Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: This podcast is brought to you by MHA of Dutchess county and produced by CMJW Entertainment.
This episode of the Vital Women Podcast is proudly sponsored by Salt Boutique Labs.
You're listening to the Vital Women Podcast.
[00:00:17] Speaker B: So I am your host, Yvette O'. Sullivan. Today on the Vital Women, we're celebrating 60 years of progress with Kim Villanueva, president of the National Organization for Women. From grassroots organizer to national leader, Kim knows exactly what it takes to move a movement forward. We're diving into her personal journey and her philosophy of collaborative leadership. Kim, it's an honor to have you here today.
[00:00:38] Speaker C: Oh, well, thank you. I'm excited to be here as well. Looking forward to talking with you.
[00:00:42] Speaker B: Great. This. This is an honor I have advocated since I am a young lady. So to have you on the show today is very exciting for me because I've been doing different segments to honor Women History Month.
[00:00:54] Speaker C: Oh, wonderful. It's great to meet another sister in the struggle.
[00:00:57] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:00:57] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:00:58] Speaker B: So with that being said, Kim, you know, you've dedicated decades to advocacy. What was that spark or that moment that led you to want to be part of the NOW organization and to become the leader of the organization?
[00:01:12] Speaker C: Oh, so you're asking about what was the spark that turned into a fire? I guess. Yes.
[00:01:16] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:01:17] Speaker C: I guess for me, it started when I was 8, sort of like you, you know, being a young woman. I am the oldest of eight girls in a big Filipino Catholic family, and I rem volunteering when I was eight to be an altar girl. But my catechism teacher told me, you can't do that because only boys are allowed to be alter girls. And I said, well, why is that? And she said, because that's the way it is. So right then I thought, oh, that's not the way it should be. So after that, I've always felt I need to do something to change things. So that's what started me on my journey. And so when I. After I went to college and moved to Springfield, Illinois, I joined the local MAL chapter, and it just went from there. You know, I worked on women's issues ever since then.
[00:01:49] Speaker B: Terrific. It's so interesting how sometimes, you know, we have these experiences that light up that fire because I had something. When I was in junior high school, we had two choices to take home economics. Back then, it was. And I was placed in sewing, which I loved, because my grandmother, that's. That was her business, her background in sewing, but I wanted to take shop, and I went to my counselor and I said, I'm going to take shop. And she's like, you're not allowed to take shop. And I'm like, how come? She's like, because you're not a boy. But I pushed and pushed that eventually the following semester, I was allowed. And I remember creating this candle holder that I had for years, and then finally I got rid of it. But I think that's when my spark started, too, when I was in junior high school, that I'm like, this can't be. Why are we being placed in limited situations or in boxes?
[00:02:40] Speaker C: Right. Yeah, yeah. Why are they placing us in gender roles? We need to be more expansive and think outside the box.
[00:02:44] Speaker D: Yeah, absolutely. I just want to speak to the Catholicism thing there for a second.
You know, I was an altar boy and a sacristan myself, and it was very interesting, you know, growing up in Catholic school, church, and all that.
Sure, you had the priest and some guys in some powerful roles, but we had some very powerful women. Like, Mrs. Daly was the one who was really in charge of the church, and we had a women principal there for a while, and many women teachers is like, screw the whole misogyny there. Our parish would not have run without women. So I. I was lucky to have that kind of experience growing up. At least by the time I was growing up, definitely some change in the recognition had, you know, come to fruition to some degree.
[00:03:28] Speaker C: Right. Yeah. My mom did end up becoming a eucharistic minister. Really?
[00:03:31] Speaker D: That's awesome.
[00:03:31] Speaker C: Yeah, awesome.
[00:03:32] Speaker B: That's a great segue to how does the mission of NOW today support women that are trying to navigate significant life transitions like those in our audience that are pivoting, whether it is from a career or embracing new creative passions like myself?
[00:03:49] Speaker C: Well, now's mission is really to make sure that women have the support they need, you know, in whatever area of life or whatever field they choose. You know, NOW has six main areas that we focus on. Constitutional equality and voting rights, economic equity, reproductive justice, ending violence against women, racial justice, and supporting rights for LGBTQIA people. So that means that, you know, we're fighting for pay equity, we're fighting for childcare, we're fighting against misogyny and online hate against women. So we just want to make sure that people feel that women's experience is valued and that we are here for you every step of the way, and we've done that for 60 years.
