Helping To Level The Playing Field

Ann Juliano Jawin is one woman who definitely does not accept the status quo.
This Douglaston senior and founder of Center for the Women of New York has spent her life advocating for equal rights for women, minorities, and the underprivilidged.
“I grew up caring about equity for women and about democracy,” Jawin told The Queens Courier.
Ever ambitious, Jawin always embraced the philosophy of “Take me as I am,” and therefore, she has made it her life’s mission to help level the playing field.
As a counselor and career advisor in the school system, Jawin saw that, even as late as the 1970s, sexism reigned.
“When I entered the workforce I saw a lot of inequities,” she said. “The textbooks always mentioned ‘Jane’ baking a cake and ‘John’ doing scientific experiments. Women were limited as to what courses and majors they could take.”
Realizing that she had a voice, Jawin soon started the first-ever course for training teachers in women’s rights. It was later included in the required course in human relations for all teachers by the Board of Education andid still in use.
She also worked with the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) to help eliminate sex bias in the classroom, volunteered with NOW (National Organization for Women) and served as chair of the NOW Educational Employment Task Force.
Concurrently, Jawin was a member of the group known as the Veteran Feminists of America. Her colleagues included Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan, and together with this group of feminists launched the “quiet revolution that helped change the world.”
In 1987, Jawin founded the Center for the Women of New York (CWNY), formerly known as the Queens Women’s Center.
“I recognized that there were a lot of needs [for women] in Queens not being met,” said Jawin. “A lot of the facilities were located in Manhattan, and I felt we should be doing work in our own borough to bring women’s issues to the forefront.”
A voluntary, non-profit organization which runs on member dues and volunteerism, CWNY aims to be a one-stop walk-in resource center for women.
As part of the Borough President’s Task Force on Sexual Harassment and Domestic Violence, CWNY spearheaded the effort in the Queens courts to overcome legal obstacles to providing adequate protection for women who were victims of domestic violence.
“We realized that to affect change we had to work with the political system,” said Jawin.
CWNY currently has monthly meetings that focus on the economic conditions of women, sex bias in unemployment, education, legislative issues and more.
And along with their traditional services, they also offer an annual job fair, a weekly Job Club, career counseling, a help line, a Legal assistance Clinic, Money Management Clinic, yoga, and support groups for crisis situations and life changes.
Recently added are computer classes, and training for family day care.
Working with the business community and in coalition with other organizations working to eliminate domestic violence, the organization has launched a new “Safe@Work” program to help companies protect their employees from domestic violence.
Currently in a transition period, the Center has been awarded a permanent home in a landmarked building at Fort Totten to be used as a research center, conference center and “living” museum dedicated to recording and aiding in women’s struggles to achieve equality.
“[Once in the new building] we’ll be able to provide all our services,” Jawin told The Queens Courier.
Jawin, ever politically-minded,ran for the Assembly and the State Senate, and served as district and state leader. She has also written books and just recently, she did two shows with QPTV — one on the issue of sex trafficking and one dealing with domestic violence.
For her years of activism, Jawin has been recognized by numerous institutions. She has received NOW’s Susan B. Anthony Award; has been nominated to the hall of fame at her alma mater, Hunter College; has been recognized by the Queens Chapter of the United Nations; has been added to the list of “Who’s Who in the World;” and has been honored by Comptroller William Thompson for her work in women’s rights.
“I feel a sense of satisfaction because I see many changes,” said Jawin. “They may not have been as fast as I like, but I have seen improvements. We have opened up opportunities for girls, there are now women serving in office.”
Yet despite having come such a long way, Jawin does recognize the fact that her job is far from done.
“The biggest issue right now is maintaining the freedoms we have won, including the right to choose, and extending and improving the facilities aimed at helping women.
“We want to move ahead and not lose what we’ve gained.”
The Center for the Women of New York is located in Queensboro Hall, Room 325, 120-55 Queens Boulevard.
For more information, call (718) 793-0672.