2014 Local2Global Participants

Local2Global

WILPF’s Local2Global program is designed for six members from across the nation to participate at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March of 2014. Each year, WILPF members chosen to participate work in an eight-person delegation to represent WILPF views and prospects into dialogues with government and NGO representatives. Local2Global participants also take their UN advocacy strategies and campaigns back to their local communities and branches.

We are pleased to welcome our 2014 Local2Global participants who will represent WILPF's US Section at this year's Commission on the Status of Women, which will focus on the Millenium Development Goals. Thanks to a generous grant by one of our donors, supplemented by modest donations from WILPF members, 6 women have been selected to attend the CSW in New York from March 8 - March 15, 2014. These women come from diverse geographic regions in the U.S., and they represent a diversity of generations as well. We are pleased to have such a great cohort for the CSW 58.

Here are their brief biographies:


Lauretta Freeman joined WILPF in the Moorestown branch in 1948 after reading an article in the newspaper about Gladys Walser and WILPF action at the United Nations. She became first President of the Essex County Branch in 1957 after the 1956 conference on World Disarmament and Development, which was initiated by WILPF. At present, she is Treasurer of the Essex County branch and facilitates weekly "Letters to Legislators" discussion groups at the Montclair Public Library. Lauretta is now a member of the Montclair WILPF branch.


In Montclair, Lauretta is on the Senior Citizens Advisory committee of the Town Council and am producer of its TV34 program called News and Views. She is also on the Public Policy Chair of the Essex Hudson Chapter of the Association for the Education of Young Children and the Audio Visual Library Chair for the New Jersey Chapter of AEYC. Lauretta has a business with a colleague of hers called Center for Educational Services. They engage in staff development at schools and conferences in New Jersey. They have written a book called DAISY-(a developmentally appropriate integrated system for young children).


Jan Corderman’s professional profile includes extensive experience in managerial and leadership roles with dynamic employee unions.  Her track record of service and success led her to be elected to her Union’s highest rank, serving at the helm of the statewide organization for 10 years. Since joining WILPF’s Des Moines, Iowa, Branch, she has served on several committees and is currently part of the Branch’s leadership team.   She is also a member of the Jane Addams Peace Association’s Board of Directors and co-chairs its PEP committee.


Eileen Dunn, retired Presbyterian minister, university Women's Studies instructor & administrator, and elementary school English teacher in Korea and always a women's advocate from age 17.  Regardless of her profession, she has always worked hard, most of the time with excessive resistance, for women's rights of all kinds, LGBT rights, and international social justice,  including being a rally motivational speaker.  


Her work with WILPF began when Eileen returned from South Korea three years ago, while she also visited Cuba and Honduras learning about U.S. involvement causing discord and doing follow-up education.  Eileen has also worked with her local WILPF chapter  in Ashland, OR on our very prestigious multiday educational displays and memorials for Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as International Women's Day essay competition in our local schools.  Eileen has an international family now in the U.S. of Malawian & Mexican origins.


Deborah Holley Blackridge came to WILPF through the Des Moines chapter of Move to Amend in 2010, which the Des Moines WILPF chapter was (and still is) sponsoring.  She has been the leader of the Des Moines Move to Amend group for nearly two years now, and joined WILPF as well, where Deb has thoroughly enjoyed meeting ladies of courage and character and being involved in their meaningful activities.

Alexandria "Rain" Smith is an aspiring poet and community collaborator. Rain is a member of the Missoula WILPF branch in Montana. She has become involved with WILPF through the Missoula Women for Peace and serves on the board of Community Action for Justice in the Americas, Asia and Africa (CAJA3). CAJA3 is a local non-profit that has been working hard to address feminicide issues in Mexico as well to create a program of economic support for women struggling with oppressive and abusive relationships in the Mexican town of Tepelixpa. After attending WILPF's retreat at the end of the summer as a visionary young woman, Alexandria is ready to help continue the integral collaboration necessary to seed the reality of Peace in our home town communities. She believes that feeding them with the insight of our global sisterhood will cause true transformation to take root and bear the sweet fruit of mending the pains of a war-torn and violence-based culture.