New Moon® Wins Two Minnesota Publishing Awards!

New Moon was honored at the Minnesota Magazine and Publications Association Excellence Awards ceremony held November 1, 2007 in Minneapolis, MN! Emma, from the Girls Editorial Board, was at the event to represent New Moon.

Our January/February 2007 “Letter to Congress” issue won a Silver Award for “Best Single Topic Issue,” and the “Go Girl” department won a Bronze Award for “Best Regular Column.”

In the “Letter to Congress” issue, girls from around the nation spoke up about the political issues that affect their lives, addressing everything from animal rights to the war in Iraq.

You can still speak up about political issues that matter to you by visiting the "Letter to Congress" webpage! You can look up your Congress people online, get letter-writing tips, and download special postcards. Then, send your congress people a letter to tell them what's on your mind! The webpage also features interviews with 14 women currently serving in Congress, bonus articles not published in the magazine, results from New Moon’s online political survey of over 1,000 girls and much more!

Also, check out our past "Letter to Congress" posts! There's lots of pictures of our trip to Washington, D.C. and much more!

"Go, Girl!" features a girl activist or adventurer who's on the go for a cause, or just for the fun of it! The article is girl written and features adventures like volunteering in Vietnam, living in China and attending a boarding school, and being the only girl on a football team. If you have an adventure that you want to write about, check out the writers' guidelines and send your story in!

Thank you to readers, staff, the GEB, CAB and girls everywhere for making New Moon such a success!

Photos from Congresswoman McCollum!

I just got an email from Congresswoman Betty McCollum's press secretary, who sent us the "official" photos from our visit last week!

To the right is Saskia and Ashley presenting New Moon's "Letter to Congress" issue to Congresswoman McCollum. Below is Ashley's aunt Carol, Ashley, Congresswoman McCollum, and Ashley's mom (Barb).







Thanks again to Congresswoman McCollum and her staff members, Imee and Meaghan, for listening to girls!

"Know Thy Power," Speaker Pelosi's Chief of Staff Advises Girls

The New Moon delegation met with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Chief of Staff, Terri McCullough, at 11 am on Wednesday, March 21st. Ms. McCullough thanked the girls for coming and began the meeting by explaining that one of Speaker Pelosi’s favorite sayings is “Know Thy Power.”

“You have a lot to say, and your voice needs to be heard,” Ms. McCullough said. She said that Speaker Pelosi brought all the children in the audience up to the podium with her when she was sworn in because she believes children are important and she wants to make their lives better.

The New Moon girls then asked what Speaker Pelosi is doing to address their top three concerns—the environment, health care, and girls’ education. Ms. McCullough said that those three issues are very important to Speaker Pelosi. She explained what Speaker Pelosi is doing to help provide health insurance for people who can’t afford it and to help students pay for college. She said the Speaker believes it is very important for the U.S. to put more money toward education. She said it’s a big challenge to find a way to provide the funding, but that it has to happen.

In response to the girls’ concerns about the environment, Ms. McCullough explained that Speaker Pelosi is putting together a Select Committee on Energy, which brings expert members of Congress together to work on global warming and energy independence.

“People are really starting to listen to the concerns about global warming, and we’ve got to take action now,” Ms. McCullough said. “We don’t have much time.”

Sophia, one of the girls in the meeting, asked Ms. McCullough if Speaker Pelosi is interested in increasing women’s studies in public schools. Ms. McCullough responded that the Speaker believes Women’s History Month should be every month.

“It’s great to highlight women’s accomplishments in March, but we should be doing that all the time,” she said.

During the conversation, the subject of a potential woman President of the U.S. came up. Ms. McCullough said that some of our strengths as girls and women are that we like to work in teams and build coalitions to help solve problems. If a woman becomes President, she hopes that is a trait that will help our nation.

“It’s a very exciting time,” she said.

She also cautioned our group, however, that Speaker Pelosi’s party just got back into the majority and that it is going to take some time before girls will start seeing the changes they are asking for.

