Last week I had the amazing opportunity to moderate She Should Run’s National Conversation in Washington DC to help women find a way to run for office.
Their message: Sometimes we need to tap each other on the shoulder and ask one another to run.
Joining me were several brilliant women (and one amazing 12-year-old girl!) who spoke from personal experience about their paths to leadership.
I shared with the audience how the lack of representation of women in the media is what fueled my passion for storytelling and working to create social change.
But when it comes to political and public office – the time for getting women to take a step up and lead is now. We have to find a way to become better represented in our government.
I was thrilled to interview Councilwoman Brianne Nadeau from DC and Representative Susan Brooks from Indiana, both of them leaders with a strong vision for making change in their communities.
“We need more women on the ballot. We need to do better.” – Representative Brooks
“Women make sacrifices everyday … And we have to demonstrate that we’ll make those same sacrifices at work.” – Councilwoman Nadeau
I then interviewed one of the most inspiring 12-year-olds I’ve ever met! Christian Herald.
Christian is an amazing girl. She’s smart, vibrant and full of life. She is a leader in her student council and I’m sure will be our next President one day.
I also had the pleasure to interview the highest-ranking Republican woman in Congress, Cathy McMorris Rogers from the state of Washington. Congresswoman Rogers was elected 11 years ago and has served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
We ended the night interviewing two of my favorite dynamos: Reshma Saujani, CEO of Girls Who Code, and Julie Ann Crommett, Google’s Diversity Manager, to talk about the intersection of politics and technology.
We talked about the need to create systemic change and how we all work from within corporate and political systems to do so. Reshma and Julie Ann agreed that technology can help disrupt the standard playing field of politics by making new and viable candidates more visible and bringing about more diverse voices.
Overall, it was amazing to be in the presence of women and girls who are so motivated to rewrite the narrative for women in leadership roles.
I have to give incredible kudos to the leaders of She Should Run, CEO Erin Loos Cutraro and Executive Director Clare Bresnahan as well as She Should Run’s national board. The theme of the night was #FindAWay – and we did. We found a way to start an important conversation about women in leadership. Now we have to keep that conversation going!
All photos by Neshan H. Naltchayan