Edelman Speaks at Women’s Conference

The founder of the Children’s Defense Fund told hundreds of women gathered at Cal Lutheran University on Saturday to “draw a line in the political sand” when confronted with challenges to child welfare.

In a keynote speech filled with biblical allusion, outspoken child advocate Marian Wright Edelman urged the more than 600 women attending the 18th annual Creative Options Day to counter threats to children and families.

“It’s unconscionable that a child drops out of school every eight seconds, that a baby is born to a teen mother every minute and that a woman commits suicide every four minutes,” the Washington, D.C.-based activist told the crowd. “What will it take for us to decide that we’ve had enough?”

Edelman’s 30-minute address painted a bleak picture of the status of children in America today.

Using frightening statistics to hammer home her point, the charismatic and forceful speaker told audience members that it is their job to tell Washington lawmakers to put aside the partisan bickering that has left millions of children in the lurch.

“We need to tell the men in power that if they don’t vote for our children, then we won’t vote for them,” Edelman said to rousing applause. “We will not accept piecemeal or cosmetic legislation for children, and we should never accept ‘but’ for an answer.”

Edelman ended her speech by telling audience members to “act like fleas,” making politicians itch until they take effective measures to protect children.

“Be a flea,” she said. “Bite and bite and bite and make those big dogs uncomfortable.”

It was apparent that Edelman struck a chord. As the audience filed out of the university’s gymnasium, many women talked of being moved to action.

“She was very powerful and right,” said Savanah French. “I want to find out more about problems here and then help.”

The 38-year-old Camarillo resident, who works with children at a low-income housing complex, said she sees kids in jeopardy every day.

“We’ve got to do something,” she said. “There’s a lot of kids who don’t know how to read, and I know fourth-graders who can’t even add. There’s a lot we can do.”

After Edelman’s speech, women could attend seminars ranging from career enhancement to managing money to instruction on the basics of Celtic music.

Sponsored by the Thousand Oaks branch of the American Assn. of University Women and Cal Lutheran University’s Women’s Resource Center, Creative Options Day provides women with an eclectic range of educational seminars.

One of the sessions, titled “First Wives’ Club: The Womanly Art of Payback,” offered strategies to cope with the emotional upheaval commonly experienced after divorce.

Although there was little advice on “payback,” the 12 participants learned from one another and from family counselor Judy Siudara how to move on after a divorce.

“I always pick up so much from Creative Options Day,” said Julia Daye of Somis, who has attended for the last two years. “It’s great because it’s set up by women for women, so we get to learn about things we’re not only interested in but that affect us too.”