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Board of Directors
Honorary Chairs
Mayor Eric Garcetti
City of Los Angeles
Mark Ridley-Thomas
L.A. County Board of Supervisors
Chairman
Matthew Olsen
Boston Private
Vice Chairs
Mathias Fobi, M.D.
Bariatec Corporation
Michele A. Franchett
Stone Grzegorek & Gonzalez LLP
Michael McDowell
Japan House LA
Secretary
Deanne Neiman
Honorary Consul of Botswana
Legal Counsel
Wafa J. Hoballah
WJH Law Group, APC
Laman Alani
Retired Pharmaceutical Executive
Haifa Azawi, M.D.
New Woman Medical Care
Kathy Jones Irish
Kathy Jones Irish Consulting, LLC
Jonathan Kaji
Kaji & Associates
Patti MacJennett
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
Rima Nashashibi
Nashashibi International Consultants, LLC
Stephen Ozoigbo
Relativity Education
Lourdes Saab
L.A. County Office of Protocol
William Jerry Silva
Southern California Edison
David R. Stepp
Bryan Cave LLP
Yael Swerdlow
Women's Empowerment Foundation
Tim Watkins
Watts Labor Community Action Committee
Nivine Woods
Johnson & Johnson
President & CEO
Janet Elliott
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Quote of the Month
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"I wasn't aware about the involvement and importance of NGO's in U.S. And diversity of American culture is really big and rich. This you can see not only in American TV or films but in everyday life as well. Washington, D.C., New York, and Los Angeles are very, very different cities."
--Participant from Lithuania on the September 2017 Program: Scriptwriting, Film, and Building Community Identity
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#HiddenNoMore Brings Visibility to Women in STEM
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#HiddenNoMore group featured on NBC!
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In the United States, women account for approximately 60 percent of undergraduates while only earning 35 percent of undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math. Within STEM, women earn only 18 percent of degrees in computer science and engineering. [
National Center for Education Statistics, 2016
]. Globally, the figures are even more staggering. Last month, 48 women from 48 different countries, on a mission to change the statistics and get more women and girls involved in STEM, visited the U.S. on a historic exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The program, inspired by the Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures, was created to bring visibility to the gender gap in STEM careers and address the challenges women in STEM face.
The 3-week long program concluded with an eventful week in Los Angeles. Some of the highlights of the week were a visit to The Relativity School, arranged by Board Member Stephen Ozoigbo, where the group learned about various ways to tell one's story through technology and the media, and an all-day visit to Fox Studios. The group received VIP treatment at Fox Studios, where they toured the studio,
participated in a discussion with 21CF's Women in Tech group, and attended a panel with 21CF's Director of Animation and two women scientists, one from NASA and one from SpaceX. To finish the day, the women were honored at a beautiful reception on the 21CF studio lot. In attendance were members of the Los Angeles Consular Corps, Fox executives, and IVCLA sponsors and guests.
It was moving to hear about the challenges these women face on a daily basis and the barriers they have broken as women in male-dominated fields. One takeaway was that, to a varying degree, women face universal challenges no matter where they are in the world, but this puts them in a unique position to support each other when they realize they are not alone. As they return home, we hope the participants of #HiddenNoMore will continue to tell their stories, act as role models for young girls, and inspire other women to do the same.
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Event Recap: Women In Diplomacy Luncheon
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Article written by Communications & Events Intern, Stacey Scolinos
As a recent attendee of the IVCLA Women in Diplomacy Luncheon at the Luxe Hotel, I was privileged to hear about the struggles and excitement of diplomacy from three inspiring female diplomats: Her Excellency Ambassador Lamia Mekhemar, Consul General of Egypt; The Honorable Danielle De Bruyn Grady, Consul General of South Africa; and
Ms. Elizabeth MacKay, Head of Post for the Qu
é
bec Government Office in Los Angeles
. Each diplomat told the unique story of her path to a career in diplomacy and highlighted the challenges she faces as a representative of her nation. As a current political science major, I was thrilled to be able to connect some of the things I am studying to the real world. It was striking how candid these women were in speaking of their personal lives. It made me feel like I was lunching with old friends. Overall, the Women in Diplomacy Luncheon was a valuable experience that further bolstered my passion for all things international and helped me comprehend the realities of being a female diplomat.
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Event Recap: Fulbright Luncheon
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On Saturday, October 28th, IVCLA members and guests, members of the Los Angeles Consular Corps, and Fulbright students from around the world gathered at the beautiful home of Dr. and Mrs. Amarjit Marwah for the Annual Fulbright Luncheon. For 27 years, Dr. Marwah has been hosting the popular luncheon, which provides a wonderful opportunity for international Fulbright students to meet each other, make connections, and get to know Los Angeles locals.
This year, over 20 countries were represented, with majors and degrees ranging from electrical engineering to photography. Consular Corps officials from
Afghanistan,
Germany,
Malaysia,
Myanmar,
Senegal, and
Turkey
were able to meet students from their respective countries. The sunny Saturday afternoon was full of good food and conversation that helped to foster global friendships. We thank the Marwah's for their generous hospitality!
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Women in STEM: Fast Facts
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Did you know...
- While women make up almost half the world population, globally only an estimated 30% of researchers in science, technology and innovation are female. [UNESCO Bangkok]
- In popular films across 11 countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, only 12% of onscreen characters with an identifiable STEM job were women. [UN Women]
- Globally, girls start to 'self-select' out of STEM courses starting in secondary school. [UN Women]
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International Opportunities
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Experience a new world and expand your horizons - study abroad in high school! The U.S. Department of State offers full scholarships to high school students to study abroad for one academic year. Create long-lasting friendships with people around the globe, promote mutual understanding, learn a new language, and develop leadership skills.
Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad
YES Abroad: Full scholarships for American high school students to live and study in Middle East, Africa, or the Balkans. Get to know Muslim culture first-hand and form lasting friendships with your host family and community!
Deadline: December 5, 2017
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CBYX)
CBYX: Full scholarships for high school students to spend an academic year in Germany. Live with a host family while you attend high school or participate in an internship. Live and learn German culture!
Deadline: December 12, 2017
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Upcoming International Visitors
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The following are among the arriving guests of the
U.S. government whose professional appointments in
Los Angeles will be arranged by the
International Visitors Council of Los Angeles.
November 2017
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Thailand
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Religious Pluralism and Civil Rights
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November 1-4
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Kazakhstan
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Disaster Management and Emergency Preparation
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November 5-8
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Algeria
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Best Practices in American Photojournalism
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November 9-14
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Austria
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ethiopia
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Italy
Lebanon
Macedonia
Malaysia
Netherlands
Singapore
Switzerland
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
United Kingdom
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Strong Cities Network
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November 11-15
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Canada
Denmark
India
Indonesia
Jordan
Kenya
Republic of Kosovo
Lebanon
Macedonia
Pakistan
Philippines
Trinidad and Tobago
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Best Practices on Interventions
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November 11-16
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Indonesia
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Child Protection in the U.S. Social Welfare and Justice System
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China
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Coastal and Marine Management
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November 15-18
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International Parental Child Abduction
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November 15-18
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Taiwan
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Judges and Judgeships: Administering Justice in the Public Interest
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November 15-18
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Editor: Hannah Stoddard
Communications & Events Coordinator
Share your comments with me at hstoddard@ivcla.org!
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