For the last six years, the ONE WILPF Calls have been scheduled like clockwork on the second Thursday of every month, staring in June 2016. The calls have featured fantastic speakers from inside and outside WILPF.
Unfortunately, this month there will be NO One WILPF Call on Thurs., April 14.
Please see below about how you can help with the future of One WILPF Calls.
FYI -- All the calls are all archived (audio recordings in the early years, video recordings since 2021) on our webpage here.
ONE WILPF Calls offer access to experts on timely and topical issues, and just as importantly, they offer opportunities for branch and at-large members to meet, get to know one another and plan actions together across the US. They offer WILPF US a national voice and a way to truly be ONE WILPF.
The Call Team, made up of Anne Henny, Sandy Thacker, Marybeth Gardam, (initially) Michael Ippolito and (more recently) Nancy Price has achieved the remarkable goal of planning, facilitating, recording, posting the recording, and doing pre- and post-promotion of the calls… for 72 consecutive months, without missing more than two or three months in all that time! That’s an extraordinary amount of commitment and work, and WILPF members often let us know they are grateful for long hours of service, dedication and professionalism.
The Call Team has been aided in their work by the support of former WILPF US President Mary Hanson Harrison, current President Darien De Lu, the cooperation of our wonderful WILPF communications consultant Glenn Ruga, and technical support provided by (initially) Michael Ippolito and InterOccupy, and (more recently) WILPF technical support guru Ellen Thomas.
Many WILPF members note that One WILPF Calls help bring the membership closer and unite us in national solidarity – especially when these national organizing calls began, at a time of disarray within WILPF US. The Calls accomplished that unifying goal for a steady group of attendees plus additional allies who joined the calls sporadically when the speaker was of particular interest.
The Future of One WILPF Calls Is in Question!
There will be no call in April, and we are working to find alternatives for future ONE WILPF Calls.
Now that so many of the issue committees are doing their own webinars with guest speakers and trainings, some members may feel the Calls have run their course and are not as important as they were. Others feel abandoning the calls would be a mistake, and want to see them continue. But who will help with that, now that the volunteer team is changing?
In February, quite out of the blue, I experienced some concerning health problems. I felt it wise to step back from some of the work I’ve done for WILPF since 2004, including the ONE WILPF Calls. I’ll be continuing as the Women, Money & Democracy Issue Committee Chair and, for a time, as a member of the Development Committee.
At the same time, Anne Henny and Sandy Thacker were re-evaluating their own activist interests and decided that this ‘crossroads’ was a good place for them to step out of the call planning and facilitation.
WILPF is deeply grateful to the entire team for their work and commitment in their roles on the ONE WILPF Call Team.
If you would like to express an opinion, help on the calls or have suggestions to share, feel free to send an email to the team at: 1WILPFcalls@gmail.com. We’ll respond!
Here’s what YOU can do to help us plan for the future of these calls, at least from May through December 2022.
We’re inviting WILPF Members to:
- Volunteer to help plan and lead these organizing calls in the future!
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Contact us about your interest in a possible paid, part time internship (details to be decided).
- Pass along information about a possible part-time paid internship to students you know who have zoom technical expertise and some broadcast, webinar or podcast production experience.
For further details about the internship job description and hourly rate of compensation, contact personnel-committee@wilpfus.org. (It may take a while to get a response, but be patient. Our busy volunteers are working on it!)
Thank you for your support of our One WILPF Calls for the last six years.
Marybeth Gardam
The One WILPF Call Team
