Maloney Autographs Her First Book At Barnard College
BY TONY BARSAMIAN

Photos Tony Barsamian (L.) Congressmember Carolyn Maloney with Barnard College President Debora Spar.

Congressmember Carolyn Maloney held a discussion and book signing, organized by members of Smart Women Lead, for her book Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated… on Monday, November 24 in Manhattan at Barnard College.

Barnard's new President Debora Spar introduced Maloney (D- Queens/Manhattan) as a champion of women's issues to the women who gathered for the event and heard the inspirational anecdotes told by Maloney.

"This club has a mission that is near to my heart—encouraging young women to step up and take leadership roles in all fields. I want to recognize the co-Presidents Chelsea Zimmerman and Rachel Wilkinson. Rachel volunteers in my office, and has been a true leader in her own right and a real addition to my staff.

"I particularly want to recognize Barnard's President Debora Spar. We met last year at a press conference with Senator [Hillary Rodham] Clinton and I have come to admire her dynamism and strength as a leader of one of the Seven Sisters—the schools that proved that women had the talent and dedication to rival their brethren at the Ivy Leagues. Barnard continues to educate brilliant women, and to help them get an outstanding start in the world.

Maloney at Barnard College book signing in Manhattan.

"I want to congratulate Barnard for its Barnard Leadership Initiative, and to thank Suzy Stein for her role in putting this event together.

"I'm glad that Barnard is working to advance women's leadership at the college— it's amazing how often women's schools help pave the way for women to assume leadership roles.

"The lessons learned here, and the leadership positions you take on will stand you in good stead as you go out into the business world."

I wanted the book to serve as a wake-up call, to galvanize women, and like-minded men, to take action, to give them ways they can work for change in their own communities and help us overcome some of the barriers that hurt women.

There are six reasons why I wrote Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated…:

1. Women have lost the equivalent of one night's sleep a week since 1979.

2. The greatest predictor of poverty in old age is whether a person has been a mother.

3. We're the richest nation in the world, but we don't have paid family leave or paid sick leave.

4. Health care is unaffordable for millions of American families.

5. We have no childcare system.

6. Roe v. Wade is hanging by a thread. Senator Clinton, said, "My colleague and friend, Carolyn Maloney, has been a tireless and effective advocate for women in America and abroad. I applaud her ongoing efforts to highlight issues affecting women and to fight for solutions that improve women's lives."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi commented, "Even after decades of tremendous progress for women, Congresswoman Maloney forcefully makes clear how far we have to go to end gender inequities and improve women's lives. Her guide to how women and like-minded men can make that journey is both practical and inspiring."

"In Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated…, Congresswoman Maloney lays out just how far women have come in improving our position in society over the last 40 years, noting that unfortunately in recent years, a step forward often results in two steps back. But the book indirectly makes a much larger point—that having women in political leadership is the sure way to achieve our goals. Carolyn Maloney lays out the case with complete clarity on why it's important and effective to have women in positions of power speaking up for women." Geraldine Ferraro, 1984 vice presidential nominee.

Congressmember Carolyn Maloney was elected to New York's 14th Congressional District in the House of Representatives in 1992, the so-called "Year of the Woman". Chair of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, Vice Chair of the Joint Economic Committee and former co-chair on the Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues, she passed numerous bills to improve the lives of women and families. Her work on anti-rape legislation was the basis of a Lifetime movie "A Life Interrupted" in which one of the major characters was Carolyn B. Maloney. Among her achievements are passage of legislation to end trafficking of women, improve women's health and reproductive rights, expand affordable child care, create a Human Rights Commission in Afghanistan and provide funding for women's programs to combat the Taliban's oppression.