By Beth Anderson, Minnesota NOW Treasurer
My 2013 resolution? Working on my Minnesota NOW elevator speech. This is the speech you give to people who haven’t heard of Minnesota NOW or don’t know why we are important. It should be a speech that is short, (something you could share on a short elevator ride!), and engaging – making your elevator companions want to be part of this group. I find my speeches tend to be too long, because I could go on and on about how cool Minnesota NOW is and what we have done over the years and plan to do in the future.
Just since our last communication (the October issue of the MN NOW Times), we have hosted our Sadie Hawkins Dance for Equality, helped defeat two constitutional amendments in Minnesota, participated in Take Back The Night in Minneapolis, spoke on campus with Pro-Choice Resources and kept up an active blog on issues of the day. We attracted many new members through our Adopt-An-Activist Program.
In addition, we are gearing up for lobbying training for the upcoming legislative season, researching and writing legislation that we think should be introduced, and planning an awesome State Conference for 2013. See, my speech goes on and on.
As a Minnesota NOW Fan, you are an important part of this organization. We rely on your donations to keep our doors open and our activists active. We have a spectacular “Love Starts Here” t-shirt designed to spread the word about Minnesota NOW that is your gift when you pledge only $5 a month to Minnesota NOW!
Sold? Great! Make your donation pledge online at our secure website!
If you need an elevator speech, try this:
“Minnesota NOW is an organization of brave, determined people who are not afraid to implement a vision. We market our ideas through public action like picketing, public speaking, sponsoring issue forums, performing street theater and lobbying our legislators. We implement the latest feminist theory by writing legislation, pushing policy changes and working in coalition with the vast feminist network in Minnesota. Minnesota NOW is a feminist organization that acts as a spiritual and intellectual home to generations of women who envision a world where women are respected, their contributions honored, and are treated equally in all aspects of society.”
How was that? Does it capture the reason you are a MN NOW member? Do you have an elevator speech that you use to introduce Minnesota NOW to your friends?
Still not convinced? How about this one:
“Minnesota NOW gives me the opportunity to be a part of cutting edge feminism in action. We not only respond to attacks on women’s rights, but we lead the feminist community in our vision for the future. We are made up of all generations of feminists and the excitement of learning from, and working with, young feminists keeps me engaged in the community and up-to-date on the issues facing us all. I am also appreciative of the depth of history and accomplishments of previous feminists. They inspire me to be as brave, as thoughtful, and as committed to taking action. Minnesota NOW, as the premier women’s rights organization in the state, encompasses both ends of this spectrum and is a good place to put my time and money. In the end, it’s about social justice, economic justice, a safe and secure environment, and a chance for all of us to live life fully with equal opportunity.”
Whatever your reason is for being a part of Minnesota NOW, we thank you! Love does start here in Minnesota and we are on our way to showing the country what that looks like. It looks like you – in a brand new Love Starts Here T-shirt. Please send us your new year contribution today!
