Wednesday, October 30, 12:30-2:00 p.m. ET
In person: Barbetta Restaurant, 321 W 46th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues (an iconic women-owned restaurant on Restaurant Row)
Early-bird $55 pricing for members until 9/30/24; $75 for non-members
It's Women's Media Group's 50th anniversary year and also the 50th anniversary of the founding of Ms. magazine! Join us for a momentous celebratory luncheon as we mark this milestone with a special panel featuring some of Ms. magazine's pioneering founders and trailblazers. We will delve into the transformative journey of Ms. from its inception to its enduring impact on the feminist movement.
Our distinguished panelists will discuss the relentless fight for women's inclusion in traditionally male-dominated workplaces, reflect on the significant strides women have made over the past five decades, and address ongoing challenges such as the unratified Equal Rights Amendment. This enriching conversation promises to inspire and empower, highlighting both the progress achieved and the battles that still lie ahead in the quest for gender equality. Don't miss this unique opportunity to hear firsthand from the visionaries who have shaped and continue to influence the landscape of women's rights.
Panelists:
Suzanne Braun Levine is a writer, editor and nationally recognized authority on the ongoing changes in women’s lives. She was the first editor of Ms. magazine (1972-1988), and the only woman editor of the Columbia Journalism Review. In her recent work Levine has defined a new stage of life – Second Adulthood - which is the subject of her books. While at Ms., Levine developed and produced the Peabody-Award winning HBO special “She’s Nobody’s Baby: A History of American Women in the 20th Century.”
Marcia Ann Gillespie is a trailblazer in the magazine industry, a leader in the women’s movement, a champion of gender of racial justice. A provocative writer and thinker, hers has been a consistent eloquent voice affirming the human potential for good, challenging inequality, pushing herself and others to hope, dare and strive for a better world. She has been a driving force behind two of this nation’s most important women’s magazines as the editor in chief of Essence from 1971-1980 and as the editor in chief of Ms. from 1993-2001. She is also the author of Maya Angelou: A Glorious Celebration, an authorized biography (Doubleday) and is writing a memoir titled When Blacks Became Americans. A VP of Essence Communications, Inc. and a member of the board of directors, Marcia was named “One of the Fifty Faces for America’s Future” by Time magazine. Marcia is also the Professor of Diversity in Residence at the Johnetta B. Cole Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute at Bennett College and maintains a thriving consultancy advising corporate and other clients on issues ranging from diversity to communications.
Letty Cottin Pogrebin is a writer, activist, national public speaker and a founding editor of Ms. Magazine. She is the author of 12 books including the recently-published SHANDA: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy, the Jewish Feminist classic, DEBORAH, GOLDA AND ME: Being Female and Jewish in America. Her articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Nation, Huffington Post, The Forward, Tablet, and Moment, among many other publications. She was the editorial consultant on Marlo Thomas' nonsexist family entertainment Free to be You and Me. Pogrebin is also a co-founder of the Ms. Foundation, the National Women's Political Caucus, the UJA Task Force on Women, and several dialogue groups composed of Jews and African Americans, and Jews and Palestinians. She serves on the board of the Women's and Gender Studies Program at Brandeis University.
Moderator:
Molly Jong-Fast is an MSNBC Political Analyst, Host of the Fast Politics Podcast, and a Vanity Fair Special Correspondent. She is an American writer, journalist, author, political commentator and podcaster. Jong-Fast is the author of two novels: Normal Girl and The Social Climber's Handbook. Her memoir will be coming out from Viking in the spring of 2025. She became a regular contributor to The Forward, The Bulwark, Playboy, Glamour and Vogue. In December 2019, Jong-Fast became an Editor-at-Large at The Daily Beast, hosting the podcast “The New Abnormal.” In 2022, Jong-Fast joined Vanity Fair as a special correspondent and began hosting the “Fast Politics” iHeart Media podcast. In January 2024, Jong-Fast joined MSNBC News as a political analyst.
This is one of ⭐️WMG’s 50th Anniversary marquee events. ⭐️ Over the past five decades, our New York-based nonprofit has brought together women in media to collaborate with, learn from, inform, and mentor one another. Our 50th Anniversary marquee events embrace WMG’s core mission of women’s empowerment.
All proceeds from this event support the Women's Media Group Educational Foundation. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, click here.
RSVP/Cancellation Deadline: October 15 at noon ET.
Sponsorships with table sales are available - please email Kathy Sandler at ksandler1@gmail.com for more information.