“You all being here today is a really important way to influence public policy,” Ms. McCullough said. “The most eloquent voice a member of Congress can hear is that of a constituent.” She encouraged the girls to email, write, and call the offices of their representatives in Congress, and to make appointments to see the Congresspeople who deal directly with any particular issue that they care about.

“Leader Pelosi would love to hear more from you,” Ms. McCullough concluded. “Your voices are critical—it’s very important that you influence public policy in the future. I hope you will stay in touch with our office.”

Thanks again to Terri for meeting with us, and thanks for the commemorative buttons!

New Moon's Celebration of Girls' Voices! Photos from the Open House

We were honored that these three talented journalists shared their stories with us at our celebration of girls' voices in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, March 21st at Busboys and Poets. The three women -- Dana Priest, Melinda Henneberger, and Elsa Walsh -- spoke to New Moon readers about their lives in journalism and how their work relates to politics. I hope the girls in attendance were as inspired by their words as I was!


In this photo, Erin Vilardi of the White House Project (on the right) speaks with Saskia, a Girls Editorial Board member (in blue hoodie). Erin energized our group and encouraged all the girls in attendance to Vote, Run, and Lead!

Linda Tyler, on the left in the photo, and Lydia Mosher, on the right, are two tireless leaders who teach girls in the Washington, D.C., area. With them in this photo are several of the New Moon readers who joined our Minnesota group on Capitol Hill and at our celebration at Busboys and Poets. Thank you, Linda and Lydia! Thanks, girls!

Our friend Dawn and her daughters Eboni (on the left) and Ellice (on the right) helped the girls at our event make congratulatory cards for Speaker Pelosi for being the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives! Dawn, Eboni, and Ellice brought cards and all sorts of cool supplies that the girls used to personalize their cards. We can't wait to deliver all the cards to Speaker Pelosi!


Below and to the right are photos of the girls working on the cards at the craft table. The activity was a hit! Thanks again, Dawn, Eboni, and Ellice.

After enjoying pizza, brownies and cookies, speakers, crafts, and just hanging out with other girls who care about politics, these four girls are ready to call it a day!

We were very excited to see Jessica (in front) and Bob again! These two went dogsledding with us in Ely, Minnesota, earlier this year. Here they are with Jessica's mom, Sara, at our event. Thanks for coming, folks!

We actually had not one, but TWO girls who went mushing with us in attendance! Here's Vera and her younger brother.

We'd also like to thank these three girls, who helped us videotape the event. Sasha, age 11, Kehinde, age 10, and Erita, age 11, handled our camcorder like professionals! They interviewed girls and adults at the event to find out what political issues they were MOST concerned about. As soon as possible, we'll post clips from their video here, so stay tuned!

Aili reflects on her trip to Washington, D.C.

You've seen the photos and heard about the trip every step of the way! Now that the girls have been home for a while, the impact of what they've done is starting to sink in! Today, Aili (Ashley) emailed us reflecting on her trip.

"I just wanted to briefly say that Washington D.C. was a blast! I miss being there! It gives you a great feeling when you're in the place where everything happens and where such important history took place. I had so much fun meeting so many senators and representatives! Seeing all the monuments was incredible. I want to thank Kate and Catherine for taking us and thank you to all who helped us and provided such a wonderful opportunity!" -Aili

That thank you goes out not just to everyone on staff who worked on the trip, but also to EVERY girl who wrote letters to Congresspeople, every girl who showed up in D.C., every girl who wrote for or followed our progress on the blog, and every girl who read the "Letter to Congress" issue. You ALL made this happen. Thank you for believing in the power of girls' voices.

Photos from Day Two in Washington, D.C.

Click on any of these photos to see a larger version!


We started the day on Wednesday, March 21st, in the Hart Senate Office Building, where we met up with a group of New Moon readers from the Washington, D.C. area, assembled by our good friend Linda Tyler. First, everyone donned "Listen to Girls" t-shirts, then we listened to Kate, Ashley, and Saskia give a brief lesson on lobbying our representatives in Congress.

