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Mar 5 2012
Women and the Leadership Gap
Newsweek: The Daily Beast

It’s been almost a half-century since the modern women’s movement began. So why aren’t more women in positions of power? Leslie Bennetts reports.

When a Congressional committee hearing presented an all-male panel of witnesses to discuss female contraception last month, Rep Carolyn Maloney made news by demanding, “Where are the women?”

Apr 9 2012
The War Room with Jennifer Granholm
http://current.com/shows/the-war-room/videos/women-in-politics-its-time-to-step-...
Mar 3 2012
Madison Politiscope: Emerge Wisconsin wants to put more women in elected office
the Capital Times

Americans are terrible at electing women to positions of power.

Since five women were elected to the U.S. Senate in what was dubbed “The Year of the Woman,” in 1992, the representation of women in national politics remains an embarrassment. Of our 100 U.S. senators, only 17 are women. In the House, women constitute 16.8 percent of the membership, or 73 out of 435.

Mar 1 2012
Women in Politics: Why We Need More Women in Office
the Huffington Post

It's not an exaggeration to say "Men Rule," just a statement of fact. What the men actively seeking to subvert women's rights need to understand once and for all is that everything is a "women's issue" and women have had enough.

Feb 29 2012
The Pipeline
The New Yorker

To read The New Yorker article please click here. 

Feb 22 2012
Two more join race for Ward 2 council seat
Las Vegas Review-Journal

Two more candidates with law-and-order experience, albeit from different sides of the system, jumped into the Las Vegas City Council Ward 2 special election race Wednesday.

Bob Chinn, a retired Metropolitan Police Department captain, and Kristine Kuzemka, a public defender, were the last of nine to file candidacy papers seeking to replace Councilman Steve Wolfson, who was appointed Clark County district attorney.

Feb 21 2012
Dixfield Native is Graduate of Program for Democratic Women
the Sun Journal

Lanette Bryant of Dixfield has graduated from Emerge Maine Class of 2012.

Emerge Maine is a program for democratic women who have an interest in running for office. Emerge prepares women to run for office by providing training on campaigning, clean elections and fundraising, networking, public speaking, social media and endorsements. Members of the Emerge Class of 2012 also visited the State House to shadow women legislators and to catch a glimpse of the political process first hand.

Feb 16 2012
What Women Want: A Bigger Piece of the Political Pie
the Washington Times
Feb 11 2012
Study: Female mayors don’t govern differently, but they’re better at being reelected
the Washington Post

Fernando Ferreira and Joseph Gyourko looked at whether female mayors in the United States govern any differently than their male counterparts, examining whether there were substantial differences in policy outcomes, in a new paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research. The short answer is no: 

Jan 31 2012
The Brawl We Won’t Be Seeing Here (Plus: Women Emerge in Maryland)
Center Maryland

Anyone rooting for Maryland to make a difference in the Republican presidential nomination fight had better pray for a closer-than-expected finish in today’s Florida primary.

By all accounts, Mitt Romney is widening the gap over Newt Gingrich in the Sunshine State and should win rather handily. Already you can hear the pundits declaring that Romney has “righted his ship” and will now cruise to the nomination.

Blog Posts

Apr 16 2012
First Responders
From my personal experience, I find that when something needs to get done, women immediately respond by asking, “What can I do to help out?”  We do not sit back and wait, we are already there. 
 
More often than not, women leaders strive for honest and open dialogue and consensus building.  We seek common ground, shoot straight from the hip and are not afraid to have the difficult conversations that lead to informed decision making.
Apr 9 2012
We Must Be Heard
Recently, the local women’s Democratic club I serve on completed its endorsement interviews for the upcoming primary elections.  In the 16 races we considered for endorsement, there are only five women running, comprising just 25 percent of the Democrats running for office in Santa Clara County, continuing a troubling decline of female candidates locally.  The county Board of Supervisors loses its only woman to term limits this year and her successor will most likely be a man.
Apr 9 2012
No Time Like the Present
March provided an opportunity for critical reflection on gender inequality and issues affecting women.  It was a true study in contradiction.  March, as Women’s History Month, was a chance to celebrate the many fierce, female personas who refused to accept the hand they were dealt, refused to stay silent, when their voices needed to ring out for themselves and for others.  
 
My 10-year old daughter did a school report on Mae Jemison , the first female, African-American astronaut.
Mar 27 2012
Sisterhood
 
We are halfway through our Emerge training here in Massachusetts and I have to confess, it’s what is not taught in the curriculum that has impacted me most. 
 
