Council on Women and Girls Weekly Highlights: "Welcome Home"

Welcome to the Council on Women and Girls Weekly Highlights. If you have friends or family who would like to support the efforts of the Council on Women and Girls, please visit our website and share this link with others on Facebook and Twitter.

Yesterday, President Obama and the First Lady went to Fort Bragg to deliver remarks to troops and military families. As we definitively end America’s war in Iraq this month, the President wanted to speak directly with the troops at Ft. Bragg and to members of the Armed Forces and their families everywhere. The President knows the enormous sacrifices and achievements of the brave Americans who served in the Iraq War, and he spoke about the extraordinary milestone of bringing the war in Iraq to an end.

Today, as part of a series of Executive Actions, President Obama and the U.S. Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis, announced new, proposed rules that would provide minimum wage and overtime protections for nearly two million workers who provide in-home health care services for the elderly and infirm. As Secretary Solis notes in her blog, “The vast majority of these workers are women, many of whom serve as the primary breadwinner for their families.”

Please be sure to check out the highlights below for some upcoming engagement opportunities. 

Best wishes for a great week!

Photo of the Week

Dr. Biden’s Children’s Holiday Party Focuses on Support for Military Families

Dr. Jill Biden greets a student arriving at the Vice President’s Residence for a holiday party December 12, 2011. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Stay Engaged

Women-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing segments of the small business community, but women continue to face challenges, including access to capital and lack of opportunities to grow.

Ask questions and learn more about the federal government’s policies and programs that are designed to help women entrepreneurs at our upcoming “Open for Questions,” session with Christine Koronides of the National Economic Council, and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Associate Administrator for Small Business, Ana Harvey.

• What:Open for Questions: Women’s Entrepreneurship
• Who:Christine Koronides, White House National Economic Council, and SBA’s Associate Administrator for Women’s Business Ownership, Ana Harvey
• When: Tuesday, December 20, at 3 p.m. EST
• Where:Watch live at WhiteHouse.gov/live and submit your questions via Facebook, Twitter using the hashtag #WHChat or our webform.

Champions of Change- Recruiting and Maintaining Girls in "STEM"

Graduating Howard University senior Bianca Bailey is an impressive international engineering role model. As a chemical engineering major at Howard and President of Engineers without Borders, which supports sustainable infrastructure development around the world, Bianca has traveled to Kenya, Brazil, and Haiti to volunteer on numerous engineering projects. But her path to renown wasn’t easy.

After losing her mother at a very early age, Bianca was raised by a single father and had to take on maternal responsibilities for her two younger siblings under difficult circumstances in urban Dallas. With the support of a non-profit organization, Girls, Inc., which encouraged her early interest in the sciences, Bianca pursued her love of engineering. And today, along with her many professional responsibilities, she is dedicated to inspiring other girlsto do the same.

Valerie Jarrett greets Champions at the "Champions of Change: Women in STEM" event on December 9, 2011. (Photo by Riana Lynn) December 9, 2011.

On Friday, December 9, 2011, the White House Office of Public Engagement in collaboration with OSTP welcomed to the White House Bianca and 11 other Champions of Change who have worked to increase the participation of women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and math fields.

Check out other STEM highlights:

OSTP Releases Federal STEM Education Portfolio

Using Games and Digital Media to Engage Girls in Computing

Highlights

2.5 Million More Young Adults Have Coverage Thanks to Health Law

White Board: Brian Deese on the Payroll Tax Cut

From the Archives: President Obama Signs Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act

ACCESS: A Champion Non-Profit

ACCESS offers the Dearborn, Michigan community a wide range of programs and services that open doors to full civic engagement (Photo courtesy of ACCESS). December 9, 2011. (by ACCESS)

Dignity For All: Reactions from LGBT and Human Rights Organizations

Got Startup Experience? Help Enhance the Pathways for Immigrant Entrepreneurs