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Focus Groups
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One of the primary ways that Women's Voices tackles problems is through the use of Focus Groups. These are groups of members who are drawn together by their passionate concern about particular issues. They meet in members' homes to talk about the issues, identify problems, discern the key players in the community, and develop plans of actions for themselves and the entire group.

If you would like to be added to the mailing list of any of our Focus Groups, click on the link at the end of the Focus Group description to send a request to the Group leader.

Health Care

Environment

Media Watchdogs

Health Care Focus Group

Meetings - First Mondays (usually)

We believe that quality, affordable health care should be available to all and are working to make that a reality in Missouri. Members of The Health Care Focus Group have helped launch a grass roots coalition, Missouri Health Care for All, to empower citizens in Missouri to join together to demand that our legislators develop a health care plan that meets basic principles developed by the organization. We have members on the steering committee of MHCFA and we are training speakers to make presentations on the coalition. Members of our focus group have been collecting signatures endorsing the principles and meeting with legislators and candidates for public office in Missouri. You can join our group to help in this effort and can read and sign the principles by going to the MHCFA website: http://ga6.org/campaign/hcfa_principles.

In the fall of 2007, Grass Roots Organizing (http://gromo.org) asked Women’s Voices to help in a study they were conducting on small businesses in Missouri and their ability to provide health insurance for their employees. Members of the Heath Care Focus Group and other WV members conducted surveys of businesses in the St. Louis area. GRO acknowledged our work with a Destined for Glory award.

Because health care is such a complicated issue, we are constantly looking for opportunities to learn. We invite experts to meet with us, we attend lectures and conferences, we read and study, and we share what we learn with each other. We keep our members informed by meeting once a month – usually the first Monday – and by forwarding pertinent articles or links by email.

To be a member of our focus group you do not have to participate in any activity that you do not have time for or do not feel comfortable with. There is always something to do – call a legislator to voice your opinion, write a letter, or pass on information you have learned. Perhaps you can suggest a new activity to make us even more effective. Your ideas and voice are welcomed.

To find out more or have your name added to the mailing list, contact our Health Care Focus Group Leader at .

 

"Unlike other advanced countries, we treat access to health care as a privilege rather than a right. This attitude turns out to be inefficient as well as cruel." ... Paul Krugman

Environment Focus Group

Meetings - First Thursdays

As Members of Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice:

  • We support organizational and legislative initiatives that seek to guard and preserve the earth for our own and future generations. Our health and our children’s health, the wonders of biodiversity, and the beauty of our world demand concern, effort and corrective steps from each of us.
  • We support efforts to save wilderness areas, ecosystems, wetlands, rivers, lakes, oceans, forests and parks for their inherent diversity and spiritual value as well as their practical purpose of sustaining life upon this earth.
  • We support a concerted struggle to slow Global warming with all its accompanying effects. The catastrophic result of inaction mandates that individually and collectively we recognize and, in many cases, modify what and how much we consume, how we travel, and how we heat, cool and maintain our homes. We must be informed about conservation and energy issues, locally and nationally, and let our voices be heard.
Currently ...
We continue to work with the Sierra Club's Cool Cities campaign urging mayors in our area to join the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Initiative. Join us in asking your mayor to sign up or to congratulate and encourage those who have already signed on.

The use of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) is an important energy conservation measure. We have compiled much of the info you need to purchase the right CFLs to meet your needs. In addition, we recommend the Environmental Defense Find a Bulb page which allows you to choose criteria, and they recommend bulbs that match.
We have received word from Ameren UE that they will give Women's Voices 600 compact fluorescent light bulbs, to be distributed in the low-income Hyde Park neighborhood through a program with North St. Louis Youth Build. This project was developed by Alice Serrano, who will train the members of YouthBuild to distribute and install the bulbs. Two hundred homes in the neighborhood will benefit from the energy-efficient, long-lasting bulbs...which will help both the environment and the home-dwellers.

We are working, individually and with area retailers, to encourage the use of reusable bags rather than the common single-use plastic bags which are so detrimental to the environment. Buy reusable bags at Environment Focus Group meetings and take them with you when you shop.

Reducing the wasteful and environmentally damaging consumption of bottled water and promoting the use of reusable water bottles made of safe plastics is high on our agenda. See the facts and learn which plastics are safe.

We are hard at work on several new projects. Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month. For more information on these issues or to suggest others, contact .

 

"Environmental protection is pretty much an afterthought in the United States. When it conflicts with growth, growth wins." ... Michael D. Yates

Media Watchdogs Focus Group


Media FYI: If you are still undecided about who to vote for in the upcoming presidential primary, there are websites that can help you figure out which candidate most agrees with you on the issues you care about most. Check out www.Glassbooth.org and http://www.vajoe.com/candidate_calculator.html. Glassbooth is a little more complicated to use, but it also tells you exactly where the candidates diverge from your opinions and to what degree (using percentages). Even if you already know which candidate will get your vote, these sites can be a lot of fun and very educational.

Media Update: Despite the best efforts of many concerned citizens, the FCC in December approved new rules that loosen restrictions on media ownership in the top 20 U.S. markets. On the plus side, they also voted to restrict cable company ownership to 30 percent of households in any single market.

Book Discussion: In June 2008 the group conducted a book discussion on Don't Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate. Following is a summary of that event:

The discussion was lively and informed. Author George Lakoff tries to provide a basis for understanding what happened in the 2004 presidential election. He gives his explanation for how conservatives think and how to counter their arguments. He also describes the traditional American values he believes progressives hold but are often unable to articulate. The book provides examples of ways in which conservatives have framed the issues and examples of how progressives can reframe the debate.

The book provided an interesting context from which attendees could articulate their values. Members of the book discussion spoke about social issues such as poverty, abortion, gun control, and the Iraqi war. The group talked about ways they could turn differences into advantages in a debate. Suggestions included "Ask questions rather than countering with negative rhetoric." For example:
  • How do we build infrastructure without a tax base for roads, bridges, technology?
  • Do we continue borrowing from China?
  • How will our children pay for the debt we as a nation have incurred?
  • I believe in a strong military, but how does this country continue in Iraq and Afghanistan without an adequate military force? Do we continue this backdoor draft using the National Guard?
The group discussed statements that define progressive thought. Comments included: "Honor one another, do acts of kindness, make peace." "We take responsibility for ourselves and anybody that needs our help."

We ended the evening with each person suggesting ways for progressives to articulate and promote their values. Suggestions included:
  • Emphasize the multicultural aspect of our culture -- there is great diversity among people who hold high office.
  • Write letters, speak out.
  • Blog more.
  • Know your values and be able to defend them.
  • Take inspiration from groups like this and events like the recent media conference?be informed.
  • Stand and speak out concerning liberty and justice for all.
  • Start communicating with the media.
  • Speak out.
Contact Beth von Behren at 314-395-5756 for additional information. Check our Calendar for meeting time and place.

 

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