Being Conservative (and Female) Rocks

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of going to Clare Boothe Luce’s Western Women’s Summit (March 24-26) in beautiful Santa Barbara, California. Due to complications following my wisdom tooth surgery last year, I couldn’t attend the Summit in 2010. Nevertheless, I made up for my absence this year

This girl needs a vacation every now and then, so I decided, why not?

CBLPI’s Western Women’s Summit took place at the Reagan Ranch Center–YAF’s West Coast office and my former workplace. It was nice to return there for this occasion.

Here is information about the event that transpired last weekend:

Mark your calendars now for the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute‘s fourth annual Western Women’s Summit on March 25-26, 2011! Conservative women are stepping into leadership roles in this country more than ever before, so don’t miss your chance to be a part of the movement. At this exciting gathering of conservative women on the West Coast, you will meet and network with conservatives in your area, hear from dynamic speakers and learn how to fight for conservative principles. Speakers include: author S.E. Cupp; Teresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011; Keli Carender, National Coordinator of the Tea Party Patriots; Ann McElhinney; conservative filmmaker; and Dawn Wildman, California Tea Party Patriots. The Summit will take place in beautiful Santa Barbara, California and will include a private tour of President Ronald Reagan‘s former home, a picturesque ranch located in the hills of Santa Barbara. A welcome reception for attendees will take place at the Reagan Ranch Center on the evening of Thursday, March 24. The Summit is open to women of all ages and will include a special training seminar for college students. Men may attend as guests of registered women attendees. Please email the Summit coordinator Camille Hart with any questions at chart@cblpi.org.

Nonie Darwish also spoke as well, and gave a riveting speech about the dangers of Sharia Law.

Approximately 75 women (young and old activists alike) were in attendance.

Below is our group photo with Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan.

While many are quick to judge Miss America recipients, I will say that after spending the weekend talking to her and hanging out with Teresa Scanlan, this Miss America is a gem and down-to-Earth girl. She eats, contrary to popular belief, and is so passionate about combating eating disorders. Additionally, she is very conservative!

Teresa gave such a heartwarming speech about her Croatian heritage and family story. Her grandparents endured communism in Croatia before they immigrated to the United States. She emphasized how much she takes pride in their value system and how she’s incorporated their value system as her own. Additionally, Teresa revealed that she has brother that was put up for adoption by her  mother. She noted that after 31 years (last September) she and her family met her brother and didn’t hesitate to accept him into their family. Miss America 2011 was a lovely girl, and I wish her the best of luck in her endeavors!

Moreover, RedEye regular and FOX News Contributor S.E. Cupp was the keynote speaker for the Summit. My sister Anna Maria and I are pictured with her below:

Overall, I learned a lot of valuable things, listened to great speakers, met lovely girls, talked to donors, and enjoyed Santa Barbara. I encourage everyone to attend a Western Women’s Summit in the future–you don’t want to miss out on this opportunity!

Related Articles

• Miss America Teresa Scanlan Visits Fox & Friends, Has Strong Opinions About WikiLeaks (mediaite.com)
• Teresa Scanlan, Miss Nebraska, Wins Miss America 2011 (blippitt.com)
• Teresa Scanlan, Miss America, Shares Beauty Secrets (huffingtonpost.com)
• CBLPI’s Western Women’s Summit 2011 (gabriellahoffman.wordpress.com)
• CBLPI’s Western Women’s Summit Informational Dinner-San Diego (gabriellahoffman.wordpress.com)