McKinney - News Briefs

"Great strides have been made to remove the artificial barriers that impede our advancement, but we still have a long way to go."

(Decatur, Ga.) -- Always reaching out the women of Georgia and working towards the future, Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) will host a free continental breakfast open to all women Saturday, May 16, 1998 at 8:00 a.m. at the Manuel Maloof Auditorium. The focus of the breakfast is to look at the advancement of women in the workplace Following a light repast three highly educated and inspirational speakers will address the theme of the breakfast, Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling: Empowering America’s Women.

Rene Redwood will address The Past: Women of Yesterday. Redwood is uniquely qualified to speak on this topic because she served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Labor and Executive Director of the bipartisan Presidential Glass Ceiling Commission in Washington, DC. Her remarks will illuminate the events of the past and provide a historical account of how women have come to garner the power and gain the position held today.

Carol Gaudin will address The Present: Today’s Woman. Gaudin is currently the Regional Director of the U. S. Department of Labor, Office of Federal Compliance Contracts Programs (OFCCP). Her office is responsible for enforcing regulations regarding discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, mental or physical handicap. The OFCCP enforces regulations that protect all disabled veterans and Vietnam veterans and monitors affirmative action programs of companies that have federal contracts or subcontracts.

The Future: Tomorrow’s Woman will be addressed by Delores Crockett, Regional Administrator or the U. S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau, where she is responsible for all issues regarding women’s rights in the workplace including discrimination, Family Medical Leave, child care issues, and non-traditional job training issues.

The floor will be opened for questions and answers from the audience. "Great strides have been made to remove the artificial barriers that impede our advancement, but we still have a long way to go," commented McKinney.