Seattle Counts Down to Beijing

by Alle Hall


Three days prior to the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, local individuals concerned with women's issues have the rare opportunity to network with like-minded people from across the country who are traveling to Beijing. BASECAMP SEATTLE, held at Seattle University August 24-27, is a three-day extravaganza addressing critical women's issues as we move into the 21st century. Numerous activities -political, spiritual, and artistic - will educate, empower, and energize people into action around ten critical areas of concern, as defined by the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women at the Third World Conference on Women in Nairobi, 1985.
BASECAMP offers women and men of any age, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, cultural background, religious affiliation, ableness, socio-economic standing, marital status, or educational level the opportunity to become aware of the areas of concern in order to implement immediate and wide-reaching plans of action. BASECAMP is a "brown bag" affair effecting global change from the grassroots level.
Last November, a group of five Beijing-bound women sat around a kitchen table. "We talked about how few women could afford to go to Beijing for whatever reason, be it time or money," said Jessie Hawkin Israel, Seattle University student and BASECAMP organizer. "The ironic thing is those left out are the very women the U.N. conference is about."
Linda Hawkin Israel, Jessie's mother and a local artist who for 5 years has worked on a world-wide series of women's peace fountains, said BASECAMP establishes a safe place for women to come together as equals. "We value equally the information and life experiences of the woman who has no money and is on the street, (and that of) the woman who has resources and technological understanding."
The women and a group of friends embarked on the enormous undertaking of bringing non-profit organizations, local and national, into the debate on critical women's issues. BASECAMP Program Chair Ruth Moen said, "There are so many superb non-profit organizations already addressing the issues BASECAMP and the U.N. are working on - poverty, violence, education, peace, health and wellness; human issues from the women's perspective. We thought, 'Why re-invent the wheel?' Why not take the opportunity to strengthen existing connections and introduce the newcomer to a strong, united force working toward a better humanity."
The result is a mosaic of activities-political, spiritual, and artistic - culminating in written resolutions addressing the critical areas of concern. These incude:

Resolutions will be drafted and given to delegates continuing to Beijing. Additional activities will include a Peace Concert featuring Grammy-Nominee Ester Little Dove John, a march commemorating 75 years of women's suffrage, and internet training and access to the U.N. Conference in Beijing. A Young Women's Forum is an integral part of the weekend's activities.

Those interested in attending can call the BASECAMP office at (206) 542-6719, or the BASECAMP Hotline at (206) 688-8816. Low-cost housing as well as hotel accommodations can be arranged. Scholarships and volunteer opportunities are available for those with limited funds.



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Contents on this page were published in the August/September, 1995 edition of the Washington Free Press.
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