1999 NOW National Conference
Speakers
Cherie Bennett
Cherie Benett has written novels, plays and screenplays, mostly on teen
themes and issues. Her emergence as a major literary voice for young
people in the 1990s has led to her most recent and critically acclaimed
work, “Life in the Fat Lane.” This novel, about teens and body image, was
one of the year’s most talked about books and was named an American Library
Association “Best Book” for Young Adults. Bennett also writes “Hey
Cherie!” a popular syndicated teen advice column for Copley News service,
and many best-selling teen fiction series and individual titles, like “Teen
Angels” and “Searching for David’s Heart.” Her plays are just as
popular with young adults. “Anne Frank and Me,” her latest play about
modern American teenagers and Holocaust denial, was produced at the American
Jewish Theatre in New York to rave reviews by The New York Times. Bennett
is currently adapting “Anne Frank and Me” into a novel.
Tyne Daly
Tyne Daly has promoted positive images of women through her work on television
and as an activist. Daly set an Emmy Award record in 1996, becoming
the Academy’s most honored Dramatic Actress when she won her fifth Emmy
for her role in CBS’s “Christy.” She won four previous lead actress
awards for the landmark feminist series “Cagney and Lacey.” Daly also won
the 1990 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Broadway
Musical for her stunning portrayal of Mama Rose in “Gypsy.” Her career
as an activist has included work for women’s rights and against domestic
violence. Daly and “Cagney and Lacey” costar Sharon Gless appeared
and spoke at NOW’s 1995 Rally for Women’s Lives. Daly returns to
television starring opposite Amy Brenneman in the highly anticipated dramatic
series “Judging Amy,” airing in the upcoming 1999-2000 primetime season.
Pamela Gray
Pamela Gray’s first feature film, “A Walk on the Moon” (or “The Blouse
Man”), produced by Dustin Hoffman, won a 1999 Morning Star Award for its
positive portrayal of Jewish women. Gray’s next feature, “Fifty Violins,”
starring Meryl Streep, will be released this October. She also wrote
two Hallmark Hall of Fame movies for television, “The Love Letter “and
“Calm at Sunset.” Gray has an MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA, where she
received the First Place Samuel Goldwyn Award for “The Blouse Man” in 1992,
as well as the Jack Nicholson Screenwriting Prize, the Marty Klein Comedy
Writing Award, and the Television Academy’s Scriptwriting Internship.
She is also a playwright and a poet. Her play, “Supernormal Clutches,”
received the 1996 Drama-Logue Award for Playwriting, as well as Critic’s
Choice from the Los Angeles Times, Drama-Logue and Back Stage West.
Aileen Hernandez
Aileen Hernandez was NOW’s second National President and a founding member
of the organization. She is currently president and CEO of Aileen
C. Hernandez Associates, an urban consulting firm. She is a former
Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission, a former Assistant
Chief of the Division of Fair Employment Practices for California and was
the Education and Public Relations Director for the Pacific Coast region
of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. Hernandez is
a founder of Black Women Organized for Action and other groups in the San
Francisco Bay area. She serves on the boards and commissions of numerous
civil rights and women’s organizations, including the NAACP, the Coalition
for Economic Equality, the Center for Women Policy Studies, the ACLU,
the California Academy of Sciences, Girls After School Academy and the
Campaign to Abolish Poverty.
Hannah-Beth Jackson
Hannah-Beth Jackson was elected to the California State Assembly in November
1998. She represents the 35th Assembly District, which encompasses
most of Santa Barbara County. As a Deputy District Attorney, prosecutor
and family law attorney for the past 20 years, Jackson has fought for victims
of domestic violence and provided pro bono legal counsel to rape victims
at the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center. She also helped establish
the Santa Barbara Shelter Services for Women. Jackson served on the
Santa Barbara County Commission for Women and was appointed to the California
Commission on the Status of Women. While serving on the State Senate
Task Force on Family Equity, she helped draft legislation designed to improve
the plight of women and children during divorce. Jackson also serves on
the Higher Education and Judiciary Committees
Sheila Kuehl
Sheila James Kuehl, now in her third legislative term in the California
State Assembly, represents the 41st Assembly District in Los Angeles.
She was the first woman in California history to be named Speaker pro Tempore
of a legislative session, as well as the first open gay or lesbian person
to be elected to the California legislature. In her four years in office,
Kuehl has authored 38 bills which increase protection for domestic violence
victims, strengthen child support enforcement, prohibit discrimination
on the basis of gender in the workplace and in education, increase the
rights of crime victims, safeguard the environment and fund after-school
programs for at-risk youth. She also fought to get over 40 pieces
of legislation signed into law in California before her election to the
Assembly, all relating to children, families, women and domestic violence.
Barbara Lee
Congresswoman Barbara Lee was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives
in 1998. Prior to her service in Congress, she had been elected to
three consecutive terms in the California State Assembly, and one term
in the California State Senate. Lee sponsored 67 bills and resolutions
addressing a broad spectrum of public concerns, including safety, education,
women’s issues, environmental protections, labor, health and health care
for uninsured children. She served as a board member of the
California State World Trade Commission, the California State Coastal Conservancy,
the California Legislative Black Caucus and the California Commission on
the Status of Women. Lee has helped to develop closer economic, political
and cultural ties between California and Africa and has been a leader in
the effort to increase humanitarian support for the Cuban people.
Gloria Romero
Dr. Gloria Romero was elected to the California Assembly in November 1998.
Her appointment as Majority Whip makes her the only first-term legislator
serving in the Assembly leadership. In 1995, Romero became the first
Latina elected to the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees,
where she served as vice president. She has taught at each
level of California’s college system for the past 18 years. Romero
has also conducted extensive research on HIV/AIDS education and prevention.
She recently authored an article on child sexual abuse among Latina women.
She co-founded the Women’s Advisory Council to the L.A. Police Commission
and served on the city’s Domestic Violence Task Force. Romero has
received various awards in recognition of her public service, including
the YWCA’s “Incredible Woman Making History Award” and the Mexican-American
L.A. County Bar Association Community Service Award.
1999 Conference Information
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