Op-Eds
March 4, 2024
This article by Cynthia Richie Terrell, Harnessing Women’s Power for a Stronger Democracy: Solutions Summit to Take Place March 5-7, was published on Ms. magazine on March 4, 2024.
Every election cycle, we find ourselves asking the same questions: Why are so few women in office? How do we close the representation gap? And how can we include more women in the work to build a stronger democracy? The Democracy Solutions Summit, hosted by RepresentWomen, provides a unique forum to address these challenges head-on. (Register here!)
The facts are stark: Women hold fewer than a third of seats in Congress and state legislatures nationwide. This isn’t just a numbers issue; it’s a symptom of a system still stacked against women. Women face unique obstacles from unconscious bias to structural barriers when running for office.
Years ago, on a Monday morning staff call, fueled by a frustration with a reform movement led largely by men and a surge of optimism, I said, “Why not create our own democracy summit?” It resonated with a profound sense of timeliness and a determination to carve a new path in a system resistant to progress. It was time women led the conversation on American democracy. Women possess a wealth of expertise and a unique understanding of the challenges we face in the political arena. Our perspectives on solutions warrant serious consideration as we strive to build a more representative democracy.
Read the complete article here.
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