Here's the group waiting for New York Senator Hillary Clinton to arrive! A Senate photographer will send us the official photos of the group with Senator Clinton soon, so stay tuned!

After Saskia and Ashley presented New Moon's "Letter to Congress" issue to Senator Clinton, Amber from Congressman Keith Ellison's office took us on a tour of the Capitol. Here's Kate getting on the tram in the cool underground tunnel that's exclusively for Senators!

After our tour, we met with Terri McCullough, Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Chief of Staff! Terri spent a generous amount of time with us and answered all of our questions. She also gave everyone a commemorative button from Speaker Pelosi's inauguration.

Next, we met California Senator Barbara Boxer. Senator Boxer took a photo with our entire group, then two girls presented New Moon's "Letter to Congress" issue to her (below).

In the afternoon, our large group split up into three smaller groups. The girls from Maryland met with staff from Senator Barbara Mikulski's office, the D.C. girls met with staff from Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's office, and our Minnesota group headed over to the office of our own representative, Congressman Jim Oberstar.

First, we sat down and talked with two of Congressman Oberstar's Legislative Assistants, Jonathan Rucks and Melody Hamoud. Then, Ashley and Saskia presented the magazine to Congressman Oberstar!


Tomorrow, we'll post photos from New Moon's open house at Busboys and Poets.

Photos from Washington!

Here are some photos from our first day on Capitol Hill--March 20th!

In the morning, Saskia and Ashley presented New Moon Magazine's "Letter to Congress" issue to Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman. Below are photos taken before, during, and after the meeting.

Later that day, the girls presented the magazine to Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar (center) and her daughter, Abigail (left of Senator Klobuchar). It was a great discussion!

Here's a snapshot of Abigail, Senator Klobuchar, Saskia (in back), Ashley, and Kate in Senator Klobuchar's office.

Next, we headed over to Congresswoman Betty McCollum's office. Saskia and Ashley presented her with the magazine, but the Congresswoman was on her way to the Capitol for a vote, so she couldn't talk long. She apologized for her busy schedule and gave us passes to the House gallery so we could watch the voting! One of her staff members, Meghan McHugh, walked us over to the Capitol and explained what was going on.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to take photos in the gallery--there was a lot to see!

They've Returned!

GEB members Aili and Saskia, as well as Adult Editors Kate and Catherine, have returned from Washington, D.C. ! They're resting today so we haven't yet seen them "in the flesh," but Kate sent us this great report that we wanted to share with you!

"What a great week! Here are the numbers:

75 New Moon supporters came to the open house at Busboys and Poets!!
22 girls lobbied Congress to listen to girls' voices and hand delivered the "Letter to Congress" issue
27 letters of Congratulations written by girls to the first woman speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi
15 major monuments and museums visited by GEB girls
10 New Moon Congressional visits in two days!!!

There were so many people at the Celebration for Girls' Voices and the time went by in a flash, but here are the highlights:

-Girls videotaped each other talking about the political issues that are important to them
-Erin Vilardi from the White House Project talked about women in office
-Pulitzer prize winning journalist Dana Priest from the Washington Post, Elsa Walsh from the New Yorker and Melinda Henneberger from the Huffington Blog all spoke about their experiences becoming journalists

Guests of Honor:
-Abigail and John Bessler, Amy Klobuchar's 11-year-old daughter and husband
-Libby Sproat, one of the founding GEB girls
-April Osajima and Alison Harms from Girls Inc.
-Laurie Westley from the Girl Scouts
-Former New Moon dogsledding adventure participants
-CAB members!