[00:04:22] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you so much for that clarification. Yes, it's important that women have a voice because we are the backbone of so many different industries. Or even how our families function. So thank you for you being the leader in that voice of the organization. So with that being said, I know your leading style, which I love, and it's very interesting, is we, not Me.
So for listeners who are leading families and businesses and their neighborhoods, and they may want to start some kind of movement, how do we shift from being small and maybe forming a more collaborative community and getting that support?
[00:05:01] Speaker C: Well, I think some of that we not me stems from being the oldest of five girls. You know, you know, you're the leader, but yet you have to make sure all the other kids, other sisters are coming along too. So you'll notice if we go someplace, I'm always the last one to leave because I have to make sure everybody else is taken care of. Part of being a leader is also being a listener. And, you know, you don't. If you don't have any. If you don't listen to your followers, you're not going to have any followers. So I try to hear out what people are thinking, you know, what their concerns are. I also try not to call people out. I'm more in terms of calling people in and making sure people feel included because people don't want to belong or affiliate with something if they don't feel that they're welcomed. And so in terms of now, now is a national organization, but we really embrace and focus on our local chapters because that's really where the work is being done in the communities.
So we know that everything, you know, act locally, think globally, and so that's sort of embraces the concept of we, not me as well.
[00:05:48] Speaker D: How many local chapters do you guys have?
[00:05:50] Speaker C: Oh, about 450.
[00:05:52] Speaker D: Wow. All around significant.
[00:05:53] Speaker C: Yeah. And we're starting more all the time, and we have them all the way from. In fact, I'm going to Appleton, Wisconsin next week to visit with one of our newest chapters. You know, Riverside, California, Florida. As I said, I'm from Spreafeld, Illinois. We just started a new chapter in Maine. So, I mean, any place you look, there'll be an out chapter.
[00:06:08] Speaker B: Do you have a chapter in New York?
[00:06:10] Speaker C: Yes, New York City.
[00:06:11] Speaker B: New York City. Wonderful. And where in Florida? Because I spend a lot of time in Florida as well.
[00:06:16] Speaker C: Oh, gosh, there's five or six chapters. I know Jacksonville is extremely active. Tampa actually has two chapters because they're so active. We're trying to restart the chapter in Miami, and then there's some along the Lee County. You know, I can send you the list of Florida chapters if you'd like.
[00:06:31] Speaker D: We should get some chapters up here in more of the Hudson Valley and upstate New York. Besides just the city.
[00:06:35] Speaker C: There is central New York.
[00:06:36] Speaker D: There is, yeah. Good. Central New York. Fantastic.
[00:06:38] Speaker C: Right? Yeah. Seneca Falls, of course.
And I've been to the Rochester chapter as well.
[00:06:44] Speaker D: Fantastic.
[00:06:44] Speaker B: Terrific.
[00:06:45] Speaker D: Lovely to hear.
[00:06:46] Speaker B: So I see the 60 year logo in the back. And it's fascinating that the organization has been established since 1966. So what is a win for women that you feel has impacted women today since the organization started?
[00:07:04] Speaker C: You know, it's good to be thinking about wins because right now it feels like there's so many losses for women. But I think maybe the most impactful or one of them would be when women were able to gain financial autonomy through the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Because, you know, it's really weird to think that there was a time when women had to have their husband's or father's signature to get a credit card or open a bank account. I mean, I don't know if my dad would sign something like that when I was little. But you know, when that happened, that really changed women's lives because they could rent an apartment on their own, they could get a credit card or they get a mortgage. So those things really helped women achieve economic independence, which is great.
[00:07:38] Speaker B: You know, I, I never knew that until my mother in law started to share with me what she had to do to start a business.
She had to, she had divorced my father in law and she had to approach her brother in law to co sign for her because they wouldn't allow her to start a business in the 1970s. And I would have never had known that because that's not something we learn in the history books how women were not allowed to have credit cards.
[00:08:02] Speaker D: I mean, it was still that recent
[00:08:03] Speaker B: in 1970, when my mother in law was trying to start her business, she couldn't approach a bank on her own.
