November 2021 WPLN Newsletter

Dear friend, 

It's hard to believe that 2021 is nearly over! November is a busy month - with Election Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, this month provides many opportunities for reflecting on everything for which we should be grateful. This year, I want to thank all the women who have chosen public service, whether that's serving their country or serving their community. Our country is better off because of you.

I'm also thankful for each of you for being here and a part of our community. This movement is growing rapidly, spreading across the country to increase women's representation in public office - and it's in large part thanks to your involvement! We are sincerely grateful for your engagement and for stepping forward. Thank you for being an example to others and continuing to change the narrative. Your work makes a difference, and with every election, we get a little closer to a truly reflective government.

Onward,

Larissa

WPLN President and Co-Founder

Thank you to all veterans of our armed forces. Your service and sacrifice has helped preserve the freedoms Americans enjoy day in and day out. According to a 2017 report, women are now the fastest growing cohort within the veteran community. To say thank you, and to help prepare our female veterans for the next step in their public service journey, we are offering an exclusive discount code for our upcoming National Summit. Veterans and active duty service members can use code WESALUTE for 10% off ticket prices. 

We hope you can join ReflectUS and WPLN Director of Development Maureen McInerney TONIGHT (November 17) for a webinar on getting your start in local government! Learn more.

ICYMI: WPLN president Larissa Martinez joined Jennifer Nassour (co-founder of our Massachusetts training partner Pocketbook Project) to discuss why we need more women in public office and how to support women in office! Listen here.

Did you know that you can shop for holiday gifts and support WPLN at the same time -- at no cost to you? When you shop AmazonSmile and use our unique link (or choose Women's Public Leadership Network as your charity in AmazonSmile), Amazon will make a donation to WPLN!

 And if you need holiday gift ideas, check out our WPLN merchandise store for shirts and mugs! Shop here.

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION | "Redistricting’s surprising impact on women": "The best, most comprehensive policies that positively affect the most people are created by reflective decision-makers. This means ensuring more women and individuals with different backgrounds are at these influential tables at every level across the country." Read more.

DETROIT NEWS | "More women are running for office. That's great for both parties": "There’s a new feeling around political campaigns this week, as the swell of women interested in running for office has continued to gain momentum throughout the country. Michigan is no exception. It’s not politics as usual, as a disappointment with polarizing political rhetoric — and frustration with societal and gender disparities exacerbated during COVID-19 — have prompted a shift in the way many women see the future of politics. But female candidates, engaged with their communities and striving to make politics more civil and humane, are the roadmap for the future.". Read more.

THE HILL | "Poll: Less than half of US women satisfied with their treatment in society": "According a recent poll published by Gallup, 44 percent of women are satisfied with their treatment in society compared to 61 percent of men who said the same. Only one third of women, compared to over 60 percent of men, believe that women have equal job opportunities." Read more.

Our fellow ReflectUS coalition member Higher Heights teamed up with Center for American Women and Politics to produce a report titled "Reaching Higher: Black Women in American Politics 2021":

"As we look ahead to the midterm elections, which offer greater opportunities for Black women’s gains in statewide offices where they remain especially underrepresented, it’s important to take stock of Black women’s political successes, the persistent hurdles they faced in the 2020 cycle, the outlook for the 2022 election, and the current levels of Black women’s representation nationwide. In this update, we outline the status of Black women in American politics as of fall 2021, one year ahead of the 2022 election."

Higher Heights President and CEO Glynda Carr told Forbes, “It is a snapshot on the progress being made to elect Black women to political office and this year's research highlights that while Black women have made strides in representation in elected leadership, there is still a tremendous opportunity for growth."

Read more.

And CAWP also recently released a new CAWP Women, Money, and Politics report titled "The Money Race for the State Legislature" that examines donor gender and candidate gender in an analysis of individual contributions to state legislative candidates in the 2020 general election:

"This report examines the status of women state legislative candidates in the 2020 money race. How did women fare? Were women candidates on an equal footing with men financially? How did race and ethnicity interact with gender to shape fundraising experiences? We examine party differences given that women are much better represented as Democratic than Republican state legislators... Studies show that gender and race – as well as the intersection of gender and race – matter for legislative behavior and, ultimately, public policy. Life experiences that are gendered and raced, as well as enhanced relationships with constituents arising from shared identities, can shape legislative activity including bill sponsorship. Because women are a large and diverse group, women from a range of racial/ethnic, immigrant, partisan, ideological, and other identities are needed to fully capture the complexity of women voters. And beyond the impact in state legislatures, women with state legislative experience may go on to seek statewide and federal office including congressional office. Increasing women’s representation at the state legislative level can facilitate gains at higher levels of office."

Read more.

