Maatz, AAUW Director of Public Policy and Governmental Relations, emphasized the federal initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of women and girls... ( Download…)

March 19, 2009 - Today, girls were in the majority at the Maine State House. That's because the Maine Women's Policy Center's 13th Annual Girls' Day at the State House brought 100 girls from across Maine together with more than 60 volunteers, lobbyists, and legislators for a day of learning, leadership, and exploration. Held each year to commemorate Women's History Month, Girls' Day at the State House teaches girls about the legislative process and the important role women play in shaping public policy. ( Download…)

June 11 2008 - The Maine Women's Policy Center announced the appointment of Elyse Wilkinson to the Linda Smith Dyer Fellowship, a ten-week summer public interest law position. As the Linda Smith Dyer Fellow, Elyse is responsible for research and strategic development of the Maine Women's Policy Center public policy initiatives on such issues as equal pay, family caregiver discrimination, and paid family and medical leave insurance. ( Download…)

March 24, 2008 - Citing the impact of proposed budget cuts on women, a coalition of women's organizations and their members gathered Monday to build their leadership and advocacy skills and to press for a budget that reflects the needs of women and girls. Monday's "Women's Leadership Action Coalition Day at the State House" brought women to Augusta to learn how to influence the policymaking process and to press for a budget that puts the needs of women first instead of last. ( Download…)