September 2022 WPLN Newsletter

Dear friend, 

While the months of September and October usually make people think of changing leaf colors and pumpkin spice lattes, I associate these months with the final prep for Election Day... and since you're reading this, you likely do, too!

One way that WPLN is preparing for the 2022 Midterm Elections is through our upcoming Election Preview on October 12! We'll sit down with experts to discuss some of the most interesting races this year — including the local, state, and federal races where center- and right-leaning women could make history.

The cost of this event is just $25 — and if you register by September 30, you'll also receive access to one of our follow-up election events. I hope you can join us! 

Onward,

Larissa

WPLN President and Co-Founder

Congratulations to WPLN's first ever class of Fellows! Four young women were selected for this Fellowship out of more than 500 applicants:

• Karina Rosas (Pepperdine University)
• Georgia Polemenakos (Suffolk University)
• Caroline Richardson (University of Georgia)
• Delaney Ward (Grand Valley State University)

The Fellows will support the work of four early-stage, women-led nonprofit training organizations: Louisiana Women Lead, Pocketbook Project in Massachusetts, VoteHer Georgia, and She Holds the Key in Michigan. Learn more.

Save the date... for our 2023 WPLN National Summit! Our Summit provides you with the opportunity to connect with women throughout our network. Our 2023 Summit is in San Diego from April 21-23, and we don't want you to miss it — sign up here to receive more exclusive updates and details.

Every September 17, the U.S. celebrates Constitution Day to mark the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution. Since WPLN knows that support systems are critical, we also wanted to celebrate the women behind the 39 delegates who signed the Constitution. Click here to read our blog post on those women.

BLOOMBERG | "Serena Williams forever changed how brands see female athletes": "As viewership and support continues to grow for women’s sports, brands are prepared to continue investing in female athletes and leagues." Read more.

BIZWOMEN | "Study: Women move up the executive ranks faster than men, but often stall before they get to the top": "Just a decade ago, U.S. companies were poised to make some serious progress toward improving gender diversity at the executive level, the report found. Then the pandemic hit." Read more.

YAHOO | "Melinda French Gates says there are 'too many men on Capitol Hill' ": " 'We are the only industrialized country that doesn’t have a robust paid family medical leave policy, and that just shouldn’t be,' French Gates says. 'But you have to be frank: There are too many men with seats of power still on Capitol Hill in the United States.' Women and people of color need to hold more congressional seats to pass the right policies to families in the U.S., she continues." Read more.

More in Common is an initiative dedicated to addressing the factors that drive polarization and building more united and resilient societies. As part of its research into the American identity, it recently released a report titled "Remembering the Post-9/11 America."

According to the report, "for many Americans, the period immediately after the 9/11 attacks exemplifies the sense of unity and mutual support that they wish to see in the country nowadays."

Another finding was that "most Americans feel proud to be American and accepted in U.S. society. American pride in fact correlates with feelings of acceptance."

The findings from this report provide one reason why #RepresentationMatters: If people feel they are represented in their communities, they are more likely to feel like they belong — and that they are accepted.

Read more.

READING | Change: How to Make Big Things Happen by Damon Centola: If you want to learn how to effect social change — like encouraging more women to seek public office for a seat at decision-making tables! — this book is a must-read. Learn more.

WATCHING | The Rings of Power on Amazon Prime Video: This new fantasy television series is based off of the works by J.R.R. Tolkien and set before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. One of the plotlines follows the elf Galadriel, who believes that Middle-earth is in danger from the evil of Sauron. We're excited to watch Galadriel's journey from a reckless and ambitious young elf to the seasoned elder statesman we meet in Lord of the Rings! Learn more.

LISTENING TO | Her Dinero Matters podcast by Jen Hemphill: This bilingual podcast is for any woman who want more confidence about their finances and how to handle them. We chose this podcast this month not only because the U.S. celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 through October 15, but also because there are new reports that women's financial health is at a 5-year low — and every woman should be equipped with the knowledge to pursue a healthy financial lifestyle. Learn more.

EXCITED FOR | Latinas Represent Summit on October 8: As members of the ReflectUS Coalition, we are proud partners of the Latinas Represent Summit. Together, we hope to increase the number and diversity of Latinas in public service. Join us on October 8 for a virtual one-day event focused on energizing, connecting, and encouraging everyone who cares about changing the political landscape to take action. Register here.

