Nikki Beare Explained

Nikki Beare
Birth Name:Muriel Nikki Brink
Birth Date:7 March 1928
Birth Place:Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Death Place:Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
Occupation:Activist, feminist, lobbyist, journalist
Education:Skidmore College (BA)
Known For:Florida's National Organization for Women
Children:1
Awards:Florida Women's Hall of Fame (1994)

Nikki Beare (March 7, 1928– November 10, 2014) was an American feminist, journalist, and lobbyist who served as president of Florida's National Organization for Women (NOW) chapter.

Beare began working as a journalist for The Miami News before fully committing to the fledgeling feminist movement in Florida. She was hired as a lobbyist by NOW in an effort to pass the Equal Rights Amendment and worked to fight instances of job and insurance discrimination. Beare was invited to the Third and Fourth World Conference on Women in 1985 and 1995.

She was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame in 1994.

Early life

Muriel Nikki Brink was born on March 7, 1928, in Detroit, Michigan, as the only daughter of parents Stanley and Dorothy Brink. She also had one younger brother named Stanley Jr. Her father was a basketball player and her mother worked so she was raised by housekeepers. Growing up, she attended Noble Grade School, Tappan Intermediate, and Cass Technical High School.[1] She graduated from Cass Technical High School in 1946 and married Richard A. Beare.[2] Their daughter Sandra was born in 1947.[1]

Career

The family moved to Islamorada, a village in the Florida Keys, in 1956 where she wrote for the Key West Citizen newspaper before moving to Miami.[3] In 1962, Beare published a book titled From turtle soup to coconuts; a gourmet guide to good eating and restaurants on the Florida Keys.[4]

In 1968, Beare was inspired by American feminist Roxcy Bolton to help found the Florida chapter of National Organization for Women (NOW).[1] [5] [6] While working as a Women’s Page reporter for the Miami News, Beare was elected vice-president of the Florida NOW. After leaving journalism to tackle feminism, she convinced The Miami Herald to eliminate the gendered newspaper classifieds sections.[3] [7] She was later named president of Florida's NOW chapter[8] after Martha Ingle resigned.[1] In 1970, Beare helped Gwen Cherry, Dade County’s first female black attorney, get elected to the Florida House of Representatives[1] as well as helped Elaine Gordon get elected as a Democrat legislator from Dade County.[9] As part of her job with NOW, Beare prepared workshops for women to educate them on how to lobby and interact with lawmakers.[10]

In 1975, NOW hired Beare as a lobbyist to help pass the Equal Rights Amendment.[11] [12] [13] [14] She also began her own feminist newspaper titled "Women's Almanac" which ran from 1975 to 1985.[15] That same year, Beare began her own public relations company called "Nikki Beare and Associates Inc.[3] [16]

In 1976, Beare worked with the Florida Insurance Task Force to fight against instances of discrimination based on gender.[17] She teamed up with Gordon, now an established state legislator, to start a statewide feminist credit union.[18] [19] This was a response to banks refusing to loan money to young women on the basis of sex.[20] She also worked with Gordon and Elaine Bloom, who also became a legislator, on WKAT Radio with a feminist radio show titled "Women's Powerline".[15] In 1978, Beare served as Vice President of the Women's Business Council of Dade County[21] and later she served on NOW's Advisory Board for the National Women's Political Caucas.[22]

In 1980, Beare earned her Bachelor of Arts from Skidmore College[2] where she focused on Women in Nineteenth Century American Culture.[16] As a member of NOW in the 1980s, Beare helped form a Women's International News Service,[23] and lobbied for women's rights such as childbirth or adoption unpaid leave.[24] In 1985 and 1995, Beare was invited to the United Nations World Conference on Women.[2] [25] Starting in 1988, Beare worked as a lobbyist for the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) to fight against travel fraud.[26]

