Greetings from the White House Council on Women & Girls –

Before pardoning the Thanksgiving Turkey, President Obama visited New Hampshire on Tuesday to talk about taxes. The payroll tax cut put in place last year will expire in 40 days unless Congress steps in to change that. The President’s American Jobs Act goes even further, providing the average American family with a tax cut of more than $1,500. When it comes to women, the Jobs Act would help to increase the paychecks of 77.9 million women in the workforce – providing us with more money to support ourselves and our families. You can calculate your own savings with this online calculator.

That savings is money that could be used to help support America’s Small Businesses. This Saturday, November 26th, is the second annual Small Business Saturday. Small businesses are the engines of job creation and essential to strengthening our national economy. That’s why the President has cut taxes for small businesses and helped them to get access to the capital they need to expand and create the jobs we need now and for decades to come. Come out on Saturday and support a woman-owned small business in your community.

Best wishes from all of us at the White House Council on Women and Girls for a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

Students, Country Music and the First Lady

First Lady Michelle Obama talks to students about the importance of following their passions and chasing their dreams before a workshop with musicians Lyle Lovett, Darius Rucker, and Kris Kristofferson.

Highlights

Girls Scouting Science: A Roundtable Discussion
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Council on Women and Girls recently launched the ”Women in STEM Speakers Bureau,” where top Administration female STEM specialists participate in roundtables with girls in grades 6-12 across the country. The National Science Foundation’s Cora Marrett met with students from the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month Around the Country
This October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month took Lynn Rosenthal around the country to participate in a variety of listening sessions, conferences, and local events. In many of the communities she visited, and hosted roundtable meetings with local domestic violence advocates to hear about their successes in the field.

Tapping the Power of Technology to Teach Children Around the World
Last week, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) joined its Australian counterpart, AusAID, World Vision U.S., and World Vision Australia to launch: All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development.

Progress and Persistence in Pursuit of Workplace Equality
On November 18, 2011, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis speaks at the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s (NGLCC) annual dinner. She was proud to attend the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s (NGLCC) annual dinner to talk about this Administration’s commitment to support LGBT entrepreneurs and workers.

Caring for Families of Returning Soldiers
In another great example of organizations partnering to deliver care and services to our military service members and their families, Georgia Southwestern State University’s Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) – named for the former First Lady – has teamed with Johnson & Johnson to initiate a unique program designed to help families.

North Carolina Entrepreneur Says American Jobs Act Will Help Expand Her Business
When a beloved bakery shut its doors, Lynn St. Laurent saw an opportunity where most of her neighbors just saw a loss. St. Laurent had overcome medical and financial troubles in her past and, despite having had no experience operating a restaurant or in food service at all, her entrepreneurial spirit spurred the idea of opening a place of her own.

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