Dear friend, 

It's almost here: WPLN's second National Summit is next month!

Not only are you invited, but so are all the strong women in your own life — whether that's your sister, your mom, your daughter, your best friend... or all of them. The more, the merrier!

And it's for that reason that we are offering a family discount! Use the code MOTHER-DAUGHTER at checkout for a $100 discount on Family Registration. Moms and daughters will both get access to our full slate of programs and speakers!

Because our summit is for all women, and it's specifically designed to meet every woman wherever she is on her political journey. Maybe you just want to meet more women who inspire and empower you. Or maybe you want to get more involved in your community. Or maybe you look around at the politicians across the country and think you'd be a more productive leader and public servant.

Whatever your reason, the #WPLNSummit is for you!

I am so excited to join this amazing network of women leaders in San Diego for some inspiration and sun, I'm already counting down the days. See you in 22 days!

Onward,

Larissa

WPLN President and Co-Founder

We recently announced four more speakers for the #WPLNSummit:

• Former Congresswoman Mimi Walters will join us for our Profiles in Leadership Luncheon! Attendees will have the opportunity to hear her speak about her experience serving as a U.S. Congresswoman and state legislator.
• Mayor Rebecca Jones of San Marcos, who served on the City Council for more than 10 years and was elected Mayor in 2018 and again in 2022, will help lead a session on economic and community development.
• WPLN Board Member and Principal of Sarver Strategies Jenifer Sarver will lead a session on speaking with confidence. Confidence is key in any career and industry, including leadership and politics!
• Darian Z. Harris of Advantage Capital is an expert on economic development, public policy, and public finance initiatives at state and local levels. He will help lead a session on economic and community development.

Buy your ticket to the #WPLNSummit today!

This week, WPLN announced the new members of our National Impact Council! Meet the 8 women who'll join the National Impact Council. Interested in joining? Click here!

One way to celebrate #Women'sHistoryMonth in March? By treating yourself and the women in your life to items that will motivate you to lead! Check out WPLN's Women's History Month gift guide.

WPLN President Larissa Martinez and WPLN Board Vice Chair Valerie Dowling joined "Politics Unequal: The State of Women in Elected Office," along with She Should Run's Erin Loos Cutraro, TIME's Molly Ball, and The Ascend Fund's Abbie Hodgson. They discussed why women remain underrepresented in elected office, despite significant strides in terms of representation and breaking glass ceilings. Watch the discussion.

For WPLN's #TipsFromTheTrail, WPLN Director of Development Maureen McInerney interviewed Vice Mayor and Councilwoman Roxy Ndebumadu, who spoke about the reason she decided to run and how mentorship has impacted her career. Read more.

For WPLN's March #LeadershipSpotlight, WPLN team member Andeliz Castillo interviewed the Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. The former congresswoman broke many glass ceilings, achieving many firsts. Read more.

Lastly, check out these blog posts from three of our WPLN Fellows!

• Georgia Polemenakos asks, "Remember the ladies? How could we forget them?"
• Delaney Ward explains why this year's Women's History Month theme led her to celebrate "Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor's inspiring story."
• Caroline Richardson takes "a look at what issues Virginia conservative female legislators fought for this session."

GENDER ON THE BALLOT | "Republican Women Who Have Run for President": "Former Governor Nikki Haley announced her run for president last week, becoming the first former woman governor to run for president and the first Asian American woman to run as a Republican. According to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, Haley is the 24th 'prominent woman' to run for president, and the fifth who is a Republican. Here’s a look back at the previous four GOP women who sought the Oval Office." Read more.

POLITICO | "Political ‘mamas’ have a child care problem": "American lawmakers across the country are catching up on the hot issue they cannot afford to ignore any longer: unaffordable child care. But instead of focusing on the corporate workplace, lawmakers are targeting a different kind of work environment: the campaign trail." Read more.

WASHINGTON POST | "Single women take an outsize role in the workforce — and the economy": "More women than ever are single, a new report says — and that has significant implications for the U.S. economy. Single women — who are postponing marriage or forgoing it altogether — are a growing economic force, accounting for a larger share of growth in the job market, homeownership and college degrees, according to an analysis of federal data." Read more.

NEW YORK TIMES | "Fathers gained family time in the pandemic. Many don’t want to give it back": "For these fathers, the pandemic offered a chance to reorganize their lives to be more involved in family life — and now, they don’t want to give it up." Read more.

To celebrate #Women'sHistoryMonth, USA TODAY highlights some historic women in American history and the glass ceilings they broke, including the first women elected to Congress, to serve as governor, to be a White House cabinet member, to be a Supreme Court justice, to be a major-party vice presidential nominee, and more:

• “I may be the first woman member of Congress,” said Representative Jeannette Rankin in 1917. “But I won’t be the last." (Check out our Jeannette Rankin merch at our Bonfire store!)
• Some notable firsts occurred with women replacing their husbands in office.
• In 1869, Wyoming was the first state to allow women to vote and hold office.

Read more.

READING | The Book of Awesome Women: Boundary Breakers, Freedom Fighters, Sheroes & Female Firsts by Becca Anderson: For far too much of human history, women's accomplishments have gone unnoticed or overlooked. In honor of Women's History Month, we wanted to learn more about women who shattered glass ceilings, made a difference, or refused to be held back. Learn more.

WATCHING | Everything Everywhere All at Once: Everything Everywhere All at Once is a 2022 film that follows Chinese-American Evelyn Quan Wang, played by Michelle Yeoh. It is now estimated to be the most awarded film of all time, and 60-year-old Michelle Yeoh became the first openly Asian woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. In her acceptance speech, she declared, "Ladies, never let anyone tell you you are past your prime." Learn more.

LISTENING TO | "Could Nikki Haley Actually Win The GOP Nomination?" FiveThirtyEight Politics Podcast: Nikki Haley is the first woman of color to run for the Republican nomination and would be the first woman, as well as the first Asian American, to lead the Republican ticket if she wins the nomination. Learn more.

EXCITED FOR | Take Your Child to Work Day on April 27: Once known as "Take Your Daughter to Work Day," this day now includes daughters and sons. WPLN knows that it's important for our daughters and our sons to understand their mother's lives — and to learn that a woman's place can be anywhere and a woman's role can be anything!

• Susanna Salter, politician and first woman to be elected mayor in the United States (March 2) 

• Clare Boothe Luce, congresswoman from California who became the first American woman appointed to a major ambassadorial post abroad (March 10)

• Sandra Day O'Connor, a Supreme Court Justice and the first woman of six to ever serve on the Court (March 26)

Visit our website to see the other women trailblazers and leaders who were born in March.

APRIL 4 | California Women’s Leadership Association's Rooftop Conversations on Women, Economics, and Development: Join our California training partner California Women’s Leadership Association for a conversation with U.S. Representative Michelle Steel and State Senator Janet Nguyen! Learn more.

APRIL 12 | Louisiana Women Lead's Political Jeopardy: Join our Louisiana training partner Louisiana Women Lead for a night of political jeopardy! Lawmakers and elected officials will be tested on their political knowledge of Louisiana. Will the women of Louisiana win or will the men? Learn more.

APRIL 21 - 23 | WPLN's National Summit in San Diego, California: Time is running out to purchase your ticket and book your discounted room! Our National Summit is an opportunity to meet and connect with likeminded women leaders from across the country. We hope you'll join us! Learn more.

Support WPLN programs and resources by making a contribution today!

Women’s Public Leadership Network (WPLN) is a non-profit organization organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent provided by law.