In 1992, after Hurricane Andrew, she moved to Havana, Florida where she and her daughter Sandra were charter members of the Gadsden County Domestic and Sexual Violence Task Force. She also worked with Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth on the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.[3] In 1994, Beare was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame.[27] [28] The next year, she was elected vice president for policy planning in the Florida Women's Political Caucus.[29] She further continued her activism work by serving as a chairwoman of the National Committee on Travel for Persons With Disabilities of ASTA.[30] Through her work with ASTA, Beare helped introduce the Travel Agency Fair Treatment Act[31] and lobbied to protect travel agent services from increased taxes.[32] She also worked to end travel scamming.[33] [34] In 1996, Beare and Sandra opened an antique store and later a book shop.[7] Her family also ran a Blueberry picking farm called "Beare’s Berries."[35] [36] However, in 2005, Beare returned to journalism and worked as the Gadsden County correspondent for the Tallahassee Democrat; a position she kept until 2011.[7]

Beare died on November 10, 2014, in Tallahassee.[2]

Publications

List of publications:[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NIKKI BEARE . veteranfeministsofamerica.com . March 12, 2019.
  2. Web site: Muriel Nikki Brink Beare . legacy.com . March 11, 2019.
  3. News: Cohen . Howard . Pioneering feminist, Florida Women's Hall of Famer Nikki Beare dies at 86 . March 11, 2019 . Miami Herald . November 20, 2014.
  4. Web site: Beare, Nikki. WorldCat. March 15, 2019.
  5. News: Harakas . Margo . ROXCY'S HERITAGE . March 15, 2019 . Sun-Sentinel . May 26, 1999.
  6. News: GENDER BOOSTERS . March 22, 2019 . Sun-Sentinel . March 27, 1999 . Here in Florida I was one of the "helpers" in the creation of the Florida Women's Consortium, a close friend to Roxcy Bolton, Annette Van Howe, Nikki Beare, Helen Landers and others who have shaped women's recent progress in this state..
  7. Web site: Ensley . Gerald . Florida Women's Hall of Famer Nikki Beare dies at 86 . tallahassee.com . March 11, 2019 . November 11, 2014.
  8. News: Goals Set by Women's Political Caucus . March 11, 2019 . New York Times . July 13, 1971 . Washington.
  9. News: Harakas . Margo . POLITICO PROUD OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE . March 15, 2019 . Sun-Sentinel . April 19, 1987.
  10. Web site: NOW In Florida . fsu.digital.flvc.org . March 23, 2019 . March 25, 1973. 4.
  11. Joan S. Carver . The Equal Rights Amendment and the Florida Legislature . The Florida Historical Quarterly . April 1982 . 60 . 4 . 455–481 . Florida Historical Society. Back-up support for the legislators was provided by the Federation of Business and Professional Women, which used a former house minority leader as its lobbyist, and NOW, which hired feminist Nikki Beare as lobbyist and which sponsored a parade in the state capitol to mobilize support for the amendment. 30149853 .
  12. Web site: newsletter of the national organization for women vol. iv, #1 . fsu.digital.flvc.org . March 15, 2019 . January 1976.
  13. News: ERA Supporter Quits: 'Blackmail . March 21, 2019 . Gaysweek . February 12, 1979 . 4.
  14. News: Catholic women again against ERA . March 22, 2019 . The Voice . February 7, 1975 . Representing the National Organization of Women, Nikki Beare of Miami said the amendment should be ratified in 1975 because "this is the International Year of the Woman.".
  15. Book: Love . Barbra J. . Feminists Who Changed America, 1963-1975 . September 22, 2006 . University of Illinois Press . 9780252031892 . 32–33 . illustrated . registration . nikki beare. . March 12, 2019.
  16. News: Ann Wexler: Woman at White House. Women’s Almanac . Fall 1979 . South Miami, FL, United States.
  17. News: Women's Hearing Set by Ashler Committee . March 11, 2019 . Fort Walton Beach Playground Daily News . July 28, 1976.
