S.F. Pier 26 - Future Site of The Int'l Museum of Women

On October 2nd 2004, an historic moment for women around the world took place in San Francisco.

Entrepreneurs, communicators, artists, philanthropists, ministers, past presidents of countries, and even masked men and women gathered on Saturday evening at One Market, next door to the acclaimed restaurant. The purpose of the gathering was to celebrate women and to officially open the Celebrating Women All Over the World exhibit.

This exhibit serves as the pre-cursor to the proposed launch of the world's first international museum exclusively dedicated to honoring the lives of women around the globe.

Carrie Schwab Pomerantz, President of the Charles Schwab Corporation Foundation, was the chair of Saturday night's Gala. She joined the team, in part, because she is passionate about helping women gain economic parity. On behalf of her entire family, she is dedicated to helping women become financially successful.

Honorary Co-Chairs included Dagmar Dolby and Toni Rembe.

Gloria Steinem, Congresswoman Barbara Lee with Elizabeth Colton

The museum, founded by entrepreneur and philanthropist, Elizabeth Colton and run by Chris Yelton is called The International Museum of Women.

The plan of the museum's Board, chaired by Colton, their Advisory Council, along with President Yelton and her team, is to create a world-class cultural and educational institution.

One of the women on Yelton's executive staff is Maureen Blanc.

Ms. Blanc, the co-founder of Blanc & Otus - a leading technology public relations firms now owned by Hill & Knowlton, is the organization's new Vice President of Marketing.

Maureen said:

The International Museum of Women will be different from the women's history museum and women's halls of fame. Our mission is to create a unique cultural center that documents women's pasts, that captures their present accomplishments with a mission to change the future regarding how women's contributions are valued.

Yesterday, the current exhibit opened to the public in San Francisco at the Concourse Lobby of One Market in the Spear Tower.

If all goes according to plan, the museum will open in its permanent 150,000 square foot residence at San Francisco's historic Pier 26 in 2008.

In order to open on March 8th, 2008, International Women's Day, the non-profit organization must raise $112 million.

Fortunately, supporters have already come to the table with $8 million of the total $120 million budget.

Among the national supporters already backing the venture are: Schwab (San Francisco, CA), First Data (Omaha, NE) and a $500,000 grant from the Tides Foundation.

The museum is expected to bring international tourists and millions of dollars a year to the city of San Francisco.

To make a contribution toward this groundbreaking effort, please call 415.543.4669.

Celebrating Women...

The current, colorful exhibit celebrates women as healers...women as magical...women as ideal...women as partners...women as initiators...women as powerful...women as brave...women as fun-loving...women as providers...women as protectors and even women as virgins.

Some of the exhibits honor women as defenders, and warriors, while others praise women as the sources of wisdom, health and nourishment.

Using technology (Apple iPods and videos), color and light, each exhibit articulates how different cultures deem certain attributes valuable and worthy of praise.

Each exhibit also offers insight into how women's roles are defined by their community and how their identities are informed by tradition.

Celebrating Women by Paola Gianturco

In all, there are 17 first-person accounts of women's attributes and accomplishments from Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Finland, French West Indies, India, Morocco, Peru, Poland, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Thailand, and the U.S.

The Featured Festivals

The current featured festivals celebrating women and the traditions of their country include:

Virgins-- Umhlanga, Swaziland
Flirts -- Rudolfina Redoute, Austria
Providers -- Festividad de la Virgen de Candelaria, Peru and la Virgen de Urkupina, Bolivia
Magical -- Noc Swietojanska, Poland
Warriors -- Durga Puja and Kali Puja, India
Nourishers -- Fete des Cuisinieres, French West Indies
Fun-Loving -- Eukokannon, Finland
Kind -- Sankta Lucia, Sweden
Brave -- Thao Suranari Festival, Thailand
Protectors -- Mazu Festival, China
Political -- Festa da Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte, Brazil
Healers -- Romeria de Santa Marta, Spain
Initiators -- Moussem of Imilchil, Morocco
Powerful -- Ka Pomblang Nongkrem, India
Ideal -- Miss America Competition, United States

On Saturday night, Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland (1990-1997) and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002), welcomed the 350+ guests in attendance and praised all those involved.

"Suitably ambitious" is the way she described the multi-million dollar, multi-year effort.

And "suitably supportive is what we are," she exclaimed with enthusiasm.

"This exhibit offers a provocative glimpse into the many ways that the feminine identity is created and celebrated in cultures throughout the world," said Anne Balsamo, curator. "I was amazed to see the similarities in festivals and ceremonies, even as they celebrate very different aspects of the female in society.

For example, although the festivals differ dramatically, the United States' Miss America competition and Brazil's Festa Da Nossa Senhora Da Boa Morte both extol the clever use of women's resources for the greater good."