The event was huge, the Congressional visits really successful, and the days LONG. Saskia and Catherine arrived at midnight Monday, we lobbied from 9:30 to 6:30 on Tuesday, did event prep Tuesday until midnight, did our "Day on Capitol Hill" from 8:30 to 3 on Wednesday, headed to Busboys and had a blowout party (pizza, soda, desserts, balloons, and NEW MOON GIRLS!) until 6. We were out touring D.C. until 12 and then yesterday we hit the Sewell-Belmont house and the Native American Smithsonian before we headed to the airport. Whew!

It was a little miracle that we were able to meet with Senator Clinton on Wednesday--her staff was super organized and she was so gracious. We weren't allowed to take pictures because it creates chaos, but they promised to send photos to us. Hillary said, "Well, we'll see if they'll Listen to Girls in 2008!" She was engaged and excited about the issue and listened intently as Saskia and Aili presented it to her.

Here's a brief rundown of the congressional visits and how they went:

We met with Norm Coleman first and we were planning to meet with three of his staff people, but they were so excited to see Aili and Saskia that they pulled Senator Coleman out of one of his meetings to listen to the girls for a few minutes. Coleman was humble and kind. His advice to girls running for office is, "there's no substitute for hard work."

In the afternoon, we met with Senator Amy Klobuchar, her daughter Abigail, her husband John, and her legislative correspondent, Simone. We were excited to hear a lot from Abigail--she's a huge proponent of education and says that kids who have it hard at home should not have to go to school in a chaotic environment. In her old elementary school in Minnesota, she could really see how difficult it was for kids who have hard home lives to learn in school because there simply weren't the necessary resources. She also wore a "Save the Penguins" button. Senator Klobuchar told girls to keep speaking up about the issues that are important to them--she says that youth are really why global warming is at the forefront of congressional discussion these days and when young people care about an issue, they really have the passion to carry it forward.

We finished our meeting with Klobuchar at 5:26 and we had a 5:30 meeting with Representative McCollum at 5:30, so we cabbed it across Capitol Hill and rushed up to her office. She didn't have a lot of time because the House was required to be on the floor for a vote, but she did visit with us for a minute and was really excited to meet Aili, who interviewed her a few months ago over the phone. Rep. McCollum asked her staff to escort us to the House so we could see the vote and so we headed over through the member entrance and watched four votes on the house floor! Betty McCollum waved to us from below!

Thanks to everyone--this was truly, truly a team effort and I think it was a great success. -Kate"

Aili and Saskia Meet Senator Clinton!

I just heard from our Washington, D.C., delegation, and it sounds like it's been an exciting morning! This morning, GEB members Aili and Saskia met with Senator Hillary Clinton AND Speaker Pelosi's Chief of Staff, giving each of them a copy of our "Letter to Congress" issue. When Aili and Saskia told Senator Clinton how excited they are that she's running for president, she told them to "make sure to keep speaking up to elected officials" and that she hopes more people in government will "listen to girls."

I can't wait to see photos and to hear more! We'll keep you posted.

New Moon girls report from Washington!

Aili and Saskia had a great day in our nation's capital today! One of the highlights was seeing the House of Representatives voting in the Capitol. They also presented New Moon's "Letter to Congress" issue to several Congress members, and they plan to meet with 6 more Congresspeople tomorrow! Below is a brief report from each girl. Check out the Duluth News Tribune's website tomorrow for more from these two Girls Editorial Board members.

My mom and aunt and I got to Washington, D.C., on Saturday. On Sunday and Monday, I saw all kinds of monuments—the Lincoln, the Jefferson, the Vietnam War Memorial, and the Theodore Roosevelt. I also got to see the White House. On Sunday we went to church at the National Cathedral, which was a really neat experience. We also went to the Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian, and then we went to the National Gallery of Art. We were hoping to see the only original DaVinci in the country, but unfortunately they were cleaning it so we didn’t get to see it, but we got to see some Monets and stuff so that was really fun.

I’ve always wanted to come out here—I love all the politics and history, and I just love being here. This is where it all happens! I’ve just seen so much, it’s been incredible. We're having a short meeting with Senator Hillary Clinton tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, and I’m really excited about that.