[00:08:10] Speaker D: Wow. I didn't realize how recent that was.
[00:08:12] Speaker B: Yes, and that's the amazing part, because that much time has not gone by. You think that is something that happened, I don't know, 1930 or something.
[00:08:20] Speaker C: 1800s. Right. Yeah. Even still, the progress we've made.
And it's interesting too because you talk about women are now CEOs are on boards, but yet at one time they weren't considered. You know, people didn't feel that they were able to get their own credit or manage their money. And you know, women manage family budgets all the time.
[00:08:34] Speaker B: Absolutely, absolutely. So it's interesting how they were able to do that. In private, but not out in the community.
[00:08:40] Speaker C: Right.
[00:08:42] Speaker B: So with the big anniversary conference coming up in June, what are your most excited areas to celebrate with generations of today?
[00:08:51] Speaker C: Oh, well, I think the fact that it has an intergenerational component. You know, we're asking longtime members to come and share their experiences, but we're also trying to encourage young feminists to come. We have some. We're setting up some scholarships so that young feminists can attend or even first time. If you've never come to a NOW conference, you know, we have a scholarship for you to help pay for your way. So that way people who've been in the movement for a long time can share their experiences with people who are new to the movement.
Sharing ideas is always so important.
[00:09:14] Speaker B: With the conference happening so soon in June, do you still have that open application for the scholarship?
[00:09:19] Speaker C: Yes, yes, we do. Yeah. If you go on our website and look at our conference page, there'll be a link you can download.
[00:09:25] Speaker B: Oh, terrific. Thank you.
[00:09:26] Speaker C: Thank you for that.
[00:09:27] Speaker B: So how are you bridging the gap from the founding mothers with the young activists of today?
[00:09:34] Speaker C: Well, one thing we're doing is we're actually finding multi generational families that have been in NOW for a long time. I was on a call earlier today with a grandmother who is a state president right now. Her daughter's a NOW member and ran for mayor in her town and her granddaughter is 13 and was just elected secretary of the local chapter.
[00:09:51] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:09:51] Speaker C: I know. So you have that bridging of the generations, which is something we really encourage because passing down the institutional knowledge of now and when women's movement is so important and it just shows that, you know, by learning from the past, hopefully we can improve the future.
[00:10:03] Speaker B: Absolutely. Good for that young lady that she has found, you know, that that sparked that fire in her at. At her age to.
To be involved.
[00:10:12] Speaker C: Right. Well, that's because her grandmother and her mother are encouraging her, which is wonderful,
[00:10:16] Speaker B: wonderful leadership and role models for her. Yes, absolutely. The advocacy and leadership can really exhaust a person and it can be draining. So what do you do personally to maintain that vitality? What is your secret of staying energized and avoiding burnt out and just staying so connected with your. Your passion?
[00:10:37] Speaker C: Oh, well, I think hearing the stories from our local chapters or talking with our local activists really energizes me because, you know, when I hear that they're doing good things, that that makes me so proud of what they're doing. And just also personally, you know, if it's been a long day at the office, I will, I'll just walk home and it takes about 30 minutes. And that just clears my head. And I can, you know, seeing nature, I know, say that flowers are starting to bud on the trees. So it's just that, you know, being able to be mindful of what's happening but yet, you know, staying focused on self care.
[00:11:03] Speaker B: That's great. I'm glad that you are focused with self care and regrounding yourself before you head home and take on other responsibilities.
Because our responsibilities as women never end.
[00:11:13] Speaker C: That's right. It's 24 7.
[00:11:15] Speaker B: It's 24 7.
[00:11:17] Speaker D: With that being said, if you don't mind, you said hearing the stories of people keeps you revitalized.
Is there a story or maybe a couple of stories that stay with you that you might be able to share with us now?
[00:11:29] Speaker C: Oh, sure. Well, I think I just shared the story about the Storbeck family that, you know, has three generations of activists. And there's another story of a former state president of Illinois who's I think, still in her 30s, but her mother was also a state president in Indiana. And when the mother was young, she went to an ERA rally and that's when she was pregnant with Michelle. So, you know, literally going to your first rally when you're, you know, you're still, you're not having a porn yet,
[00:11:53] Speaker A: that's pretty literally in the womb.