I don’t remember any of our trainers directly speaking to this issue. Nowhere is it clearly defined on the website, and I am absolutely positive we don’t have any handouts on how it works.
Mar 27 2012
Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves
I’m a child of the 70’s.  As a young girl, I knew I could do anything the boys could do.  That feeling has grown stronger over the years and I’m continuously inspired by my Emerge sisters.  Our sisterhood is strong and powerful.  Before, during and after every session, I feel more confident and powerful because of my Emerge sisters and the strength we give each other.  To quote Aretha Franklin and Annie Lennox “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves”.
Mar 9 2012
Baughman, Bhutto, and Me

Thank you, Duane Baughman for changing my life. 

Sounds hyperbolic, but I mean it. Our short interaction was inspiring and I’ll carry that forward with me here. Your documentary film, “Bhutto” has given me an urgency and fearlessness that fuels my drive onward. 

I’ve always been politically active. I’ve always been an engaged voter. I’ve always worked on campaigns. But, up until that moment, I was content to be part of the chorus; never raising my voice singularly on an issue. Up until that moment, I was a behind-the-scenes person. I never wanted to be the person to step out on the ledge and take the risk.

Mar 5 2012
TWO STEPS FORWARD NO STEPS BACK!

As I reflect on this past Black History Month and get ready to celebrate Women's History Month, I am so proud to be part of the Emerge California 2012 Class.  We are 24 women already doing amazing things in our communities and 45.8% of us are African-American, the highest in Emerge California's 10 year history!

Apr 9 2012
Yes We Can, and Yes We Will
Mar 5 2012
The Politics of Pushing up People (Rather than Eating Our Own) by Stephanie Coxe

I sat down to lunch recently with another woman involved in local politics. Not too long ago we’d been adversaries in a hard fought primary campaign and the experience strained our relationship. Truth be told, I repeated some less than flattering words that had been spoken about her. Caught up in the stressful and zealous whirlwind of the campaign, my ideals of the Democratic sisterhood flew out the window when the heat was on and, frankly, I was ashamed of my behavior.

Mar 2 2012
Local Women Matter

I live in Berkeley, and many people here are movers and shakers on a national – or even global – scale.  Within a 15-block radius of my house live Joan Blades and Wes Boyd, founders of MoveOn.Org; Laura D’Andrea Tyson, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers in the Clinton Administration; Robert Reich, Clinton’s Labor Secretary; Michael Pollan, acclaimed author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma (and much more); Alice Waters, founder of Chez Panisse, the Edible Schoolyard and champion of School Lunch reform; Alice Walker – The Color Purple (etc. etc.); Michael Lewis – Moneyball (etc.

Press Releases

May 24 2011
Learn why women don't run for office from a national expert

San Francisco - National leading expert on gender and politics comes to speak to a politically engaged group of legal professionals in San Francisco.

Emerge America's Webinars

Emerge Webinar Series: Dr. Jennifer L. Lawless discusses her brand new report
Webinar File

Dr. Jennifer L. Lawless, a national leader and researcher on women and politics, is the Director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University.

Dr. Lawless discussed her brand new report, Men Rule: The Continued Under-Representation of Women in U.S. Politics. The study, which was co-written with Richard L. Fox, takes a hard look at the substantial gender gap in political ambition that exists today in the United States. They conclude that when women do run for public office, they are just as likely as their male counterparts to win their races.

How and When Do I Respond? The Art of Messaging in Politic Life.
Webinar File
Each day we are barraged with information, news stories and headlines. How can we create the headlines consistent with our values? How can we support national messages around 'hot' topics like choice, reproductive freedom and women's rights? Join us for an informative discussion that shares key resources, strategies and approaches to messaging.
 
Panelists:
 
Ted Miller
Director of Communications and Online Advocacy Strategies
NARAL Pro-Choice America
 
Eric Sapp
Founding Partner of the Eleison Group and
Consultant to Media Matters Action Network
 
Moderator:
 
Wendy Strout
Executive Director
Emerge Wisconsin
The Truth About Voting Rights: Why We Must Protect This Fundamental Right
The Truth About Voting Rights
In the last year, a wave of new legislation has passed around the country that has made it harder for eligible Democratic voters to cast their ballots. As a result, millions of citizens will find it more difficult to participate in the 2012 election.
 
We invite you to join us to learn cutting edge information on:
-The newest social science evidence of voter fraud 
-The country's current landscape for voter identification rules at the polls 
-Voter suppression and how they affect the young, low income, elderly, and communities of color
 
Panelists:
Emilio De Torre
Director of Youth and Programs
ACLU of Wisconsin
 
Anita Johnson
Organizer
Citizen Action of Wisconsin Fund
 
Dr. Lorraine C. Minnite
Author of The Myth of Voter Fraud
Associate Professor
Department of Public Policy and Administration
Rutgers University-Camden
 
Moderator:
Elizabeth Sawyer
Executive Director
Emerge Kentucky

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