Date: Oct 09, 2008

Gloria Steinem, writer and activist, to speak at Hofstra on Gender and Race in Politics

Appearance part of the Educate '08 events leading to October 15 presidential debate at Hofstra

Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York – Writer, lecturer, editor and feminist activist Gloria Steinem will discuss gender and race in politics on October 13, 2008, just two days before the final presidential debate at Hofstra in an election where both issues have figured prominently. Ms. Steinem’s talk will take place at 3 p.m. in the John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus.

Currently the president of Voters for Choice, Ms. Steinem has been politically active for many years. She was a member of the Beyond Racism Initiative, a comparative study of racial patterns in the U.S., South Africa, and Brazil; co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus, a bi-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to increasing women's participation in the political process; founded the Coalition of Labor Union Women; and established the Ms. Foundation for Women, which is devoted to helping the lives of women and girls in three main categories: economic security, leadership, and health and safety.

Her name is synonymous with the advancement of women's social equality in America and throughout the world. Early in her career, she simply defined feminism as “the belief that women are full human beings,” a definition that continues to direct her work. Today, she continues to call for an end to women's disadvantaged condition in the paid labor force, for the elimination of sexual exploitation, and for the achievement of true equality of the sexes through her outspoken articles and advocacy.

Ms. Steinem's books include the bestsellers Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem, Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, Moving Beyond Words, and Marilyn: Norma Jean.

Her writing also appears in many anthologies and textbooks, and she was an editor of Houghton
Mifflin’s The Reader’s Companion to U.S. Women’s History. Ms. Steinem is currently at work
on “Road to the Heart: America As if Everyone Mattered,” a book about her more than 30 years on the road as a feminist organizer.

The program, which is part of the Educate ’08 series at Hofstra, is presented by Hofstra University Cultural Center, The New Opportunities at Hofstra (NOAH, Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program), The Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, The John D. Miller Fund at the Long Island Community Foundation and Sondra and David S. Mack.

Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Hofstra Cultural Center at (516) 463-5669 or the New Opportunities at Hofstra (NOAH) Program at (516) 463-6976.

Leading up to the debate and the 2008 election, Hofstra is proud to host Educate '08, an unprecedented series of lectures, conferences, artistic performances and exhibitions, town hall meetings and interactive forums focused on the issues, history and politics of presidential elections.  Educate '08 provides our students, faculty and the entire surrounding community with access to the newsmakers, scholars and policymakers who have unique insight and knowledge of the American political system.  Many of our programs and events are free and open to the public, and we encourage you to join us for what will be a fascinating series of events.  During spring 2008's Educate '08 schedule, Hofstra hosted more than 30 events, including guests such as Mary Matalin and James Carville, David Gergen, William Kristol and Maureen Dowd, Charlie Cook, and many scholars, historians, journalists and policymakers. 
 
Find out more about Educate '08 by visiting www.hofstra.edu/educate08.

The NOAH Program, one of the first of its kind and a model for other Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Programs throughout New York state, has a distinguished record of success in providing higher education for young adults who might not otherwise have the opportunity.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from more than 140 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of
Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 22 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence. The University also provides excellent facilities with state-of-the-art technology, extensive library resources and internship programs that match students’ interests and abilities with appropriate companies and organizations.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.