Next week are the midterm elections, and usher in the possibility of electing more women into leadership positions. Currently, while women make up 51 percent of the population, only 6 out of 50 U.S. governors are women, women hold only 22% of public offices, and make up a mere 20 percent of the U.S. Congress (women of color: 7.1%). This lack of representation keeps women out of the rooms where decisions get made. When we elect more women, we get a better and more diverse conversation about the issues impacting our families and communities.
It’s time we use our vote to support women in leadership and promote gender equity. As Julie Abrams, Founder and CEO of How Women Lead, says in her interview for this campaign, “Women bring a whole community of people along with them. They’re not just out for themselves. Women care for their children, their families, their community in a way that is unique and absolutely moves the entire country forward.” Recognizing the issues impacting American women and pushing for equal representation in leadership is critical to changing how women are represented in our society at large.
That’s why this week, we’re asking you to join our What Will It Take to #RepresentHer campaign and use MTV’s +1 the Vote tool to message a friend and bring them to the polls on November 6! Together, we can use our voices to change the statistics and demand better representation for women and the issues we care about at the voting booth.
Onwards,
Jennifer Siebel Newsom & The Representation Project Team