June Newsletter 2012

This month, we're launching our Octo-Blog! This blog will help us take the conversation about women in politics to the next level, with guest posts from DWtO interns, video contest entrants, lady politicians, and more.  Read our premiere blog post, by Intern Hannah. "So this month, I stumbled across an article about a troop of Girl Guides in Toronto. The Girl Guides learned about politics one evening, covering all their bases with lessons from a municipal, provincial, and federal woman politician!" [Read more] *|FACEBOOK:LIKE|*   Do you have a story to tell about women in politics? If you're interested in writing a guest blog post, contact us with a description of your story.   What would you like to see on our blog? *|FACEBOOK:COMMENTS|* on Facebook! Celebrating Rebecca We celebrated Rebecca Hansen's winning video entry with a small party, catered by Sandy's daughter, Amanda-Lee Chesley, recent Stratford Chef School grad.  Amanda's appies and melt-in-your-mouth delicious brownies kept us happy while the team congratulated Rebecca by handing her the well-deserved $500 prize cheque. Sandy had a little surprise for the intern team - each was awarded an Octo-pencil as thanks for their great work! Intern Elizabeth showed the group her Prezi presentation which beautifully fused together the territory that the video content mapped (soon to be released!). Rebecca inspired the evening's engaging conversations that really stole the show. What now? Staying in touch with our video contest winner and entrants is important to us; their ideas and images are already fuelling our future projects! From Sandy's Desk... Young women rock! DWtO seems to be populated by a terrific mix of ages but last month “young” was really happening.  Elizabeth traveled all the way to Victoria to spend a week helping out, Amanda wore both her chef’s and photographer’s hats, the Octo Team not only celebrated 13 yr old Rebecca, but introduced her to Denise Savoie, her federal MP.  After their chat, Denise, impressed by Rebecca’s poised comments about the video she’d created, exclaimed, “...if I’d been thinking like that at the age of 13, I’d be Prime Minister by now!”  Click to see the the clip  http://youtu.be/cXzdKT52wLA Wonderful moments! Gives me great hope that this next generation of fearless, energetic, passionate young women, willing to work across demographic lines, is getting ready and poised to lead our country into a more brilliant and equal future.   What’s next for DWtO? More contests on the horizon, I’m editing the amazing footage that captured the passion, advice and cautionary tales from some of Canada’s leading lady politicians.  Plans are in the works for an Idiegogo fundraising campaign to raise money for more webisodes, a website design makeover and for the documentary.     Got a business that would align well with DWtO’s mission? Want to support a non-partisan creative project that benefits your country, your daughters and your sons? Get in touch with us and find out how you can earn terrific Octopus merchandise – a coveted octo-ball, octo-pencil (as was awarded to Elizabeth May!), an elegant finger tentacle (sported by Denise Savoie), octopus jewelry and more…it’s beyond the beyond… *|FACEBOOK:LIKE|* *|FACEBOOK:COMMENTS|* Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend What we do Dancing with the Octopus is a passionate, entertaining, 8-tentacled media project that takes a non-partisan look at the how's and why's of getting more women into politics in Canada and abroad. Intern #5! Meet Elizabeth, our "Eastern Correspondent" . She's a Western University student from Toronto, who accompanied Sandy on a shoot in Ottawa last year. She flew to Victoria to join fellow interns for the video contest celebration. Flickr Account Here at Dancing With the Octopus, we're lucky to have a number of photographers on the team. We now have all our beautiful photos in one location, a shiny new Flickr account, for your browsing pleasure. All Points West Sandy and Rebecca dropped by CBC Radio to chat with Jo-Ann Roberts on All Points West. LadyPoliNews During the Month of May we noted: - A great personal essay in the Gazette by a new Montreal city councilor. 75% of the candidates in her riding were women! - The G(irls)20 Summit  works to empower young women from around the world. - The Dominican Republic has a new Vice President, former first lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández. - Toronto Girl Guides get a lesson in politics from city councilors and local MPs. - After local council elections this month,  Scotland's percentage of women in government  moves to 25%. Good job mates, but there's still a long way to go!  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend