At the Miami-Dade Commission on Women meeting on Wednesday evening, it was pointed out that those ladies are looking for a face-to-face meeting with you, Mayor Alvarez, and have been for at least SIX weeks but the volunteers that represent the largest constituency in the county can’t get past your 29th floor gate-keepers. This is the second case I reported on of you avoiding a sticky situation.Since you won't see the women looking for you, expect fellow mayor, the Mayor of Pinecrest, Cindy Lerner. Also expect a visit from Former Rep. Elaine Bloom (pictured). Why?
The women want an opportunity to meet with you because the Miami-Dade County Commission for Women is slated to lose its director (and only staff) in your budget cuts December 6th. Laura Morilla is going, along with the one staffer from Asian Affairs committee, one from Black Affairs Committee and even a program manager from the Community Relations Board.
Better known in previous years as the Commission on the Status of Women, the commission was founded by feminist leader Roxcy Bolton and created by the Board of County Commissioners in 1971. Ms. Elaine Bloom was their first President.
As Representative Bloom pointed out at the meeting last night, the County Manager appointee in 1971 was put there to spy and basically slow down the Commission from moving forward to better women’s circumstances in Dade County. Her comments indicate that in the past 30 years not much has changed in the relationship between the commission and county executive staff.
The membership of the Commission for Women reflects the diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds represented in Miami-Dade County. The Commission for Women monitors, among other things, the condition of women as related to discrimination, employment, education, and attitudes toward women in the community.
In fact, a recent study by The Woman’s Fund and FIU shows that over half of working women in Miami Dade County do not earn adequate income to cover their bare necessities. Under the realistic Family Economic Self Sufficiency calculations 86% of single female headed families live below self-sufficiency and only 46.4% of all women who work earn enough to be self-sufficient. For many women, working two or three jobs doesn’t even provide enough wages to cover food, health care as well as child care and housing. Mr. Mayor, are you really allowing the voice that supports those women with hope and encouragement to be silenced?
In addition to being an advisory board and advocates for women in the community, the commission also serves as a source of referrals and information for women who call with different problems and issues. Each year they create a comprehensive directory of woman-based resources that is needed and used by agencies and individuals county-wide to secure life-stabilizing assistance for women and families.
Mr. Mayor, give these women a break. Call off the gate-keepers. Meet with them.
Please understand that these volunteers need their staff person to keep on serving your constituents with the professionalism that they have afforded for 30 years. They provide cost effective services to the county in dire times. Show them the respect they deserve.
17 comments:
attitudes toward women in the community
ah yes. This really reflects much about the Mayor's attitude toward women!
So do we have a commission for men?
you can find the Mayor at Planet Fitness across from FIU on a regular basis...you must catch him to meet unexpectedly!!
So dear, Do YOU need one? Why don't get a meeting with the mayor?
Carlos Alvarez is refusing to meet with the women because he is afraid someone will ask him why he demanded $3 Bil in taxpayer dollars be diverted to the Marlins. He is afraid someone will ask him why he refuses to invest in the tourism industry.
I don't know at what point in our history we started electing people who do not want to meet with constituents. When Ferre was Mayor he met with anyone who was breathing who wanted to talk. You got yes, no, maybe, or lets see as answers to your request. Now while these people want the titles, they are unwilling to take the load and the responsibilities that come with the job. So they hide and act like cowards instead of responsible leaders. If the answer is no, give people the courtesy of a meeting, give them some coffee, make them feel good, and tell them no.
It seems to me there ought be plenty of work needed on women's issues. With women being murdered everyday in domestic violence cases, dealing with this issue alone should take up much of the time of one staffer. A whole lot of things need to happen here on the domestic violence front, as we are in a crisis situation on this issue. Police Departments need help in early detection and they need training; hospital emergency room workers need training and some reporting mechanism; the court system needs to be looked at; we need to review the domestic violence laws at the state level; we need to coordinate with domestic violence service providers; we need a community media program; we need to study the data and do some research; we need some grants written up, in short, we need a coordinative arm to pull the people, organizations, services, laws, rules, and whatever else together to help stop these deaths.
Maybe they think it is just a bunch of "feel good" women, having tea and talking and meeting among themselves. Well, put a well-thought-out work program on the table with work products, deliverables and timetables, and see what happens.
The Commission for women is a very, very professional group of women who are EXTREMELY interested in the status of womens lives. The Mayor has a staff who know very well what this group is and what they they do.... The four positions for the four community agencies ARE housed in the county managers office.
Mr. Managermayor probably needed to cut staff on their books and they couldn't hide any more of them elsewhere in other departments. So, they went for removing those folks that were not personal staff.
Quite frankly, I don't know what they do. That may be a part of the problem. . .
Is that you, Mr Managermayor?
May be you should let the women come visit you!!! Then you would know!
http://www.miamidade.gov/cfw/history.asp -- History
http://www.miamidade.gov/cfw/accomplishments.asp --some accomplishments
Show proof of what the groups have done the past 30 years.
NOTHING - Get rid of them all.
Anonymous:
If you are so sure they haven't done anything, why don't you call and meet with the directors of the various groups? Of course, you better do it soon.
On the other hand, it is obvious that you are not a person who has ever needed advocacy. I would say that you are beyond asking anyone for support and/or advice. You sound angry and bitter.
If you are blessed not to need advocacy, count yourself lucky and don't deny the services to others. Being kind in life is a good thing to be.
I guess what people are saying here is that it is not enough to advocate on behalf of those with legitimate issues, but they actually want some work done on these problems.
One of the few things Roxcy Bolton did well before she went absolutely batshit insane.
The county government probably drove Roxcy nuts... if she is ....
And I think this Woman's Commission does do more good, than say,,, hmmmmm,,, certain CDC's in the county and they cost a whole bunch less.
In fact, Mr. Managermayor and the county commissioners could retire their little coffee ladies (who make more than 24k, even maybe 34K) and keep on the project managers (directors).
Of course, they may not make coffee as well as the little coffee ladies, but then, the directors know how to work for the community outside the 111 building.
Miami-Dade County has far too many useless employees and dubious chiefs.
Laura is NOT a useless chief.
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