Page 38 - FOP Magazine August 2020

Expanding the Vision
n BY KAREN STAHL
Chicago Lodge 7 Trustee Monica Ortiz ran with President John Catanzara’s 2020 Vision ticket this past March, armed with high expectations as a member of his groundbreaking execu- tive board. And, on July 28, as she looked out on a room of 15 powerful women poised to evoke change, her 2020 vision came into focus.
The co-chair of the newly ordained Lodge 7 Women’s Com- mittee sensed passion. As the often solo female voice in union meetings, Ortiz felt the potential for expanding influence with every woman who walked through the door into the first com- mittee meeting, particularly as the only female executive board member.
The room held women with two years on the job up to 28 years of service. They came from all parts of the city — North, South and West sides. There were women who work in patrol units and women who work in detective divisions.
Thirty-two percent of the Chicago Police Department is fe- male, and Ortiz wants to see similar representation at Chica- go FOP meetings and events. As part of Catanzara’s vision, the first-ever Women’s Committee is ready to take on female advo- cacy. They’re creating a more robust membership that sharp- ens the union by making Lodge 7 a reliable and flexible envi- ronment to address the issues and more successfully represent female officers.
“We need to have that representation,” Ortiz affirmed as the leading vote-getter of all the trustees who were elected in the March 5 election. “Everybody’s voice matters, and we want to have that kind of diversity. And with this administration, there is now a more comprehensive look at the FOP.”
With tunnel vision for pumping up the membership, Catan- zara remains focused on devoting himself to every individual — including women — to promote the idea that policing is for anybody who shows the strength, determination and willpower to get on the force.
He hand-picked Ortiz, who has 23 years on the job, to help lead the committee, knowing that her tenacity and vision would create the perfect storm for encouraging women to match her unwavering allegiance to the Chicago FOP.
“John is the one that wanted to fund the Women’s Committee, and I know from running with him he wanted that because he felt there was an absence of women in union business,” Ortiz relayed. “As far as the roles of women as unit reps, I’ve really wanted to see women elected to the board, so I’ve been in-
38 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2020
volved in the union. It was — and is — really important to us.” The initiatives of the first meeting included a rousing discus- sion about female empowerment for the women interested in becoming union representatives and moving forward for elect- ed positions. The committee seeks to create a diversity of per-
spectives from the top down.
In terms of cultivating resources for female officers, Women’s
Committee Co-Chair Inez Riley wants to make childcare cen- ters available at the union so that women tasked with taking care of their children during meeting times don’t feel strong- armed into not attending.
She’s hopeful that a space to bring children will spur partic- ipation by addressing issues that apply specifically to females — especially when it comes to breastfeeding mothers who still want to be in the room and understand what’s going on behind the podium.
“I’ve thought a lot about having some nannies come if an officer can’t find a sitter and have someone well-suited to take care of children so everybody can attend meetings,” Riley not- ed. “We’re still walking through the dark, trying to figure it out. But I do know that we have the resources, and I know that our president doesn’t have an issue with giving us what we need, because he wants to make this happen.”
Flexibility to discuss private issues with FOP leadership is also a priority, which Riley believes is a major asset of having a committee led by women and dedicated to supporting women.
“We don’t want anything that’s not flexible for female officers when it comes to childcare or personal life,” Riley explained. “I want them to be able to acknowledge if they’re feeling un- comfortable about something that’s going on within the depart- ment, on your watch, maybe with another officer, that this is going to be a safe haven to air those things out. Nothing [is] too big, nothing [is] too little — anything that you feel the need to discuss, we’re going to discuss. And it’s important to me that we have a president who lessens the judgment of that.”
The primary objective of the committee is to get as many women as possible— especially young women — involved with the FOP. Part of Catanzara’s 2020 vision is to lay a foundation of letting women know that everyone is welcome when it comes to union activities.
Eventually, Riley and Ortiz would like to see more women join the executive board. Such a presence can bring fresh perspec- tive to sharpen and refine the vision to focus on all individuals, regardless of race or gender.
“We want to make a difference, and at the same time, I want
The first-ever Lodge 7 Women’s Committee will inspire female members
to get more involved in the union