Nomination Information for Women's Health Heroes 2009

CHECK OUT THE 2009 WOMEN'S HEALTH HEROES!

2009 Contest Timeline: Submissions deadline: May 1 Voting deadline: May 8 Winners announced: May 11

When you hear the words “Women’s Health Hero,” who comes to mind? Your 9th grade health teacher who taught you about sexually transmitted infections? The midwife who sat with you through 15 hours of labor? The young Nigerian activist you read about who’s working to end gender discrimination in her country? Or maybe the neighbor who counter-protests at the abortion clinic every Saturday morning?

Whoever your heroes are, we want to know about them! We’ve created the Our Bodies Ourselves Women’s Health Heroes awards to honor those who make significant contributions to the health and well-being of women. It’s a great way to publicly recognize people who make a difference in your life or the lives of others.

Who should I nominate?

You’re welcome to nominate yourself or anyone who has advocated on behalf of women's health. Possible nominees include, but are far from limited to, your nurse practitioner, a favorite blogger, a volunteer at the domestic violence shelter, the local activist who writes letters to the editor on the importance of health care reform, or a friend who supports you through day-to-day medical struggles. If you have a hero, we want to hear about that person.

How do I nominate someone?

You can either write a few paragraphs or make a video about the person you’re nominating. In your entry, tell us why your nominee is a Women’s Health Hero. Be specific and give examples of how she or he helps women live healthier lives.

A video sounds like fun. How would I go about doing that?

There are several options: You can turn the camera on yourself and explain why your hero is important to you. You can create a video about your hero and interview other people. Or you can record your hero in action. Be creative! Videos can be uploaded  to YouTube (see instructions below). After uploading, entrants should complete the online submission form.

I’m more of a wordsmith. How do I submit my writing?

Using the online submission form, you'll have the choice of either uploading a document or copying and pasting your text.  If possible, we encourage you to send a photo (see details below) of the person you're nominating.

What will happen to my entry?

We’ll post the entries on our website for others to read or watch. You’ll receive an email when your submission is posted (usually within 24 hours), along with a link. You can then forward the link to your friends and family and let them know that your entry is online.

I hear there's an award...

Even though all nominees are heroes, two heroes will be chosen to receive an engraved award for display.  Both the winning heroes and the people who nominated them will receive a complimentary set of Our Bodies, Ourselves titles, including Our Bodies, Ourselves, Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause, and Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth. The books will be signed by organizational co-founders, book editors and contributors.  

Who selects the winners?

Our Bodies Ourselves staff will pick one entry, and the other entry will be determined by the public. The public will be allowed to vote on all entries between April 1 and May 8, 2009. The entry that receives the highest overall ranking will win the Audience Choice award.

I don’t have anyone to nominate, but I want to see all the entries!

Go to www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/category/womens-health-heroes to read or watch the entries submitted. Until May 8, you can rate the entries by awarding them stars; by doing so you’ll help choose the entry that will receive the Audience Choice award!

Great! What's the deadline?

The deadline for nominations is May 1, 2009, but there’s never a deadline on thanking the people who help us live better lives.

When will the winners be announced?

May 11, 2009. We’ll announce the winners at our blog and website, and will also send a press release about the winners to other media.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Read the small print content rules for additional information.

I still have questions. Who do I contact?

Please contact Wendy Brovold, Communications and Marketing Manager, at [email protected] or 617-245-0200 x13.

Are there widgets I can add to my blog/web page?

Yes, here they are!

How do I upload my video at YouTube?

• Go to YouTube.com and log into your account. If you don’t have an account, sign up for one -- it's quick and easy.
• Once you’re logged in, click the yellow "upload" button in the top right corner.
• Click the “browse” button to find the video on your computer or other connected device. Then click “upload file.”
• Enter the video title, a short description, category (nonprofit and activist) and the tags “our bodies ourselves," "women's health" and “women’s health hero,” along with any other relevant words that will help users to find the video.
• Make sure the “share” button is selected.

Once the video is uploaded, don't forget to fill out the online submission form. Without it, we won't know about your video.

We recommend that videos be no longer than 5 minutes. Make sure and get the permission of the people you’re filming -- it’s the nice thing to do.

Photography:

Digital photos should ideally have a minimum image resolution of 2000 × 1600, image size of 8 × 10 inches, and/or a file size of 700k or higher. Generally, a 3.1 Mega Pixel camera or better should be able to take photos that fit these requirements. However, whatever you can send will be greatly appreciated. It’s also important to get permission from the person being photographed.