-Aili
(click here to read Aili's Duluth News Tribune report)

On Monday, we had a really rough day because of plane delays and mechanical problems. We got here at midnight on Monday, and we were supposed to get here at 4:26 p.m. So, that was pretty interesting.

Today we met with Senator Norm Coleman, Senator Amy Klobuchar and her family, and Congresswoman Betty McCollum. We also went to lunch at Busboys and Poets, the restaurant/bookstore where we’re holding our open house tomorrow, and that was really good. I’m really excited about the event tomorrow because we’ll be meeting a lot of other girls and hanging out.

-Saskia
(click here to read Saskia's Duluth News Tribune report)

News from Washington, D.C.!

This morning, we heard from the New Moon editors who are in Washington, D.C.! They're very busy, so we didn't get to talk for long, but they did tell us that they had their first meeting with a Senator this morning! GEB members Saskia and Aili visited Senator Norm Coleman's (R-Minn) office this morning. Although they expected to just meet with his staff, Senator Coleman himself showed up for the meeting! He'll be posting photos of the meeting on his website later today. We'll be checking back for them often!

Power to the (young) people

Yesterday, the Duluth News Tribune published a very nice article about Ashley and Saskia's upcoming trip to Washington, D.C.

“We want the government to actually read one of these issues [of New Moon magazine] and take some steps toward what girls want,” Saskia told reporter Will Ashenmacher. “We thought it would make a big impact if they could do some things about issues girls want changed.”

The article explains that while in D.C. this week, the girls will meet with Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Representative Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), and staff members of Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman and U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (D-Minn.). New Moon Executive Editor Kate Freeborn -- with help from friends of New Moon in Washington, D.C. -- is still trying to set up meetings with Senator Hillary Clinton and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“I’d love to meet Hillary Clinton someday,” Ashley told Will. “I did a research project on her.”

From the article:

For Ashley, the trip will be a dream come true.

“I do think this is just so up her alley,” said Ashley’s mother, Barb. “This is just what she’s always wanted to do.”

Ashley said the prospect of going to Washington with New Moon was part of what got her interested in joining the magazine’s editorial board.

“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I really want to do that,’ ” she said. “And now I get to.”

Check back to the blog later this week to find out what the New Moon delegation has been up to in Washington, D.C.!

Girls' Letters to Congress!

In New Moon Magazine's January/February 2007 issue, we asked girls to send us their letters to Congress. Here are just a few that we received:

-----
Dear Congressman Lantos:

I wanted to express my feelings about the Iraq war. I think that there are too many innocent people being killed, both Iraqis and Americans, for no good reason. There must be some other way to end the war besides marching in with guns and killing people.

Thank you for your time,
Jessica
San Francisco, CA
-----
Dear Senator Salazar:

I am very concerned about our ozone layer. The layer all ready has two holes and if any more holes show up, deadly rays from the sun are going to melt our ice cap faster and ruin all our crops. By destroying our crops it will cause a shortage of food to several countries. So I think something should be done about aerosols and air conditioners that harm this layer. Thanks for listening to my concerns!

Sincerely,
Rose
Hayden, CO
-----
Dear Congressman Hank Johnson:

I think that you should change the law so that people cannot kill or harm wild horses in any way. They should run free that's my dream.

Sincerely,
Brandy
Decatur, GA
-----
Dear John Yarmuth,

I am very concerned about the environment. I want to be an environmentalist/marine biologist when I grow up. I care about the rainforest, pollution, and especially the ocean! I love sharks very much; however, most scientists estimate that by the year 2040 nearly 147 species of sharks will become extinct. Because of the destruction of the rain forests, many other animal species are being destroyed as well. In a single rainforest alone, there may be 300 different species of trees, but once the forest is destroyed, those 300 unique species are destroyed as well. Adding to the problem is pollution. Not only is pollution affecting every animal species, it may make us extinct one day.