[00:11:54] Speaker D: Amazing, right?
[00:11:55] Speaker C: But I, you know, also like to hear stories of people, how they've met, you know, lifelong friends, you know, working, doing now events together, or, you know, just the bonding that occurs? I mean, I've made a lot of friends over the years that I've known for 40 years just by, you know, going to now meetings, going to rallies, working on campaigns together, you know, collecting petitions.
[00:12:12] Speaker B: What is one campaign that you can tell us about that perhaps the women are working on or organizing? What is their latest voice that they want to bring attention?
[00:12:23] Speaker C: Well, there's several issues that we're working on right now. You know, obviously right now we're working against the SAVE act, which is a federal legislation that would disempower women and, and basically, you know, make it very hard for women to vote.
It would require people to produce documents showing that they are citizens. You know, whether it's through and some of the documents people don't have. People, most people don't have a passport or their original birth certificate. You know, if you're, if you're a woman and you can marry, divorced, widowed, you probably don't have the same name you do on your birth certificate. So that would be disenfranchising. You know, another issue we're also working on is violence against women, and not only physical violence, but the online violence that people, that especially women, are experiencing when you go on to social media. So we recently did a study and found that I think one out of four women have experienced digital harassment online.
So, I mean, you know, that makes you afraid to go on Facebook because you don't know if somebody's going to, you know, make fun of you or send you a nasty gram or something. So it's, you know, we're trying to improve that environment.
[00:13:18] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you for. It's important for people to feel safe, women in particular, no matter what avenue they are trying to venture in, to maintain that confidence that women as yourself and the women before us have been working on.
For a woman who wants to get involved but feels overwhelmed by the state of the world, what is one simple thing she can do today to advocate for herself or others?
[00:13:46] Speaker C: I think. Well, one simple thing I would think of is join. Now, if you become a member, you're part of a huge feminist community, you know, huge community of sisters who are there for you and willing to help you. You know, and if you join, you not only are member, but you get our email so you can learn what issues are important and learn how to take action. You know, whether it's sending an email to your senator or learning about a local rally that's going on. And, you know, just because a rally's going on, that doesn't mean you have to go to it. You can be one who helps make signs. You know, you make signs the night before or you can drive somebody there. You know, there's all sorts of ways to help.
[00:14:17] Speaker B: Those are great ways to stay involved. And what are the requirements to become a member?
[00:14:21] Speaker C: Oh, well, the only requirement is that we do require dues, but we have a sliding scale so you can join for as little as $10.
[00:14:27] Speaker B: Oh, that makes it very affordable for a woman that wants to get involved to be able to join.
Thank you. Thank you. So, as we look towards the future, what is your biggest hope for the next generation, for the next generation of vital women?
That's what I support and absolutely.
[00:14:45] Speaker C: Well, I think, you know, when I think ahead in terms of the future, first of all, I know we're all wearing this for the long haul. You know, we're not going to solve all the issues today or tomorrow because we haven't solved them, you know, yesterday or the day before. But I think of my niece. My niece is 9 years old, and I want her to have the best future she can have, you know? You know, it's sad to think that right now she's heavy. Her rights are being shipped away, you know, So I want. Now that she's 9, I want. When she's 19 or 29 or 69, I want her to feel that she has achieved all she can and that all the barriers that she might face, you know, we can help erase them for her.
[00:15:14] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you for providing that hope for us to continue to voice our opinions and work hard. That way future females can have that opportunity.
[00:15:25] Speaker C: Right. I think it's important to have hope. You know that.
[00:15:28] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:15:28] Speaker C: That helps us move forward, because, you know, our motto for the 60th anniversary is 60 years of resistance. We won't go back. So that means that we're always moving forward, and you have to move forward if you want to make changes.
[00:15:37] Speaker B: Absolutely. We've come far enough. We don't want to go backwards.
[00:15:40] Speaker C: Right.
[00:15:42] Speaker B: So with that being said, what is the best piece of advice a woman from the founding generation has ever given you?
[00:15:49] Speaker C: Oh, well, there's. I think Patricia Ireland was one of the past presidents of now, and she used to say that if you can't take the heat, you can't make the change. So I think that just tells me that you have to be willing to put up with some guff and some, you know, trouble in order to make good trouble.
So that's something I try to keep in mind.
