September 2021 WPLN Newsletter

Dear friend, 

This month marks the 20th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001. We will always mourn those who we lost and remain thankful to those who answered the call to serve that day and for decades after.

I'd like to begin this newsletter by honoring some of the notable women who were on the ground during 9/11 or became powerful advocates afterwards. The 19th wrote about firefighter Brenda Berkman, who has fought to raise awareness of the women first responders on the front lines during 9/11, while other outlets heralded the courage and heroic actions of American Airlines Flight 11 attendant Betty Ong and Air Force Lt. Heather Penney.

I hope we have all been able to find value in the hope, resiliency, and unity that was expressed during that time.

Onward,

Larissa

WPLN President and Co-Founder

Save the date! WPLN is planning to hold its inaugural 2022 National Summit in New Orleans on February 4 and 5. This summit is designed for women from across the country, no matter which stage of the political process they're engaged in. We'll have three training tracks from attendees to choose from, depending on their journey: 1) Current or future candidates, 2) current elected or appointed officeholders, and 3) women and others working to grow and sustain the network. We'll also have content available for partners or families along on the journey, including childcare. And Friends of WPLN and Rankin Circle Members will have access to exclusive discounts for tickets. Click here for more details.

And each quarter, WPLN offers an exclusive opportunity for our supporters to hear from experts on current events, by joining WPLN's Rankin Circle. Our next event is tomorrow, September 22, on redistricting and its implications and will feature Dr. Charles Bullock and Dr. Karen Owen. This event is open only to WPLN Rankin Circle Members. Single event and young professionals pricing is available. Click here to learn more!

Congratulations to Dr. Karen Owen, Executive Director of our Georgia training partner VoteHer, who has been selected to receive the 2021 Public Engagement Award from the American Political Science Association's Women, Gender, and Politics Research Section. Karen will be the first-time recipient of this award and will be recognized for her commitment to public outreach and public service as it relates to the advancement of women in politics. She'll receive the award later this month.

And congratulations to WPLN Board Member Joel Noyes, who was selected as a finalist in ALLY Energy's 5th Annual GRIT Awards and Best Energy Workplaces, out of nearly 400 nominations. Winners will be announced next month -- good luck, Joel!

MISSOURI TIMES | "Show me commitment to women in political leadership": "Representative democracy is important because laws are being made that affect every person, not just those in the most populous places. It is past time to recognize that women belong at all decision-making tables and that there are qualified women waiting to serve on local boards and commissions. ... we have to take women’s representation seriously and prioritize women’s political leadership." Read more.

ASSOCIATED PRESS | "9 women now serving as governors in US, tying a record": "There are now nine women serving as governor in the U.S. That ties a record that was set in 2004 and matched in 2007 and 2019, but it’s still well shy of gender proportionality." Read more.

THE FULCRUM | "Why are disabled women so underrepresented in American politics?": "Today, 25 percent of American adults experience some type of disability, and the Disabled community continues to grow. ... Despite this, the number of disabled politicians is a staggeringly low 10 percent of sampled U.S. elected officials. Women with disabilities are even more invisible. Although the CDC has found disability is more prevalent among women than men, Disabled women experience roughly double the rate of electoral underrepresentation than their male counterparts." Read more.

FORBES | "Kathy Hochul is now one of nine female governors, but narrowing gender gap requires less scrutiny": "Women still trail far behind men in holding gubernatorial positions. The delayed and yet-to-come gender parity in politics, according to researchers, can be attributed to scrutiny and unfair stereotyping, while toning down on this and instituting policy that better accommodates female candidates may help narrow the wide gap." Read more.

Our fellow ReflectUS coalition member RepresentWomen recently released a report studying Disabled women in American politics and government:

"Our 2021 report, Intersectional Disempowerment: Exploring Barriers for Disabled Female Political Candidates in the United States presents an introduction to the topic of Disabled women's political participation in America, the barriers they face as candidates, and how well-designed structural reforms can help to make the political process more accessible for all."

Read more.

READING | Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy: Harvard professor Michael Wheeler says, "Amy Cuddy shows how to summon your true and best self when doing so matters most. Emotions are contagious. If you personify poise and optimism yourself, you enhance the odds that they will respond in kind." And WPLN Director of Communications Sunita Theiss highly recommends Amy's TED talk, too! Learn more.

WATCHING | Sandra Day O'Connor: The First, a PBS documentary about Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor: 40 years ago, President Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court, and the Senate unanimously confirmed her. On September 13, PBS premiered a documentary about the life and achievements of the legal trailblazer. Learn more.

LISTENING TO | Billie Jean King on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast: Tennis pioneer Billie Jean King recently joined actor and comedian Marc Maron on his podcast to discuss fighting for equality, mental health, and advice for athletes today. We also loved Billie Jean's recent New Yorker interview, in which she astutely pointed out, "One thing I want to stress here is that, when a woman leads, she leads for everyone. What people do to us is, when a woman leads, we lead only for women, for change just for women — that’s what people say. ... 'Oh, look what you did for women.' No, no, no. You guys, when I lead, I lead for everyone." Learn more.

EXCITED FOR | September events and observances like Hispanic Heritage Month, Constitution Day, and WPLN's Legislative Series: September is a busy month! The United States honors Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 and Constitution Day on September 17 — keep an eye out for your community's celebrations of these events! And WPLN's Legislative Series will resume on September 24!

• 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)
• Delilah Leontium Beasley, historian and newspaper columnist who was the first Black American woman to publish a regular column in a major metropolitan newspaper (September 9)
• 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)
• Sarah Delany, educator and civil rights activist (September 19)
• 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)

FYI: Applications for the Louisiana Women Lead Class of 2021 are now open and the application deadline has been extended! This candidate training will equip you with everything you need to know inside and outside of a campaign and will take place on October 16 from 8am - 5pm. Learn more.

SEPTEMBER 22 | WPLN RANKIN CIRCLE EVENT: Dr. Charles Bullock and Dr. Karen Owen will join the WPLN Rankin Circle to discuss redistricting and its implications for our national political landscape. This event is open only to WPLN Rankin Circle Members. Learn more.

SEPTEMBER 24 | VoteHer Fall Candidate Training Sessions: Join our Georgia training partner VoteHer for their candidate training series VoteHer In: Georgia Women Lead in September and October. These four sessions will help women decide if running for office is right for them, what to expect and consider when running for office, how to legally file and logistically set up a campaign, how to build one’s message and communicate effectively, and how to fundraise. The first session took place on September 10, and the remaining sessions are on September 24, October 1, and October 15. Learn more.

SEPTEMBER 28 | Pocketbook Project Launch Party: Join our Massachusetts training partner Pocketbook Project for their launch party on September 28! Learn more.

OCTOBER 7 | Colorado Women's Alliance celebrates 10 years! The Colorado Women's Alliance is celebrating its 10-year anniversary on October 7th and is inviting you to join! The event will feature world-renowned rally racer Renée Brinkerhoff, a silent auction, and more. Learn more.

OCTOBER 12 | Virginia Conservative Women's Coalition "Do You Want to Work for an Elected Official?": Join our Virginia training partner Virginia Conservative Women's Coalition to learn about working in a public office! This discussion will include current and former staffers for local, state, and federal officials. Learn more.

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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.