Joan Blades MoveOn MomsRising Living Room Conversations

1. From the Globe to the Living Room: Changing Conversations in Today's Complex Environment Joan Blades MoveOn.org MomsRising.org Living Room Conversations June 14, 2012

3. MoveOn.ORG’sfirst message: • Congress must immediately censure the President and move on to pressing issues facing the nation.

4. MoveOn’s Growth inFirst Four Days (in 1998)

5. MoveOnPacmakes internet history in 2000 $2.3 Million 60,000 Donations (~$35 each)

7. Washington, DC

8. Provost, Armenia

9. Ladakh, India

10. “The fracturing of the Western alliance over Iraq and thehuge antiwar demonstrations around the world this weekend are reminders that there may still be two superpowers on the planet: the United States and world opinion.” Patrick E. Tyler, Feb 17, 2003, NY Times

12. Strong Vision, Big Ears

14. Disruptive Technology

15. MoveOn.org • 3 viral moments • Massive citizen engagement • The ability to raise big $ from average citizens • Thousands of online/offline organizations empowering citizens to work on the issues they care about • SignOn.org

16. The Pay Gap(Same Education & Experience) $100 $90 $73 ~$60 Waldfogel, J. 1998. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 12(1)

17. 80% of American women become moms Mothers are more than 80% LESS LIKELY to be HIRED than non-mothers with the same resumes US Census Bureau, Fertility of American Women Corell, S. et al. 2007. American Journal of Sociology 112

20. M Maternity/Paternity Leave (paid) • OOutstanding Flexible Work • T Toxics- Free Childhood • HHealthcare for All • E Early Care and Education • RRealistic Fair Wages for Mothers • SSick Days (paid) for All

21. Stories Across the Nation “I am very concerned about people trying to repeal healthcare reform. My 8 month old son was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when…” READ FULL STORY Deirdre “When I gave birth to my daughter three years ago, not only was I fired from my position but my health insurance was terminated the day she was born... READ FULL STORY Rachel “As a self-employed professional I’ve always had to secure my own health insurance. In the past, whenever I’ve gotten a plan, there was always…” READ FULL STORY Dawn

23. Sandwich Mom!

25. Defining the Conversation A  2007 newly coined buzzword --  'Maternal Profiling'  Defined in the New York Timesas: "Employment discrimination against a woman who has, or will have, children. The term has been popularized by members of MomsRising, an advocacy group promoting the rights of mothers in the workplace."

26. Change powered by Moms • Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act • Affordable Care Act • Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act • Multiple extensions of unemployment insurance • Won paid family leave in NJ and WA

27. MomsRising.org • The next wave of the Women’s Movement • Collaborating with over 100 policy partners to turn up the heat on back burner issues • Maternal Profiling/Sexual Harassment

30. Work Practice Options • flexible work • virtual work / telework • modern career tracks • contract work • babies at work • high commitment work practices

31. Disruptive Technology

32. Increased Business Productivity and Profit Reduces Trade Deficit Increased Worker Happiness; Better Work/Life Fit Reduces Smog and Carbon Dioxide Reduces Traffic Congestion Tradition – Fear of Change Good for National Security DISTRUST Tipping Towards Telework

33. Huge annual savings from part-time Telework • Business: $242 billion • Employees: $2-9 K per* • Community: $19 billion** Total: $631 billion *Assuming 50 million additional teleworkers ** Oil not burned Green Savings: 235 million barrels of oil 43 million tons of greenhouse gases

34. Telework-Many players facing the same direction • Business • Government • Workers • Academics • Business Consultants • Environmentalists

35. So far, 27 states support telecommuting… SloanWork and Family Research Network, 2010

36. The Custom-Fit Workplace • At the leading edge of a culture shift • Telework appears to be a foot in the door • Strategic engagement of many potential champions

37. A Future We All Want…

40. Pilot Project’s Key Findings: The Challenges • We live in self-segregated communities. • Most people have deep anxiety about speaking to people with different views. • We were unable to create a fact sheet that felt non-partisan to participants. The climate change issue now carries a partisan taint.

41. Pilot Project’s Key Findings: The Successes • Every conversation was a success. • Participants found common ground on conserving energy, and creating greater energy independence. • People felt they were heard and learned something about others’ views.

42. “This evening exceeded my expectations. I was skeptical when you asked me to co-host.I expected more strident views from the other side and thought that they would expect the same from my side. This was a great dialogue and I have genuine interest in continuing.” DW, California (conservative)

43. Conversation Ground Rules Be Curious and Open to Learning

44. Conversation Ground Rules • Be Curious and Open to Learning • Balance Advocacy and Inquiry • Show Respect and Suspend Judgment • Seek Alignment Rather Than Agreement • Be Authentic, & Welcome It from Others • Be Purposeful and to the Point • Own and Guide the Conversation

45. Living Room Conversations – Could This Spark a Civility Revolution?

46. Conversations in the Mix • Energy • Money in politics • Immigration • Food/obesity/health • Parents and the media • Voting practices • Faith community • Tea Party/ Occupy Wall St.

47. Living Room Conversations • Citizens are sick of the status quo • Empower citizens to lead and tap the wisdom of crowds- Wikipedia/YouTube/Open Source • Make it simple and trust people

48. “Crisitunity” Crisis Opportunity

49. Consider the value of having telework policy and capacity ready for the next… • Snowmageddon/hurricane/earthquake • Oil shortage • Bird flu • Deep ocean spill that we are unable to plug

50. Concern About Climate Change Brulle, RJ. 2012. Climate Change Feb 2012 DOI 10.1007/s10584-012-0403-y