I would really like to hear what you are doing or intend on doing to protect our environment.

Sincerely,
Jessi (5th grade)
Louisville, KY
-----
Dear Representative Ellison:

I think the libraries should be open more. Because I go there every weekend, and sometimes I want to go more. I LOVE reading. I love the library.

Sincerely,
Holly
Minneapolis, MN
-----
Dear Congressman Price:

This morning I was reading an issue of Audubon, and I read about the "Kittlitz's Murrelet," a tiny bird, barely as big as its name, who's a tiny sea-bird found in the glacial regions of Alaska. There are only 15,000 to 30,000 of these birds left, and yet they're not listed on the Endangered Species Act! Please be aware of these little birds. Their population is one of the fastest declining in the country!

The way the Murrelet is going to live is if you stop habitat loss in that area, but oil spills and drilling are also major threats to this littel bird. Please consider doing something about them. Please! From what I can tell, nothing is being done to protect these sea birds, and they are completely innocent and defenseless! This is not fair. The birds can't vote! Please help protect these birds for the good of them and the ones who love them.

Please consider what I've said. I want you to know that we kids really do have opinions that are valuable to everyone.

Thank you,
Hazel, age 9
Chapel Hill, NC
-----

New Moon GEB members Ashley and Saskia will be hand-delivering these letters and many more next week in Washington, D.C.! Stay tuned!

Help Ashley and Saskia plan their visit to D.C.

Ashley and Saskia, two 12-year-old members of New Moon Magazine's Girls Editorial Board, are headed to Washington, D.C. next week to deliver New Moon's "Letter to Congress" issue to Congress members! Yesterday, we sat down to talk about the trip, and I asked the girls a couple of questions:

Why do you think it’s important for girls to be in touch with their government leaders?

“Because Congress members might use ideas inspired by girls.” – Saskia

“So government leaders are aware of what topics are important to girls.” – Ashley

What do you hope Congress members will do with New Moon’s “Letter to Congress” issue?

“I hope that after they read the issue, they think about girls’ opinions the next time they decide on a new law or are thinking of changing something.” – Ashley

“I hope that they take notice and consideration for what we’re writing about.” – Saskia


Saskia and Ashley will work hard to bring girls' voices and opinions to as many Congress members as possible while they're in D.C., and they'll also host a party for girls in the area. But in their free time, they want to see the sights. What would YOU want to do and see in Washington, D.C.? What museums, monuments, or other attractions would YOU visit? We asked Ashley and Saskia to do some research and rate their top three attractions. If you'd like to help the girls decide, leave a comment with your recommendations!

More Recognition of Women . . . and More Days Off School

If you've noticed that the blog has been a little quiet lately, that's because Duluth has been hit with one blizzard after another! It's been fun watching all the snow outside my window, and I don't think I've ever seen the roads this quiet. I'm writing this from home -- even my internet connection was affected by the blizzard! Luckily, it's back up now, because I have something I want to share with you.

New Moon is closed today, and that got me thinking of snow days and other days I used to get off of school, like Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, and President's Day. And THAT got me thinking of the article "Where are the Women?" in the January/February 2007 issue of New Moon, which talks about how there are no nationally recognized holidays to honor women in the U.S.
13-year-old Madeline from Illinois agrees with the need for more women's holidays:

"I agree strongly that women should have more holidays to celebrate. This fact had never even crossed my mind until I read the newsletter sent to me. Why do not women have holidays as men do? I believe that this is a good topic, and one to put some thought into.

I'd like to see Rosa Parks, or Susan B. Anthony earn a holiday. I feel that they are long deserved, and that in this case anything is better late than never. These were both strong women. Just as strong as many of the men who have earned holidays for their accomplishments. Do not they deserve a day of remembrance just as men of our history have?

If Martin Luther King Jr. is important enough to miss school over, (which I do believe he is) then why is not the woman who helped him begin the Civil Rights movement?"

What do you think? Which women would YOU like to see have their own holidays? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment!

