Upcoming Events
Free Job Training Classes
This event will take place on Thursday, May 21, 2009 from 6:00 pm-8:00 p.m., at the Jim Gilliam Park Recreation Center (4000 South La Brea, Los Angeles, CA). For more information, please contact the Commission at 213-978-0300.
Remembering Our Veterans & Our Veteran's families & Their Families, Past, Present: 12th Annual Veteran's Event
This event will take place on May 23, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Arcadia County Park (405 South Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006). No cost health screenings, immunizations, haircuts and manicures will be provided. Free Admission. For more information, please call (626) 967-1441 or (909) 394-2264.
Women's Health Annual Visit
This event will take place on May 29, 2009 from 7:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Hilton Pasadena (168 South Los Robles Avenue Pasadena CA 91101). The purpose of this event is to provide women's healthcare providers with the latest information regarding women's health issues. For more information, please visit www.omniaeducation.com.
Women’s Health Fair: Hosted by the Watt’s Healthcare Corporation
This event will take place on May 30, 2009, at the Watts Health Center (10300 Compton Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90002). No cost health screenings and presentations will be provided. For more information call (323) 568-3063 or email isela.lopez@wattshealth.org.
Job Opportunities
The Los Angeles Opportunities Industrialization Center (LA-OIC) Customer Service/Work Readiness Workshop
If you are a Los Angeles resident between the ages of 18 to 24, or you know a young girl who is, the LA-OIC is holding 40 hour Customer Service/Work Readiness Workshops. This workshop will help you get summer employment through training pertaining to the necessary skills that employers are looking for.
For more information, please call Jonae at (323) 754-3116.
The Hollywood Education and Literacy Project is looking for mentors/tutors: If you are interested in becoming a volunteer mentor, contact Amanda Collins to schedule a tour at (323) 463-2100, or visit www.helplearn.org for more information.
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The Spirit of Giving Supports Women in Underserved Communities: Dressing Women In Style For Work
By: Rayshell Chambers, Legislative Coordinator
 On May 8, 2009, the Los Angeles City Commission on the Status of Women, in conjunction with Councilmember Bill Rosendahl, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and Mar Vista Family Center hosted the Women’s Clothing Give-Away. The drive responded to the increased need to provide underserved women with business attire for job interviews. Over 140 fortunate women from the Mar Vista Gardens area had the opportunity to shop through thousands of donated designer suits and clothing, free of charge.
Across the city, women collectively united by donating thousands of business suits to underserved women. Popular brands such as BCBG, Armani, Express, Banana Republic and ElieTahari among others, were available for the women to choose from.
The goal of this drive was to aid in alleviating one of the many barriers underserved women must overcome to obtain employment: access to professional clothing for job interviews. Clothing drives have the ability to increase underserved women’s employment and job retention potential, ultimately contributing to their economic independence.
This event was a part of the Commission’s Women in the Workforce initiative, which aims to increase the number of women in the workforce through collaborations among city departments, labor unions and community-based organizations.
Smiles of joy filled the room as over 140 women from the Mar Vista area left the clothing drive with suits, slacks, and blazers. Armed with new attire, these women were hopeful in being one step closer to employment.
FREE Truck Driving Classes for Women
By: Rayshell Chambers, Legislative Coordinator
 Starting June 16 through July 16, the Commission in partnership with the Department of Transportation (DOT) will host Free Truck Driving Classes for women. Classes will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (including lunch break). This is a great opportunity to obtain a Class B license! In the private industry, driving classes can range from $1,500-$2,000. A Class B license enables the driver to operate vehicles weighing over 26,000 pounds (11,793 kg) in addition to any of the vehicles contained in Class C. Class B license also allows the holder to drive buses, farm labor vehicles, and any housecar or trailer over under 45 feet. Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to improve your marketability in the workforce. To sign-up or obtain more information, please contact Rayshell Chambers at (213) 978-0300 or via email at rayshell.chambers@lacity.org.
Please Note: All Are Welcome To Attend.
Wives of Dodgers Players and Dodgers Ambassadors Ride To Raise Money To Fight Cancer
By: Dodgers Staff
 ThinkCure!, the official charity of the Los Angeles Dodgers, will field a team in the Acura LA Bike Tour on Monday, May 25. Held in conjunction with the Los Angeles Marathon, the bike tour will bring 15,000 cyclists to the streets of Los Angeles. Some of the wives of Dodgers players, including Juliana Ramirez, wife of Manny Ramirez, Maggie Ethier, wife of Andre Ethier, Abbie Blake, wife of Casey Blake, and Tiffany Billingsley, wife of Chad Billingsley, are riding for ThinkCure!, Jodi Mientkiewicz, wife of Doug Mientkiewicz is supporting their team, and the Dodgers Ambassadors have also created a team.
The Dodgers are encouraging fans to take part in the tour to help raise funds for ThinkCure!, an innovative, Southern California-based non-profit organization that accelerates collaborative research to cure cancer for hospitals in our community such as City of Hope and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
Beginning at 5 a.m., thousands of fans will gather along the route to cheer on friends, family and colleagues as they ride. The course covers 22 miles of the marathon route, starting and ending at the USC campus.While professional cyclists are welcome and encouraged to participate, the ride is open to the entire community. Recreational riders should be able to complete the course in approximately two hours.
