An historic, first-of-its-kind event, Expo ’96 for Women’s Empowerment will bring together feminists from every sector of society, showing the strength and depth of the feminist movement. Sponsored by the Feminist Majority Foundation and cosponsored by a growing list of 90 national and regional women’s organizations, Expo ’96 will be held at the Sheraton Washington Hotel in Washington, DC February 2-4."At Expo ’96 we want the nation to see the power of the feminist movement and its ideas, its vision, and the diversity of its work and constituencies," stressed Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority Foundation. "We intend to ignite the women’s movement on the fight to save affirmative action; to develop a feminist federal budget; and to plan for a massive feminist exposition in the year 2000."
Already, over 90 diverse women’s groups have co-sponsored the Expo, including YWCA of the USA, American Association of University Women, Coalition of Labor Union Women, National Organization for Women, Institute for Women’s Policy Research, National Political Congress of Black Women, Wider Opportunities for Women, Gray Panthers, and many university women’s studies programs and campus groups.
Expo ’96 will feature feminists from the media, academia, the law, politics, health care, business, education, public service, trade unions, advocacy, sports, entertainment, philanthropy and religion, strategizing together for the future and creating a feminist budget.
"We have seen the Senate Budget and the House Budget, but we have not seen a feminist budget," said Smeal. "We must not enter the 21st century watching women’s programs defunded, the military budget as bloated as ever, the interest on the debt ever-increasing, and our movement, speaking group by group on only a few budget items representing a very small percentage of federal expenditures."
A centerpiece of Expo ’96 will be an innovative, futuristic Exhibit Hall including:
Organizing for Feminism On-line The current wave of the feminist movement began with mimeograph machines, and now we can reach millions of women worldwide with action alerts instantaneously and simultaneously through the Internet. The exhibit will feature the latest technological communication advances for feminist organizing.
Feminist Architecture See how feminists are designing the modern world from buildings to communities to countries. This exhibit will feature winners of a national contest, "Visualize Our Feminist Future."
Exhibits from Women’s Organizations Groups will showcase their visions for the future of an issue, a program, or an idea in which the organization specializes.
Future Feminist Career Center A first-of-its-kind feminist job fair providing innovative approaches to finding a job, and a look at the many jobs the feminist movement has created and will create for the future.
Call (703) 522-2214 to receive a registration form.