Downtown Women's Summit 2006

“We are the survivors of violence living downtown. We are the women of yesterday, today, and the future. We are your mothers; your daughters; your sisters; your neighbors; your lovers; your dreams and your fears. People have said they loved us and then have hurt us supposedly in the name of love; fathers have beaten us, our siblings, and our mothers; men have raped us; we face intimidation and harassment daily. We are the survivors of violence. We are the faces that you need to see; we are the voices that you need to hear.”
                                                                 — 7 out of 10 campaign opening address

The above speech was part of the opening address and served to establish the context for the Downtown Women’s Summit. This remarkable event took place on Friday, October 6th in front of a packed room of over 120 people in downtown Los Angeles, co-hosted by the Downtown Women’s Action Coalition (DWAC) and KPFK 90.7 FM. People from the downtown community, including service providers, residents, community activists and politicians gathered to increase awareness of violence against women, to educate themselves and each other on how to respond to and reduce violence, to share stories, and to gather as a community to bring change. Five women, performing a portion of the 7 out of 10 campaign’s testimonies, presented the above reading and their own experiences with violence. The 7 out of 10 campaign signifies that 70% of women downtown are survivors of abuse.

Panelists included two downtown residents and members of DWAC, Laurie Connelly and Veronica Doleman, and Phyllis Jackson, a professor at Pomona College and former member of the Black Panther party. Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg opened the panel as a surprise guest, but couldn’t stay for the whole program. Becky Dennison, the chair of DWAC and co-director of LA CAN moderated the event. Together, these women educated the attendees on their experiences, the historical context of the current circumstances/situation related to housing and discrimination, obstacles to bring change, and suggestions for next steps. After the presentations, there was open dialogue among everyone present.

This two and a half hour gathering with panelists and conversations sharply contrasted the negative and inaccurate media portrayal of the community and was more true, inspirational and telling than any article can grasp, including this one. The women and men present were honest about their personal experiences and their emotions and challenged each other to think deeply and move to action.

A 68 year old woman addressed the panel explaining that she lived downtown in a tent. As tears began to fill her eyes and her voice shook, she explained that she had no idea of the level of violence that was prevalent in her community and that so many women had to go through these awful experiences. She pleaded with the panel asking for a way to help and get involved with this struggle.

The discussion was lively, with women standing up who were former residents of skid row and spoke words of encouragement to other women. Connections were made between present-day needs and the 10-point plan of the Black Panther Party from decades past. The same concerns of the Black Panther Party about employment, affordable housing, free healthcare and the freedom from police abuses are demands that remain unresolved today. Service providers asked for direction from attendees about how to be more responsive and effective in serving women, as well as developing a community-based approach to services. Residents expressed a desire for educational and employment needs of women to be more comprehensively addressed in the community. The conversation touched on so many points, but the underlying theme of unity was a common thread. The fight for women’s equity affects both men and women, and the issues of gender and poverty are intertwined - thereby, unity across our community in addressing this issue is the key.

I left the event feeling awestruck by the intense discussions and serious issues that were raised. The necessary change is not abstract and hard to relate to, but rather concrete and the problems are seen in the eyes of many of the women in the room. It became obvious that there is a need for politicians at all levels to bring issues related to women and poverty onto the agenda and into discussion. It was clear that community organizations provide a variety of important resources, but could be more effective by recognizing gender differences and needs. In the coming weeks, DWAC will begin to create a one-year plan with its roots originating in the opinions and experiences of the Downtown Women’s Summit. Monthly DWAC meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 2:30 PM at LA CAN offices.