Team members will get an exclusive ThinkCure! LA Bike Tour t-shirt, access to benefits at local bike shops and area businesses, and access to the VIP tent at the USC Bike Tour Expo. They will have their registration fees waived in exchange for a commitment to raise at least $200 in donations. In addition, any team member able to raise $1,500 will receive an invitation to sit in a ThinkCure! suite at a Dodger game this season.
To view the complete article and to get more information on how to join the team to ride the LA Bike Tour for ThinkCure!, please visit http://www.thinkcure.org/.
Teen Dating Violence: Does California Make the Grade?
By: Maya Henderson, Policy Intern
 Break the Cycle, an organization geared towards empowering youth to end the cycle of teen dating violence, has released the 2009 State-by-State Teen Dating Violence Report Card. The state report card grades each state's laws on how well they protect teen victims of dating violence. Of the 50 states in the U.S., only 5 states received A’s, while 24 states failed to make a passing grade. California was among the 5 states to receive an "A."
The State of California received an "A" based on a myriad of protections granted to domestic violence victims in the State. These include qualifications to receive a Protective Order, such as relationship to abuser and the age of victim. Also included in the report is information on what protections are granted in a protective order, including the fact that it is a free service in the State of California.
According to Break the Cycle, the purpose of the annual report cards is to spark action among state legislatures throughout the country and encourage activism among our nation’s youth. It is essential that the needs of underage victims be specifically addressed within state domestic violence statutes. According to the report, one in three teens will experience some form of abuse in a dating relationship. Teens who suffer from abusive relationships exhibit increased rates of substance abuse, high-risk sexual behaviors, eating disorders and suicide.
To view the full report and learn more about teen dating violence issues, visit Break the Cycle at http://www.breakthecycle.org.
LAPD’s Efforts Solves 30-Year Old Rape And Murder Case
By: Taliah Raoof, Policy Intern
 The proactive efforts of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has lead to the re-opening of one of Los Angeles’ oldest and most notorious rape cases. Los Angeles "Southland Strangler,"John Floyd Thomas Jr., 72, suspected of over 30 serial killings and rapes between 1970 and 1980, was finally caught due to advancements in DNA technology.
The break in the case came as a result of a routine call to Thomas from a LAPD officer. As a registered sex offender, it is required by California state law to give a DNA sample to be included in the state’s database. Due to severe backlog issues, Thomas did not receive a request to provide a cheek swabbed sample until October 2008.
On March 27, 2009, LAPD was notified by the California Department of Justice that Thomas' DNA matched the rape kit evidence collected from Ethel Sokoloff, who was 68 when she was found severely beaten and strangled in her Los Angeles residence.
The backlog of rape kits within LAPD has been a longstanding issue. Past City Controller Laura Chick released a report in October 2008, which concluded that the LAPD had a backlog of approximately 6,862 rape kits. After the release of Chick's audit and the vocal outrage by public officials, citizens and advocacy groups, LAPD increased it's efforts to seek additional funding and personnel to alleviate the issue.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has also highlighted the issue and is committed to eliminating the backlog. According to the LAPD, it is predicted that the rape kit backlog may be cleared by 2010. Advocates and law enforcement continue to discuss further methods to clear the backlog and prevention of such crimes.
The break in the case provides hope that with advanced technology and increased efforts by law enforcement, victims of rape will soon receive their long overdue justice.
Legislative News: Obama's Budget Eliminates Abstinence-Only-Until Marriage Programs
By: Justin Ciecka, Law School Intern
 On May 11, 2009, President Obama released his first budget.The proposed fiscal year 2010 federal budget eliminates all funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Studies have shown that such programs have been failures in the past. Abstinence-only education programs have spent approximately $1.5 billion and contained many pieces of false or misleading information about condoms and contraceptives.
Now, Congress must approve the President’s recommendations. President Obama seeks to return to science-based policies and start funding comprehensive sex education. Obama’s approach to the issues facing young people’s sexual health should be considered a victory.
For more information, please visit www.advocatesforyouth.org.
New Website for Women Launched
By: Heather Bleemers, Policy Intern
 A new website has been launched by the California Center for Research on Women & Families (CCRWF).
The website offers an abundance of essential information on the following issues affecting women: Assets, Budgets, Child Care, Economic Security, Foster Care, Health Care, Housing, Nutrition, Summit Updates, and Workplace.
Please join us in congratulating CCRWF for launching a valuable website for individuals and organizations working on issues impacting women and children! Click below to reach their new website: http://www.ccrwf.org.
For more information on the California Commission on the Status of Women information, please visit www.women.ca.gov.
Honorable Mention
The Commission congratulates Hollywood NOW President Lindsey Horvath on her appointment to the West Hollywood City Council.
Legislative Update
 During the May Commission Meeting, the Board voted to recommend the following bills to the Mayor and City Council:
SB 197- Domestic violence proceedings: conditional examination
of witnesses
- S. 327- Improving Assistance to Domestic and Sexual Violence Victims Act of 2009
- S. 319- Community Health Workers Act of 2009
- SB 273- Definition change: Domestic Violence
- SB 782- Residential tenancies: Domestic Violence
- AB 1003- An act to amend Section 13823.17 of the Penal Code, relating to domestic violence
- AB 359-Breast and Cervical Cancer: Mammography: Reimbursement
- S.B. 50-Victims of sexual assault – payment of examination costs
- HR 1887- Presidential Commission on Women Act
H.R. 1691-Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2009
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