The Exhibit Is Colorful

The exhibit is colorful and diverse. One exhibit is called What Color Are you? A video describes 134 colors people in Brazil use to describe another human being.

Are you cashew? Dirty-white? Wheat-colored? Purplish? Tan or tannish? Brown? Cinnamon? Waxy? Black? Or lilly?

Each exhibit features stunning photography, costumes and artifacts.

Over 300 photographs were used to examine women's individual identities. All are based on the book Celebrating Women (October 2004) by acclaimed Mill Valley photojournalist Paola Gianturco.

Celebrating Women As Ideal

One of the exhibits includes a display of the Miss USA competition's crown, earrings, bracelet and shoes.

Gina Pell, CEO and co-founder of Splendora, the "Authority on Fabulous," is one of those "ideal women."

A member of Saturday night's Gala committee, Pell came to the event with all the women who help make her company "splendora'd." Instead of being focused on receiving kudos for supporting the event and hosting a table, Gina intentionally turned the spotlight on her team.

All evening long, Pell was having fun taking photos of the young, beautiful women of Splendora, including the shoes they wore, which they claim they found through Splendora.com

One of the women at Gina's table was Karen Bard, Splendora's Editor-in-Chief and Friday For Play weekly e-newsletter creator.

The graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison is using her Communication Arts and Women’s Studies degree creatively. Bard is the mastermind behind Splendora's weekly email called Friday for Play. She and Pell are wonderful examples of women who are inspiring, today.

Another "ideal woman" is Shelley Marks.

My Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority daughter at the University of Colorado in the 80's, Shelley was one of those women who competed in the Miss USA pageant.

She and her sixteen year-old daughter, Christina, an aspiring actress, model and singer, who was recently signed by the esteemed FORD Agency, is determined to get to San Francisco to see the current exhibit before it leaves on December 17th.

The FORD model who drives a Ford pick-up told her mom that she would be willing to drive from Phoenix to San Francisco to see the exhibit.

FORD Model, Christina Marks

Twenty-three-year-old, Sayyadina Thomas, who grew up in over a dozen Foster homes and is now a thriving journalist, was a guest at Maureen Blanc's table on Saturday night.

Thomas said:

For someone like me, who would never get to regularly meet people so far outside of the class I was born in, this is priceless. Living just across the Bay in Oakland, I am fortunate to be able to witness these people reaching out to have a hand in balancing the scales for women, to uplift us, and to recognize women from all walks of life.

Among the many women who have already been inspired by the museum is San Francisco Bay Area resident Megan Wagner.

The author of Sapphire Staff, Wagner said:

I am thrilled that this International Women's Museum is coming to San Fransisco. As an Interfaith Minister, Kabbalah Teacher and Artist, my work in the world is often perceived as alternative and outside the mainstream.

This Museum creates a platform where people from different walks of life can come together and have a deeper understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures. Finally, we can share our various expressions of passions, values and beliefs as women in an open, non-threatening environment.

Wagner is eager to not only take her students to the exhibit, but, as one of the only Kabbalah teachers in California, she is interested in potentially use the facility in 2008 as a community gathering place.

All of the men and women in attendance on Saturday night were inspired by the personal and professional achievements of women featured in the exhibit.

They also resonated with the concept that one entity like this museum is striving to serve as a catalyst for social, political and economic change.

Museum Hours of Operation

Hours of operation will be from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday-Friday, through December 17, 2004.

Schedule of Events

Performances: Every Wednesday at 12 noon, Celebrating Women presents free live performances and demonstrations focusing on a different country and its festivals.

The dates are as follows:

12:00 pm Wednesdays - 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 11/24, 12/1, 12/8 and 12/15.

Family Days

Family Days, held on the second Saturday of each month from 11 am to 4 pm, will offer educational programs, activities, special performances and demonstrations.

The dates are as follows:

11 am - 4 pm Saturdays - 10/9, 11/13 and 12/11

About the International Museum of Women

The International Museum of Women is a world-class cultural and educational institution dedicated to honoring the lives of women worldwide. The Chair of the museum is entrepreneur and philanthropist, Elizabeth Colton.

Founded in 1985, The International Museum of Women produces exhibits, educational programs and community events that engage people of all ages - provoking them to question the status quo through an examination of individual identity, cultural structures and social order.

The International Museum of Women's mission is to value the lives of women around the world.

To become a member or sponsor, please call 415.543.4669.

This current exhibit is a must-see for girls, young women and old.

It is also a place to take anyone who is interested in being enriched by the different roles women in the world have played in the past, are playing today, and are destined to play in the future.

For more information, visit: IMOW.org

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful and women-inspired living!

~ Jennifer King