Finding my voice at CSW 54

Finding my voice on my journey at CSW 54 (thoughts and fragments part I)
By Wendy Kaiser
SI Newport Harbor Area ( California USA )

The Beetles’’ “We can work it out” refrain sung by the busqcers at Time Square/42nd Street Subway station echoed from the tiled walls there to the hallowed halls of the United Nations, and our first day Soroptimist Briefing with Dawn Marie Lemonds, SI Programme Director, in the United Nations Cafeteria. She and our SI UN Reps shared tips and strategies for making the most of our journey at CSW 54. Dawn Marie encouraged us to “own it” and make our experience at CSW our own. She challenged us to leave our comfort zone and seek out new areas of information and connections with others as we select our parallel and other event sessions. After studying the various schedules and concurrent events available for our journey, Ann Soderlund, Asst. Programme Director SI EU said, “I am still confused although on a much higher level.” We all assured her she can “work it out”… “with a little help from her (SI) friends.”

My “best practices” lessons learned so far are:
Don’t worry, you’ll get there
share your cabs, it takes it from about $12 a ride down to about $3.50
Buy a bus pass when you arrive (7 days for $27) and use it, you are either going up town/down town or across town or underground so it is easy to understand, but if your subway train does not come by after awhile don’t be afraid to ask directions… you may learn you have been on the wrong platform for 10 minutes. And, bring warm comfortable cloths and shoes (boots) with two pairs of socks so you can walk, walk, walk. Each block is its own world.
Save seats but then give them up if your friends don’t show
if someone is saving a seat (and there are none remaining) let them know you’d like to sit there until their friend arrives and when they do you will get up (‘cause sometimes their friend does not arrive and you have a seat after all).
Resources
Find out where the restrooms and coffee are first thing and then you will be comfortable and have your bearings (and a little caffeine). The NGO office downstairs is close to both and they have a computer you can use. Check out the UN Bookstore early for books and reports of interest to you. They have something for everyone there. I found a book specifically targeting the 20-40 age range women and their voices… Ok so I am on the outside of that by a few years, but I am looking forward to reading it as I think it will help me find my voice on my journey and connect with our next generation of women.
Talk to people
even if you are new (I am a first timer), if you already waited in line for 2 plus hours encourage the women waiting in line the next day – they appreciate it and you make a connection with a total stranger as you share your journey with others and they theirs with you. I met many interesting and inspiring people in line and in between sessions. Talk to others and collect their cards and give them yours (bring a lot of cards, I made about 200 from the SIA web site template I hope I have enough) – this includes Soroptimists and non Soroptimist.
Don’t take a photograph (to show your club what it is like going thru security into the UN)
they will ask you to delete it from your camera – no photos at security check points…it makes sense (the security guard asked me very nicely). And leave the water and heavy jewelry and metal belts behind, they will make you throw it out (water) and take it off (jewelry) to get through security.
Be flexible
You may make out a list of all the sessions you want to attend and find you cannot do it all, or you get tickets to get into a totally different one than you’d planned. About 2-3 concurrent sessions a day is realistic plus a briefing and either an evening dinner or reception, and you will have a full exhilarating day. Pace yourself.
Be patient but don’t be shy about moving on
If the session or event you are at is not connecting for you or you have what you need then move on so another person can take your seat. Be respectful of others, clear out of the room to make way for the next session as they time them back to back. If someone has already said they can’t hear…don’t say it over and over and over… because then those who could hear now can’t, plus it can be disruptive to the entire proceedings. Have confidence you “will work it out.”
Save Trees
If you go to the CSW pre-event they will give you a copy of the report to the UN and a wonderfully written resource guide and schedule to use during your journey. I thought they were not so I printed a lot of stuff to have with me. I should have waited until I got there to see what they were providing. Gather the session information as soon as you can but sometimes if you are too early you miss out so get your seat and check the entrance tables for information a second time if nothing was there when you came in (just in case).
Have fun, not guilt
If you want to go to certain events don’t worry if you can’t go to the other one that someone told you about. You cannot do it all, really, you cannot do it all. But, you can come back next year and try to again and bring a young lady to share your journey with our next generation of leaders of the women’s movement for equity and empowerment.

I brought my husband and two of my granddaughters (ages 11 and 15) and had them attend a reception (we plan a few events later in the week for them to learn more about the Beijing Platform (twelve critical areas of concern and action plan) , CEDAW (Commission on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women), and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). I have been encouraged as each day progressed we have dynamic women who are engaged, energized and enthusiastic about women’s equity and empowerment to provide a safe thriving journey for all people.” Life is very short and there’s no time for pushing and fighting… we can work it out….with a little help from our friends.”