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Chicago Public Library Sun Sep 15 2013
Calling All Lady Leaders: Women in Politics Panel @ Harold Washington Library Center
Politician and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton once said, “Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.”
Fictional Parks and Recreation politician Leslie Knope once said, “Maybe it’s time for more women to be in charge.” And then probably said something about waffles.
While perhaps the real-world influence of these two women is disparate (one a fictional* television character, the other a diplomat who has traveled to and managed relations in over 112 countries), the messages of both ring true. As of 2011, only 18.3% of the seats in Congress were held by women; a percentage whose growth has slowed significantly over the last decade. Considering that women constitute more than half the U.S. population, it’s past time that we achieved proportionate representation.
Looking to be a part of the change?
This Tuesday at 6pm, Harold Washington Library and the NRDC Action Fund will host an impressive panel of female leaders, including Frances G. Beinecke, President of the NRDC Action Fund and Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General, as they discuss the role of women in local and national politics. The panel will be moderated by Chicago-based author Rebecca Sive, whose book, Every Day is Election Day: A Woman’s Guide to Winning Any Office, from the PTA to the White House offers resources and tools for women seeking public leadership at any scale. Aspiring leaders of all kinds: come out to Harold Washington Library Center this Tuesday to discover how you too can take part in politics.
*Fictional, though still a potential political role model. To paraphrase Gandhi, be the Knope that you wish to see in the world.