READING | Sisters in Arms: A Novel of the Daring Black Women Who Served During World War II by Kaia Alderson: To honor Veterans Day, we're recommending this historical fiction novel about the only all-Black, all-female battalion deployed overseas during World War II. The 855 women of this battalion helped deliver more than 17 million pieces of mail during the war, and their motto was "no mail, low morale." Earlier this year, the Senate passed a bill that would give the women of the 6888th a Congressional Gold Medal, but it has not yet advanced through the House. Learn more.

WATCHING | Impeachment: American Crime Story, an FX series about the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton: Four years after the #MeToo movement forced the country to reexamine how it treated a 22-year-old intern named Monica Lewinsky, this 10-episode series is diving into the moments surrounding the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton -- focusing on the experiences and perspectives of women like Monica Lewinsky, Linda Tripp, and Paula Jones. FX says its series "shows how power lifts some and disposes of others in the halls of our most sacred institutions." Learn more.

LISTENING TO | Red (Taylor's Version), by Taylor Swift: After trying and failing to purchase the masters to her back catalog, Taylor Swift decided to re-record her first six albums and recently released the re-recording of her 2012 album Red, with several never-before-released songs. With this decision, she broke multiple streaming records, took back ownership of her art, and refused to let men profit from her labor. Not to mention her decision is one that is sure to have rippling effects on the industry and other artists. Learn more.

EXCITED FOR | WPLN 2021 End of the Year report: We are excited for our upcoming 2021 End of the Year Report that showcases the work we've done this year, highlights successes by our partners, and gives a sneak peek of our plans for 2022. To receive one, join one of our Giving Clubs today! Membership will carry over to 2022. Learn more.

• Marion Jones Farquhar, tennis player who in 1900 became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal (November 2)
• Rose Bird, jurist who was the first woman to serve in the California State Cabinet and the first woman Chief Justice of California (November 2)
• Elizabeth P. Hoisington, a U.S. Army officer who was one of the first two women to attain the rank of brigadier general (November 3)
• Evelyn "Mama Bird" Bryan Johnson, aviator who in 1991 passed her 50,000th hour of logged flight time and was named in the Guinness Book of World Records as having accumulated the most flying hours of any woman pilot (November 4)
• Ida Tarbell, writer and investigative journalist (November 5)
• Opal Kunz, aviator who in 1930 became the first woman pilot to race with men in an open competition (November 6)
• Florence Sabin, medical scientist who in 1925 became the first woman elected to the National Academy of Sciences (November 9)
• Hedy Lamarr, actress and inventor whose work is widely considered to have led to the eventual creation of Bluetooth and WiFi (November 9)
• Lilly Pulitzer, entrepreneur and fashion designer (November 10)
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton, suffragist and one of the most prominent leaders of the women's rights movement (November 12)
• Condoleezza Rice, professor and diplomat who was the first woman to serve as National Security Advisor, the second woman Secretary of State, and the first Black woman Secretary of State (November 14)
• Georgia O'Keeffe, artist (November 15)
• Mary Margaret McBride, radio host who was called "the First Lady of Radio" (November 16)
• Winson Hudson, civil rights activist (November 17)
• Anna Pauline Murray, civil rights activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priest (November 20)
• Lillian Copeland, track and field athlete who won Olympic gold medals for the discus throw (November 24)
• Mary Edwards Walker, prisoner of war and civilian Army surgeon who became the first (and only) woman to receive the Medal of Honor for her efforts during the Civil War (November 26)
• Sarah Grimké, abolitionist and suffragist (November 26)
• Dora Strother, aviator and Woman Air Force Service Pilot (WASP) (November 27)
• Helen Magill White, the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in America (November 28)
• Louisa May Alcott, novelist whose novels included Little Women (November 29)
• Nellie Tayloe Ross, politician and the first (and only) woman to have served as governor of Wyoming (November 29)

NOVEMBER 17 | ReflectUS State Network: Getting Your Start in Local Government: The ReflectUS State Network will host a special training TONIGHT on getting your start in local office. During this session, city councilwomen will discuss their experiences in local office, and WPLN’s Director of Development Maureen McInerney will join the panel! Learn more.

NOVEMBER 18 | ReflectUS 2021 Coalition Roundtable: Join the ReflectUS coalition tomorrow for a special reflection on 2021, looking back over the year and discussing how women's representation in the U.S. has advanced -- and where there's still progress to be made. Learn more.

DECEMBER 1 | She Holds the Key holiday party: Join our Michigan training partner She Holds the Key for their holiday party! Learn more.

DECEMBER 1 | CWLA "Women to Watch" cocktail hour and awards ceremony: Join our California training partner California Women's Leadership Association at their "Women to Watch" cocktail hour and awards ceremony! Email cwla@cwla.us for more information and to RSVP.

FEBRUARY 4 and 5 | WPLN Inaugural National Summit: WPLN is holding its inaugural National Summit in New Orleans! Our summit is designed for women from across the country who are engaging at any stage of the political process. 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.