Last night, the CWLU decided to increase its leadership accountability and organizational potential by electing Co-Chairs to the Steering Committee. We also instituted a Planning Committee (to be a sub-committee of the Steering Committee). The Planning Committee will consist of the two Co-Chairs and three at-large members to be elected at our next citywide meeting.
By strengthening the Steering Committee in this way, we continue to consciously reject the leaderless model of decision making found in many of the New Left organizations today. However, the CWLU is emphatically dedicated to maintaining structured democratic participation. The Steering Committee will continue to be formed by representatives from each work project group and chapter and citywide membership meetings for policy decisions will still be held.
Your Steering Committee Representative is your voice in our decision making and we strongly encourage each group and chapter to speak to their representative about any issues at all. Better yet, run for Representative or for a position on our newly created Planning Committee yourself!
We are bravely standing in the face of the “Tyranny of Structurelessness” as we embrace the leadership ability inherent in each of our members. The CWLU is committed to advancing women and women’s skills and allowing each woman a say in how our organization is run. Please consider being a part of our new committee.
p.s. Thank you to all the women who came to last night’s meeting and respectfully, intelligently and passionately debated these changes. The dedication of Chicago’s women was inspiring!