Global Warming is Real, says Olivia, age 10

Global warming is real and has an effect on the whole world, and the following information I have learned from the Duluth News Tribune shows that.

In Paris, scientists gathered recently to finalize details of an authoritative report on the climate change that is predicted to project centuries of rising temperatures and sea levels unless there is change. Everyone can help stop global warming by doing little things; that causes a chain reaction. For example, we can replace normal light bulbs with ones that don't consume so much energy. If a lot of people do so, we'll make a dent in the effect of global warming. Scientists who are involved in writing the report say they are nearly certain to come to the conclusion that there is at least a 90 percent chance that emissions, caused by humans, are the main factor in global warming since 1950.

Global warming is changing many things, and its result is a very dangerous one; sea levels come up, and that means that floods could occur. In the report coming out, authors say that it will describe a growing body of evidence that global warming is likely to cause a profound transformation of the planet Earth. They also said that three large sections of the report will be forthcoming during the year, and I will try to gather that information as well.

Among the findings in the recent drafts, this much has been learned:

• The Arctic Ocean could have a huge loss of sea ice during summer later in the century.
• Europe's Mediterranean shores could become just barely habitable in summers, while the Alps could go from being snowy winter destinations to becoming summer havens from the heat caused by global warming.
• Growing seasons in temperate regions will expand and droughts are likely to move further to the semiarid regions of Africa and southern Asia.

Global warming is very dangerous, and if no changes are made, very horrible things could happen. For other information, go to: www.fightglobalwarming.com or www.climatecrisis.org And once again, I suggest you watch An Inconvenient Truth narrated by Al Gore regardless of what political beliefs you have. Act out now, because we want to leave behind a good planet for the generations after us. - Olivia

Congress is Listening!

Hey, girls! Are you anywhere near Washington, D.C.?

If so, you're invited to a

New Moon Open House!

When: Wednesday, March 21, from 4-6 pm

Where: Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C.

Why: To celebrate girls’ voices and commemorate New Moon’s special “Letter to Congress” issue!

RSVP to newmoon@newmoon.org by Monday, March 12, 2007

Hope to see you there!

Closing the Wage Gap, one Tennis Player at a Time

Last year, when French tennis player Amelie Mauresmo won Wimbledon she made 1.17 million dollars in prize money. That's an amazing amount of money! But what shocked me was that she received $53,000 less than the men's Wimbledon winner, Roger Federer. Why? Just because she's a woman. In the January/February 2007 issue of New Moon, 12-year-old Sylvie wrote about the Wage Gap in America. On average, women make only 69 cents for every dollar a man earns. "That means that over my lifetime, I'll probably earn at least $700,000 less than boys my age, just because I'm female!" Sylvie points out in her article. "We need wage reform NOW," Sylvie adds. Well, I'm here to announce one small victory for women, and for Sylvie. Today, Wimbledon announced that it will pay women and men tennis champions equally! Go Brits! I hope companies across the world listen to message Wimbledon is sending--women deserve equality, and that means equal paychecks. Thanks for speaking up, Sylvie, and thanks for listening, Wimbledon!

What does "Made in the USA" really mean? by Natalia Thompson

Most of the clothes that hang in your closet probably come from overseas. You might have noticed that their labels tell you they were made in Vietnam, China, Honduras, Mexico, Thailand, maybe Pakistan.

Chances are, you’ve heard that child labor, poor working conditions, and low wages (if any) are often associated with clothing produced in developing (or third world) countries. What you might not know is that the clothes you wear with an American label (like those that say, “Made in USA”) might have been produced under those same conditions—and they might not have been made in the United States at all, at least not in actual U.S. territories.

As Ms. Magazine reported last spring, the Mariana Islands (located in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Asia) have become a source of cheaply created clothing that still features the “Made in USA” labels so coveted by clothing manufacturers.

