Hundreds of women’s rights activists and supporters from every corner of the nation will converge in Baltimore, Md., this weekend, June 29 – July 1, at the National Organization for Women annual conference. This year’s conference, entitled “Energize! Organize! Stop the War on Women,” will focus on key issues that have been under attack, such as contraception coverage and the Violence Against Women Act, and NOW will adopt an agenda for the year ahead that addresses the ongoing War on Women.

“Today, more than ever, we are fighting for issues that are critical to the well-being of women and their families,” said NOW President, Terry O’Neill. “It’s time to strategize for the 2012 elections, and stress how important it is to elect women (and men) who will champion women’s rights.”

Local elected officials, including Baltimore’s Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Maryland State Senator Roger Manno and State Delegates Susan Lee and Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, will open the conference on Friday morning. They will be followed by an impressive line-up of featured speakers throughout the three-day event, such as Tony award-winning playwright Eve Enlser, performer and author of The Vagina Monologues; Krystal Ball, new co-host of MSNBC’s The Cycle; and Tamika Mallory, executive director of one of the nation’s leading civil rights organizations, National Action Network, just to name a few.

Special honorees will include Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D- N.Y.), who will receive NOW’s first-ever first Woman of Impact Award, for her political leadership and outstanding support of women’s rights on Capitol Hill. Georgetown law graduate Sandra Fluke, who was prevented from testifying at a congressional briefing on birth control, will receive a Woman of Courage Award. Dr. Vivian Pinn will receive NOW Foundation’s Victoria J. Mastrobuono Award for her contributions to women’s health and the field of women in science and medicine while at the National Institutes of Health.

Conference attendees can also look forward to a Mothers and Caregivers Summit, networking opportunities and dozens of workshops and discussions on hot topics ranging from how to fight hate crimes and racism to harassment in the workplace.

The schedule of speakers can be found in the program agenda. Read more about all the conference speakers and honorees here.

If you are a member of the media and would like to attend the conference, and/or set up advance interviews, visit our website to apply for press credentials.

The National Organization for Women is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States. NOW has hundreds of thousands of members and contributing supporters and hundreds of local and campus affiliates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. NOW’s goal is to take action to bring about equality for all women.

Keynote:

Eve Ensler

General Information

Conference Facilities

The 2012 National NOW Conference is being held June 29 – July 1 in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport. You can register in advance or on site that weekend.

Registration and check-in will take place on the first floor of the hotel. Plenaries and general events will be held in the Thurgood Marshall Ballroom on the first floor. Workshops will be held on both the first and second floors.

Dining and Meals

The hotel provides a complimentary breakfast buffet for up to two people per room ($10 per person for additional guests). The hotel’s restaurant and coffee shop are both open during breakfast, lunch and dinner hours.

Accessibility

NOW is committed to making its meetings as accessible as possible. The conference hotel is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Acts. ASL sign interpretaion will be provided upon request at general sessions, workshops, issue hearings and/or caucuses. Please make this and/or any other accessibility requests in advance by phone (202-628-8669) or email. Submit your request by April 8so every effort can be made to meet your needs.

Once you arrive, please check with the conference office if you or someone you know is in need of a large print or digital version of the program book.

Please note that in consideration of those with allergies and respiratory problems, the 2012 National NOW Conference is a scent-free environment. Participants are asked to use unscented products in lieu of scented toiletries and detergents, and to refrain from wearing perfumes and colognes.

Child Care (The April 8 deadline has passed.)

On-site child care is provided during this conference free of charge for those NOW members who registered for it in advance.

In order to adequately prepare for child care, we must receive pre-notification of child care needs. If you applied for child care by the deadline, but have not yet received a confirmation, please send us a message.

Please note: Meals are not provided; parents or guardians must pick up their children for lunch and dinner, which allows caregivers to take meal breaks as well.

Alternative Housing (The April 8 deadline has passed.)

Making the conference economically accessible for all is a top priority for NOW. If we received your request by April 8, NOW will make every effort to locate alternative housing for you.

If you applied for alternative housing care by the deadline, but have not yet received a confirmation, please send us a message.

Volunteering

We can’t put on a conference without YOU! Volunteering at a National NOW Conference can be fun and fulfilling — and it’s a great way to get to know more about the organization. Support-A-Sister Rate: $126+ (to help fund the sliding scale)Non-Member Conference Registration Fees (1st year NOW membership included):Standard Rate: $165 Sliding Scale: $35 – $164 Daily Rate: $65 per day Support-A-Sister Rate: $166+ (to help fund the sliding scale)all group work, individuals are to report back to the group only once until all others have had an opportunity to do so.

HAVE FUN!