VOTE SMART

What Every Girl Should Know

"When motherhood becomes the fruit of a deep yearning, not the result of ignorance or accident, its children will become the foundation of a new race."

- Margaret Higgins Sanger 

VOTE (smart) - original version

Watch this film short starring filmmakers 

Ginia Desmond and Kirsten Long 

created for the VOTE SMART Initiative 2012

Culture of Sacrifice and Shame

Once upon a time I helped a friend get an abortion. I feel it was one of the most important gifts I have done for someone. When she told me the weight of her decision and the lack of support she had, the struggle of moving past a relationship that would destroy her future and no parents who cared. I was there to support my workmate who did not have anyone to be there with her as she made this huge life choice.

We traveled to the original Margaret Sanger Health Center, now Planned Parenthood of Southern Arizona in Tucson. As I drove her, it was not easy and it is sad that the shame she felt upon making this choice meant we would lose touch. 

I was glad that the doctor was empathetic and thoughtful and guided me on how to support her best. I was also glad that I became a suffragette at a very young age, as soon as I could read the biographies of Margaret Sanger, Annie Oakley, Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn and more, it became clear that I would take control of my future and health care with discipline and smart choices beyond my age.

Later in my professional career I handled the advertising for Planned Parenthood and marched for freedom and choice in Arizona. When I went to the offices of PP to do business, the security was heavy with bullet proof glass and a serious concern for protecting families as they served our community.

Telling Our Stories 

Jeff Yanc (Far Left) Ginia Desmond (Center Right) Dr. Alan Hamilton (Far Right)
Photo by Jilly Jesson Smyth

When I met Ginia Desmond for the first time she was speaking on a screenwriter panel at Tucson Festival of Books March 2017. The man next to her on the left was grumpy and she looked me in the eyes with empathy as I shot photos for my work and took notes on the wisdom she shared. I knew she was special as she related the story of how she produced her films and gave guidance to all listening intently in the audience. 

The Green Light

My Powerpuff Girl Icon

Now is the time to press the "GO" button. 

If you have children, set an example for them the way Katherine Hepburn's Mom did and I highly suggest having them read "What Every Girl Should Know" by Margaret Sanger , it is an oldie but goodie to leave handy around the house. It is time to wake up from thinking we accomplished everything already, we have important stories to tell. 

THE PUSH BACK IS HERE

"The government continued its efforts to exert political control over the judiciary, NGOs and the media. Hundreds of protesters faced criminal sanctions for participating in peaceful assemblies. Women and girls continued to face systemic barriers in accessing safe and legal abortion."

- Amnesty.org Poland 2017/2018

Kirsten Long and Me at a recent Haboob Happening
Created by Ginia Desmond, David Sadker and Karen Zittleman

“If the cure for cancer was in the mind of a girl, we might never discover it.”

 - Myra Sadker

WHO IS RUNNING?         WHAT IS A CAUCUS?

CHECK OUT EMILYS LIST and IGNITE CHANGE NOW!

We ignite change by getting pro-choice 

Democratic women elected to office.

ENGAGE ~ NETWORK ~ COLLABORATE ~ VOTE

Happy Voting...

Much Moksha Jilly

Artist Activist

The Burning Times

Women To Watch AZ

JillyJessonSmyth.co

New Never Boring

Believe

2018: The Year of the "Yang Dog"

We have moved from the year of the Fire Rooster into the year of the Earth Dog, a time of "interrupting the interrupters" with Yang energy to strengthen the earthquake now happening in earth's humanity. 

My wire haired dachshund speaks to me at this point in my essay. Miss Frida was named after the artist Frida Kahlo, she was full of powerful wisdom bursting forth with exactly what she knew was important and needed at any moment. She lived out loud and her nick name was "Frida Buddha" for her big loving eyes full of old soul knowledge.

Dachshunds are also known as "Rat Dogs", they can smell and find a rat in any environment. Miss Frida could always find the cockroach in any room or bug in any yard. I believe this is what is happening now. What used to be just a bad smell gracious people ignored is now a rotten mess that must be raised and removed to no longer infect our next generation. 

Building Community

The #MeToo, #Enough, #TimesUp and 2018 Women's March schedule now in process is powerful. To support each other rise into our highest ambitions and talents, we need to collaborate with all of our voices and play a better game. 

Makers Conference

Women are leading the way and rising to our highest selves. The way to change is to be in charge. Being in charge means setting an example of female leadership for our girls to learn from, we need equality plus knowing how powerful our female energy is as mentors.

"The world is waking up. We all feel it. On every continent, in every industry, at every level, women are raising their voices and taking charge like never before. The 2018 MAKERS Conference will take this movement to the next level. We'll explore new ways to make shock waves, unleash our collective power, and lift each other up as we fight for causes that matter."

Did you know that 1.59 billion people are ready to either stay behind or move forward on the largest interactive platform on the planet, Facebook? 

All this has happened since the movie "Enough" came out in 2002. Technology for the people has had to catch up with the  reality that has only recently been identified and confirmed by the medical community as irrational gaslighting, a narcissistic behavior that does not make sense and never will. 

This behavior is not OK 
We have to own that we allowed this to happen by not supporting our sisters in the workplace and at home. 

ENOUGH:

"Working-class waitress Slim (Jennifer Lopez) finds her life transformed when she marries wealthy contractor Mitch (Billy Campbell). She settles into an idyllic suburban life and seems to have everything she wants. Her dream is shattered when she discovers her husband is anything but perfect. His abusive behavior forces her to go on the run, eluding an increasingly obsessive Mitch and his lethal henchman."

Release date: May 21, 2002 (USA) Director: Michael Apted Featured song: Alive

Music composed by: David Arnold Screenplay: Nicholas Kazan