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On Monday March 18th the City of Midland will proclaim April 2nd as Equal Pay Day in Midland during the council meeting. We'd like to invite club members to attend in support of the proclamation. The meeting begins at 7 pm and is held in the Council Chambers in City Hall.
 Women are still stuck at the level of the 20% Gender Wage Gap. April 2, 2019 is the US Date for recognizing this dismal gap. AAUW Midland MI Branch and Zonta Club of Midland are continuing to try to bring this gap to the attention of their members. As part of our advocacy for Equal Pay, we are sending our members a link for the free course, Work Smart (https://salary.aauw.org).
Work Smart is a free AAUW online course that teaches all women who are in the workforce or returning to the workforce how to negotiate salary and benefits. It gives information on women’s salary statistics, why they are at a 20% gender gap, and information helping women to negotiate to close the gap. The course provides information on where to research salaries for specific jobs in specific locations, suggestions on how to conduct the salary negotiations and practice sessions for the negotiations. We are asking our members to try the workshop and send it on to 5 more women regardless of their work status. Even those not working will know working women who could benefit from this course. All women young and old can profit from the knowledge in this course. Judy Donahue, Midland AAUW Public Policy Co-chair Rachelle Ferman, Zonta Club of Midland Advocacy Chair  Rachelle Ferman with Zonta Club of Midland and her daughter Hannah. Source Catalyst Midland The showing of Little Stones at Northwood University on November 6th was well attended by a mix of students and community members. The editor of Catalyst Midland was in attendance and followed up with Advocacy Chair Rachelle Ferman to learn more about Midland organizations advocating for the eradication of violence against women.
 Northwood Griswold Auditorium
Tuesday Nov. 6th, 6:30 pm Little Stones: A Feature Documentary on Art & Women's Empowerment will be presented by the Zonta Club of Midland. Free Admission. Join us to see the new documentary LITTLE STONES, which follows four women who are using art - fashion, graffiti, hip-hop and dance - to empower women and girls in India, Brazil, Senegal, Kenya, and around the world. This documentary by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Sophia Kruz has been making waves on the festival circuit, winning Best Documentary at the Vail Film Festival, and Best Foreign Documentary at the Female Eye Film Festival. Watch the trailer at the link below! https://vimeo.com/187500137INSTAGRAM Co-sponsored by the Zonta Club of Midland, the Golden Z Club of Northwood University and MidMichigan MAP.  Advocacy is encouraging all Zontians, family, and friends to walk with us during the Santa Parade in Saturday, November 17th to raise awareness in Zonta’s 16 Days of activism Zonta Days No to Violence Against Women. We would love to see you all there! Many other events are in the making to raise awareness throughout our community.
 Look for the Equal Pay Day billboard on Route 10!  March Dinner Meeting Judy Donahue from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will present Equal Pay issues and activities during the March dinner meeting on the 20th. The AAUW of Michigan along with Zonta International District 15 and many other area organizations are members of the Michigan Equal Pay Coalition that organizes the annual Equal Pay Day Rally in Lansing to support legislative efforts towards equal pay. Equal Pay Day Rally April 10th Join fellow Zontians at an Equal Pay Day rally on Tuesday, April 10th. This is a full day event. Zontians can register with the link below and pay $15. Our club members will be reimbursed the $15 from Advocacy committee funds after they attend the rally. Registration begins at 8:30 am and we'll finish up around 3:30 pm. If we have enough people going, we will be looking into carpooling and/or a small bus of sorts to all ride together. We would love as many people to attend as possible! Please wear red!! Local Equal Pay Day Activities
Biggby Coffee and Grounds Coffee will be participating on April 10th and all women will receive 20% off their beverage that day.  The Midland Community Orchestra, under the direction of Gina Provenzano, presented a winter concert on Sunday, March 11 in the Bullock Creek Auditorium. The program featured music by female composers Amy Beach and Linda Robbins Coleman.
Before and after the concert Zonta along with Sigma Alpha Iota, a woman’s music fraternity, AAUW (American Association of University Women), Girl Scouts, PEO International (Philanthropic Education Organization), and League of Women Voters provided displays and information in the lobby promoting their activities. Zonta members Lisa Hulbert, Maureen Acker and Julie Dopp shared information on our service and advocacy programs and club membership. Advocacy is ordering Zonta logo'ed apparel - each will have the Zonta Z logo embroidered on the upper left chest. New Zonta members that have not purchased a shirt or pullover previously will have $20 paid towards their order by the club.
Sample sizes will be available at the February meetings - orders will be submitted on February 23rd. Click Here for Fit Guide. If you have questions please contact Julie 989 948-8198 or [email protected]. Please complete and submit the order form below or contact Julie to order.  The Zonta Club of Midland supports the Midland Human Trafficking Task Force and provided funding for Andrea Foster to attend a two-day training program on human trafficking. Andrea is a member of the Midland HTTF and provides training on the topic to area schools and organizations. During the January social meeting Andrea and Sandra Eagle, Probation Officer and task force member, provided a synopsis of the group’s activities and the status of human trafficking in Mid-Michigan.
Human trafficking can come in many forms including sexual exploitation, slavery or involuntary servitude. Trafficking statistics are not well known, and often victims do not recognize that they are victims at all. Trafficking can occur anywhere, even in Midland. The goal of the Midland HTTF is to create a safe community free of human trafficking through community awareness, education and community protocol. This all volunteer organization works closely with law enforcement, educators, medical professionals and others to raise awareness, educate on signs to look for and establish a response protocol to help victims locally. As part of the 16 Days of Activism, ZI’s annual advocacy awareness program, 15 Zontians and family members participated in the Midland Santa Parade November 18th. We passed out 4,000 pieces of candy and 400 postcards to bring awareness to various issues related to violence towards women along with information on our local club. The Advocacy committee also placed a billboard up on M-20 and had 30 local businesses in the downtown area place posters in their store front during Holly Jolly Days in December. The committee is currently preparing for the Equal Pay Rally in Lansing on April 10 and will be placing a billboard on US-10 to raise awareness about the equal pay issue. In March, we will contact our Senator through a postcard mailing event in an effort to bring 2 equal pay bills to a vote. Contact will also be made with the district office to spread the word about the mailing and invite other clubs to participate. Last, but not least, we plan on attending the rally as a group and making picket signs to carry. Zonta members enjoyed an evening of fun in service at the Shelterhouse Christmas Party. Santa and Mrs. Claus were on hand for the evening and members printed and framed photos of each child during their visit with them. Members also helped the children shop for and wrap gifts for adults special to them.  Photo Team: L-R Kristy Bower, Phyllis McGinnis, Betty Keil, Barb Jacques (pianist), Sandy Weimer, Santa Claus, Becky Wieland, Mrs. Claus. Photo by Lucy Pagan
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