[00:16:06] Speaker D: Make good trouble.
[00:16:07] Speaker A: I like that.
[00:16:08] Speaker D: Right there.
[00:16:10] Speaker A: Very good.
[00:16:12] Speaker B: So if you've had to describe the vibe of the upcoming 60th anniversary and the celebration in one word, what would that be?
[00:16:19] Speaker C: Oh, resistance.
I mean, that's our theme, and I think that's sort of our vibe. Like, say we're ready to resist. We are resisting.
[00:16:27] Speaker B: That's a good description. Yes, we are resisting.
We have come a long way, and I know it's not easy sometimes for women to take the reign and stay strong, stay focused, but we need to continue to resist.
[00:16:39] Speaker C: Right. And I think that's why it's so helpful to have podcasts like yours, so that we can all join together and share in our victories and boost each other up when we need to.
[00:16:46] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you so much. Yes. It's important that we support each other. Women supporting women. It's a big thing lately.
And not. Not just for March. Not just for March. But just so that we can continue to have a strong future.
[00:16:59] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:17:00] Speaker D: Yeah. Actually, if you don't mind me asking? We've been talking about the legacy here with 60 years, but I find it very interesting that you're celebrating 60 years also on America's 250th anniversary. And that's a beautiful thing that comes with a lot of highs and lows throughout that history as well. And you can't have the 60 years of resistance without the 250 years of America at the same time. The good, the bad, and the ugly. So putting that side by side and having those two celebrations at once, what do you hope that people can get out of that, having both celebrations all together?
[00:17:37] Speaker C: Well, I think one thing to remember that women are a vital part of the country. You know, even though we aren't in the Constitution, because the Equal Rights Amendment is not considered the 28th amendment yet, we still were part of the framing of the country.
Abigail Adams said, remember the ladies, you know, she. That's what she told her husband when they were drafting the Constitution. So we just need to keep in mind that women are a vital part of American history. And despite current attempts to erase us by, you know, the highest level of government, we're here. We're staying here.
[00:18:04] Speaker D: And that's why I'm so happy that you're out here telling these stories, because it's through the word of mouth. That's the thing. You might be able to rewrite text, you might be able to change code, but it's through, you know, through generations of word of mouth. That's how stories have been told, and that's how we can do it today, whether it's through podcasting, whether it's through going to these rallies and these speeches. I think that's beautiful. So thank you for the legacy that you're leaving here that I'll throw it back to you. But I was just curious about that, thinking about the 250th anniversary at the same time.
[00:18:30] Speaker C: Of course.
[00:18:30] Speaker B: Yes, it's very important.
So with what Connor said, in the work that you're doing, what is the seed or that you're trying to plant that legacy, but what is that particular seed that you're trying to plant for our future?
[00:18:45] Speaker C: I would think that people should keep in mind that you can make a difference. Even you're just one person in your local community. Just by standing up or speaking out or making that phone call, you can make a difference.
And you know you can do it. It's by is through now, the joining, coming to our rallies, signing our petitions. You know, everybody can help it whatever way you can.
[00:19:06] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:19:06] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:19:06] Speaker B: Yes. And. And that's a message very important for our audience. And thank you, Kim, for joining this historic movement for the last 60 years that have taken place. And the show is coming to a closing.
So in today's episode, you shared so many important fires and spark. Do you want to leave with a call of action for our audience, for women? What do you want to share that you feel is most important for us to continue to carry this movement?
[00:19:36] Speaker C: There's a song that was very popular during the ERA campaign and the ending lyrics are, we will never give up, we will never give in until justice is ours.
That's a saying I actually have in front of me on my computer. And until justice is ours is my sign off on the email. So I just want people to remember we have to keep working, we have to keep moving forward until justice is ours.
[00:19:55] Speaker B: Thank you for those powerful words. I hope that you have a wonderful time in your conference. I'm going to look to see if I can join and to attend because I would love to be part of the movement and have this experience.
[00:20:06] Speaker C: Wonderful. But you're already part of the movement, so I'm glad we can share this.
[00:20:10] Speaker A: This podcast is brought to you by MHA of Dutchess county and produced by CMJW Entertainment. This episode of the Vital Women Podcast is proudly sponsored by Salt Boutique Lab.