  18. News: Harakas . Margo . ADVANCING EQUALITY . March 11, 2019 . Sun Sentinel . March 14, 1999 . She eventually struck back by teaming with Nikki Beare, another Miami women's rights activist, to start "a statewide feminist credit union.".
  19. News: NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN . March 11, 2019 . Gainesville NOW . December 1, 1975.
  20. News: Credit Union OK'd For State Feminists. Sarasota Herald Tribune. Bluefield, West Virginia. October 9, 1975 . 16.
  21. News: Stevens . Mark . Women facing business world problems . March 22, 2019 . The Sunday Register . March 19, 1978 . When the Women's Business Council of Dade Count) Fla . put out the word that a directory of women-owned businesses was being published, some 300 responses were received with very little provocation, says council Vice President Nikki Beare..
  22. Web site: Series IV. Subject Files: Organizations: NWPC (National Women's Political Caucus) (Excludes Publications) . The National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce Records . March 22, 2019 . June 7, 1979.
  23. Web site: Nairobi News Team . Network News . March 21, 2019 . 1985.
  24. News: Altaner . David . BUSINESSWOMEN SPURN IMAGE AS STRICT FEMINISTS . March 15, 2019 . Sun-Sentinel . October 9, 1988.
  25. Web site: Nairobi, Kenya July 8-26,1985 . Network News . March 21, 2019 . August 1985.
  26. News: Associated Press . Bill would help halt travel firm rip-offs Series: Legislature '88 . Tampa Bay Times . April 15, 1988.
  27. News: Norris . Lynette . OUTSTANDING WOMEN TO JOIN HALL OF FAME . March 22, 2019 . Sun-Sentinel . October 23, 1994.
  28. News: Women who helped women make history . Tampa Bay Times . November 22, 1994.
  29. News: FORMER REP. GORDON WILL LEAD FLORIDA WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS . PR Newswire . May 25, 1995 . Taking the oath of office with Gordon were Donna Collins and Kathleen Shaffer (Sarasota) as co-vice presidents of administration; Nikki Beare (Havana, FL) as vice president for policy planning; and Kate Gooderham (Naples) as financial officer..
  30. News: Hosaka . Tomoko . UNRESTRICTED TRAVEL . March 12, 2019 . Washington Post . July 21, 1998.
  31. News: ASTA's Model State Bill Aims To Give Agents Fair Treatment . Travel Agent . November 10, 1997.
  32. News: Sams . Rachel . Florida Small-Business Group Fears Tax Plan. February 20, 2002. Tallahassee Democrat . Small-business owners already spend too much time dealing with paperwork for various government requirements, said Nikki Beare, president of Historical Bookshelf in Havana. Beare, who is also a lobbyist and former owner of a travel agency, was involved in a successful lobbying effort to exempt travel agent services from the proposed sales tax overhaul..
  33. News: State can do little about travel scams . Tampa Bay Times . February 17, 1992. Nikki Beare, a lobbyist for the American Society of Travel Agents, said the group is not opposing registration of agents, in the hope that it will promote public trust of the industry..
  34. News: Kleindienst . Linda . TRAVEL-SCAM BILLS TO TARGET RIP-OFFS . March 22, 2019 . Sun-Sentinel . April 15, 1988 . "It's a terrible thing for people to put money into a vacation and never get there or get there and find themselves registered in the red-light district," said Nikki Beare, a representative of the state's travel agents..
  35. Miklowitz. Linda. 2007. Blueberries are superfoods. NEW LEAF MARKET'S NEWSLETTER. March 22, 2019.
  36. Web site: Tallahassee Community College In The News . tcc.fl.edu . March 22, 2019 . 2010 . Nikki Beare writes about Gadsden County for the Democrat. She and her husband own Beare’s Berries, a you-pick blueberry farm near Havana, and Nikki Beare & Associates Inc., a communications business. She is in Florida’s Women’s Hall of Fame..

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