Technically, the Mariana Islands are part of the U.S. The islands were taken by the U.S. during World War II, and in 1975, they became a commonwealth of the U.S.—meaning its citizens are U.S. citizens and subject to most U.S. laws. But until this year, one law that the Mariana Islands weren’t required to follow was the minimum wage law. While minimum wage in America was set at $5.15 per hour (it was recently increased to $7.25), in the Marianas, it was only $3.05.
Without having to pay their workers fair wages, big corporations have been able to important thousands of “guest workers” from poor Asian countries (mainly women from China, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Thailand). Most workers arrive with only a third- or fourth-grade education, and most have left children and families behind in their home countries. They often hope to make enough money to send home to their families, but they often find that’s not the case. A 22-year-old Chinese worker told Ms, “The recruiter told us that in America it’s a very free country, and because we had never been here we believed them. They were lying.” Another worker added, “This is a dark, dark place in America. It’s a nightmare here.”

Poor wages aren’t workers’ only problems. Sex slavery, or trafficking women into prostitution, has also become a thriving industry on the Marianas. Even women who land jobs in garment-making face terrible working conditions; some have worked up to 20 hours each day in terrible sweatshop conditions.

After years of ignoring the working conditions on the Marianas (thanks to years of work by former Majority Leader Tom DeLay and disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff to keep wages in the Marianas low), Congress is finally paying attention. Last month, Congress passed the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, bringing the $7.25 minimum wage to the Marianas and other U.S. territories. And on February 8, Congress held hearings on the current conditions in the Marianas.

(A side note: The White House opposes the new law, and is trying to get the Senate to add in tax breaks for small businesses to the bill).

I’m glad that we finally have lawmakers who realize the importance of standing up for exploited women workers. But better wages aren’t enough. Women working in the Marianas deserve better working conditions as well—Congress should also address the sweatshop labor conditions women still face, the continuing problem of sex slavery and human trafficking (the Marianas are still exempt from most U.S. labor and immigration laws), and the lack of real reproductive healthcare for women on the islands.

Please contact your Congress members to ask them to continue fighting for the rights of workers on the Mariana Islands.

For too long, the U.S. citizens living on the Marianas have been ignored by the very people who make the laws they live under. It’s time to change that.

- Natalia Thompson, 15

Banning Landmines, by Eliza

So long as there is war and conflict in the world, there will be humanitarian emergencies. So long as there are landmines in the ground, people will be deprived of their basic right to a decent life; communities will be denied the opportunity to prosper; nations will be depleted of resources needed to rebuild and develop. Yet with the continued support of Member States, we have the means to end this suffering. To that end, the United Nations Mine Action Service is one of our most precious resources.

Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations

Landmines are horrible things. Originally used by the military, they are placed in the ground, where people can't see them and are activated when stepped on. When people step on them, they are seriously injured. This makes it hard to create safe communities, and for refugees to return home. Every year, thousands of people die from stepping on one, and many live in the poorest parts of the world.

Landmines date back to the Greek and Roman empires. However, it was during the second World War that they began being used widely for defensive and tactical reasons, and to achieve military objectives. Many of the mines were not immediately cleared. Many European countries still live with the threat from the second World War. In the 1960s, technology was developed so landmines could be scattered in large quantities by machine. Thousands covered the land during the Vietnam War. In the 1980s, mines became a weapon of choice in many internal conflicts. They were very inexpensive, another reason to use them. In 1992 six humanitarian organizations joined together the create the :




The work of the ICBL, which grew to more than 1400 non-governmental organizations, in partnership with the Committee of the Red Cross, The UN and governments worldwide (can you believe that the U.S. government is not one of them?!), aims to make the history of landmines a short one.

Landmines make me sick, and I'm going to do everything Ican to stop them. I saw one when I went to the UN with my mom and grandmother. Our tourguide said some children had seen them, and thought they where toys. They did look like yo-yo's. It's not just feet that get injured, but hands, too. I can't imagine living somewhere, and not having anywhere safe to go, not even home.