• Liliʻuokalani, the only queen regnant and the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom (September 2)
• Dixy Lee Ray, scientist and Washington state's first woman governor (September 3)
• Mary Parker Follett, social worker and management consultant who has been called "the mother of modern management" (September 3)
• Marguerite Higgins, reporter, war correspondent, and first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for Foreign Correspondence (September 3)
• Amy Beach, composer and pianist who became the first American woman to compose and publish a symphony (September 5)
• Jane Addams, reformer and social worker who co-founded Chicago's Hull House and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (September 6)
• Catharine Beecher, educator and activist for female education (September 6)
• Zelia Nuttall, archaeologist and anthropologist (September 6)
• Louise Suggs, professional golfer who co-founded the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) (September 7)
• Ruby Bridges, civil rights activist who was the first Black child to desegregate her elementary school in 1960 (September 8)
• Alice Brown Davis, the first woman Principal Chief of the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma (September 10)
• Mary Watson Whitney, astronomer (September 11)
• Louise Boyd, explorer and the first woman to fly over the North Pole (September 16)
• Mabel Vernon, suffragist who helped organize the "Silent Sentinels" protests (September 19)
• Victoria Woodhull, suffragist who ran for president in 1872 and is considered the first woman to run for the presidency (September 23)
• Mary Church Terrell, suffragist and civil rights activist who helped found the National Association of Colored Women (September 23)
• Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, suffragist and civil rights activist who helped found the National Association of Colored Women and was among the first Black women to be published in the United States (September 24)
• Christine Todd Whitman, first (and so far only) woman governor of New Jersey (September 26)
• Janice Kay Brewer, fourth woman governor of Arizona (September 26)
• Madeleine May Kunin, first (and so far only) woman governor of Vermont and the first Jewish woman to be elected governor in the United States (September 28)
• Caroline Yale, educator and deaf education pioneer (September 29)

SEPTEMBER 28 | She Holds the Key training session: "Building Your Resume By Being Appointed": Join our training partner She Holds the Key tomorrow for a session on how to build your resume by joining a public board or commission. This session provides an opportunity to learn how to have a seat at decision-making tables without having to be elected. Learn more.

OCTOBER 4 | VoteHer Georgia Networking: Join our Georgia training partner VoteHer Georgia for a free training session on effective networking best practices. This event will be hosted by Karen Owen, VoteHer Executive Director; Canton City Councilmember JoEllen Wilson; and Mercedes Blackwood, WPLN Director of Strategic Impact. Learn more.

OCTOBER 8 | Latinas Represent Summit: There are 30 million Latinas in the U.S. but less than 2% are in elected offices. This needs to change! That's why we are an official partner of the Latinas Represent Summit. Join us for this virtual event on October 8 in uplifting the voices of Latina community leaders, politicians, and businesswomen as they discuss the current state of Latinas in U.S. politics and more. Learn more.

OCTOBER 12 | WPLN Election Preview: Women to Watch: Join WPLN as we preview the upcoming 2022 Midterm Election! We'll sit down with experts to highlight some of the most interesting local, state, and federal races where center- and right-leaning women could make history. The cost of this event is just $25 — and if you register for this event by September 30, you also gain access to one of our five regional election recap events, November 29 - December 1, 2022. Learn more.

OCTOBER 18 | Pocketbook Project presents a Speaker Series and Networking Event: Join our Massachusetts training partner Pocketbook Project for their event featuring Eileen P. McAnneny from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. There will be cocktails and apps! Email team@pocketbookproject.org for more details. 

OCTOBER 18 | Virginia Conservative Women's Coalition Campaign Communications 101: Join our Virginia training partner Virginia Conservative Women's Coalition to explore the ins and outs of campaign communications! Victoria LaCivita, Communications Director for Attorney General Jason Miyares, will talk about how to build a communications strategy. The discussion will range from the best way to introduce voters to you and your ideas, to social media best practices and dealing with the press. Learn more.

NOVEMBER 15 | Colorado Women's Alliance "Wine and Wind Down": Join our Colorado training partner Colorado Women's Alliance to "Wine and Wind Down with Women of the Airwaves." Learn more.

APRIL 21-23, 2023 | WPLN's National Summit: Don't miss this opportunity to connect with women leaders! Join us in sunny California next April — we're already counting down the days! Sign up to receive more details.

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.