Women and Politics

This post was submitted by Jean Qiao, WCF Communications Fellow

Are you a passionate woman committed to ending gender inequality? Do you know a phenomenal woman who has made a true impact in her community or organization that she represents? Are you friends with someone who has demonstrated leadership and commitment to helping women and girls?

Here is your chance to give this person an opportunity to make a difference. Vision 2020, one of WCF’s sister allied organizations is now accepting nominations for delegates who will play an integral role in working toward equality for women. Delegates will attend Vision 2020’s first national conference on October 21-22 of this year.

Vision 2020 is a national project focused on advancing gender equality by energizing the dialogue about women and leadership.

Two women delegates will be selected from each state as well as the District of Columbia. The two-day conference will feature experts from the seven fields that Vision 2020 focuses on: Arts & culture; business, law and finance; communications and media; engineering, science and technology; health; philanthropy, faith and voluntarism; and politics and government. In addition, the chosen delegates will make a three-year commitment to Visions 2020 by attending subsequent conferences following the conference in 2010 as an active participant.

This unique experience will give these women an opportunity to network with professionals in their interested field as well as a chance to utilize their abilities to make a difference.

It is essential to support efforts such as those of Vision 2020, which highlight exceptional women. It has been 90 years since the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote was ratified and there is still much to be done in terms of women’s equality in the political arena.

Deadline for nominations are March 1, 2010 and delegates will be selected and notified by the end of March.

Do not hesitate to give these women you know a chance. 17% of women representative in Congress is not even close to 50%.

Last week, not only did I get to meet with Winsome McIntosh from Rachel’s Network, I also sat down with Marie Wilson from The White House Project. Their work and ideas couldn’t be more important or accurate:

If you could do one thing to change America for the better, what would it be? At The White House Project, we believe that if you add women to the ranks of leadership, you change everything.

I find myself describing Marie Wilson as a three-star general - rarely have I met such a fine strategic mind.

Her accomplishments at White House Project are inarguable. Her commitment to training candidates at all levels, across the country is just what we need. In fact, when I met with her she came with her suitcase, on her way to a training in Alabama.

When I first met with Marie, it was with her board president, Deborah Larkin, who is the nation’s leader on protecting Title IX, the Equal Opportunity in Education Act. I was very honored to have both Debra and Marie support me in my run for Congress.

Marie and I had a deep conversation about the critical need for more collaboration among what I like to call the “nifty fifty” (aka Sister Allied Organizations) – the over 50 organizations around the country that directly or indirectly work to elect more women who support choices.

I look very much forward to continued collaborative work with White House Project. We regularly send our She Should Run nominees to White House Project’s amazing Go Run political trainings.

Thank you, Marie, for your many great years of leadership (including 30 years heading up the Ms. Foundation) - we are all grateful to you.

As part of WCF’s efforts to collaborate with other Sister Allied Organizations, I’m meeting with as many great leaders as possible. I often say that I’m the new kid on the block, and have so much to learn from these women whom I admire greatly for their work.

Last week, I met with Winsome McIntosh and Kate Drummond from Rachel’s Network.

“Rachel’s Network’s mission is to promote women as impassioned leaders and agents of change dedicated to the stewardship of the earth.”

Their sister organization, Rachel’s Action Network, is “dedicated to promoting and supporting women leaders who are advocates for a healthy environment.” Rachel’s Network founder, Winsome McIntosh, is a certified rock star in the environmental world. She has taken her own philanthropic dollars and invested in ensuring that women who care about the environment support it by running for office. She has also undertaken the very brave work of assisting the women electeds on the Hill to connect with one another and develop relationships - so that more meaningful legislation can be drafted to make a difference. She is truly a visionary, which is not an easy role.

WCF worked with Winsome McIntosh on our online bundling project in 2008. It was a great experience for both her and us, because we’re equally committed to helping women influence social change by changing their contribution habits. Our Vote With Your Purse research shows that while women give the majority of charitable dollars in this country, they do no make the connection that investing financially in candidates - especially women candidates that care about the same issues - is essential.

But Winsome McIntosh understands this. Please go visit Rachel’s Network’s website and if the environment is something you care passionately about, this organization is a great fit for you.

WCF and I look forward to working with them in the future.