1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,479 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Emily and you're listening to stuff Mom 2 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: never told you, And today I am so excited to 3 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 1: ask a prediction question as we look at the new 4 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: year we're rolling out before us, will, especially the election 5 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: cycle of produce another so called Year of the Woman. 6 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: That's the compelling question we want to dare I say 7 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: unpack today and we're gonna be joined by a friend 8 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: of mine, a really awesome guest too, you'll hear from 9 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: later this episode. But first let's talk about what that means, 10 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: the Year of the Woman. What is that? Perhaps you've 11 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: heard this term thrown around and perhaps you know that 12 00:00:55,360 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: it refers to nineteen two Woden tripled their numbers in 13 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: the Senate, which sounds awesome until you look at the 14 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: fact that we went from having to senators as women 15 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 1: serving out of one U S senators to a whopping 16 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: six and actually Barbara Boxer Pendant op ed for USA 17 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: today that kind of looked back almost sheepishly on nine 18 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: two being called the Year of the Woman. I mean, 19 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 1: she was part of the Year of the Woman in 20 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: ninety two when she and Haanne Feinstein became the first 21 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: two female senators elected for many one state and yes, 22 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: she acknowledges they triple their numbers in the Senate, but 23 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 1: going from two to six out of hundred is not 24 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 1: exactly something to brag about. Looking back on it, she says, 25 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,119 Speaker 1: calling ninety two the Year of the Woman was an overstatement, 26 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: and after much hype, everyone focused on other things. I 27 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: can see how you would be really really excited, thinking, yeah, 28 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: we are going to do this, this is our time, 29 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: and then being like, what happened, y'all? I thought this 30 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: was our year, Like we went from a small number 31 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: to another small number, and sort of feeling a little 32 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: bit underwhelmed. That's why I really really hope that actually 33 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 1: will be a resurgence of the Year of the Woman. 34 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 1: And there's reason to draw a parallel there as well. 35 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 1: Despite its modesty, the Year of the One in ninety 36 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: two was still historic. And what's interesting in terms of 37 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: looking at the parallels of today is that it followed 38 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: Professor Anita Hill going public with her story of humiliation 39 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: and verbal abuse at the hands of her then boss, 40 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: Clarence Thomas during his confirmation hearings to become a sitting 41 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: member of our Supreme Court, and looking at movements like 42 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: me too, it does seem like a similar trajectory where 43 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: we are following this wave of women speaking out about 44 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: their experiences with sexual misconducts and men and powerful positions, 45 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 1: and if you look at the last primary and election cycle, 46 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: it does seem mike a little bit of a hopeful 47 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 1: moment for a reckoning power. It's like a powder keg. 48 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: And what's interesting is today the hashtag me too is 49 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: demonstrating that we are actually listening to and believing women 50 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: who are speaking out about this stuff, as opposed to 51 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 1: Anita Hill's case, which did lead to the confirmation of 52 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 1: Clarence Thomas being a member of our Supreme Court, almost 53 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: like the commander in chief of ours that we have 54 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: at the moment being ushered into the halls of power 55 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: just bite bragging about sexual assault. And back in the 56 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: senators who were grilling Professor Hill and really producing kind 57 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: of a character assassination during the Clarence Thomas trials, they 58 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: prohibited three other women from testifying who would have corroborated 59 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: Anita's story and treated her with disrespect from both sides 60 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: of the aisle. That led to understandable outrage and anger 61 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: on behalf of a lot of women on a country 62 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: which led to that historic, though modest doubling in. And 63 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: doesn't that feel like the powder keg and the moment 64 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: of reckoning that we're in right now, of righteous anger 65 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: provoking revolution? God? I hope so, because we've been waiting 66 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: for long enough. I'm really hoping this is the moment 67 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: that women all stand up and use our powerful voices 68 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:19,279 Speaker 1: and those voices are heard and believed and listened to exactly. Sadly, 69 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: the number of women who have been holding public office 70 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: is held pretty steady in recent years, barely breaking the 71 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:29,600 Speaker 1: twenty mark, even though we represent obviously fifty plus percent 72 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: of the US population. But a lot of experts agree 73 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: that the conditions are ripe for a significant increase in 74 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 1: two thousand and eighteen, especially as more politicians are forced 75 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: to step down or retire amid the growing me too movement. 76 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: We've already seen four congressmen announced plans to retire or 77 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: not seek reelection following allegations, and that doesn't even include 78 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: Senator Al Franken, who immediately stepped down whether or not 79 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 1: he really wanted to write. Yeah, what this really says 80 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: to me is something I've been getting on my high 81 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: horse about on the show a lot, which is that 82 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,720 Speaker 1: we need more women and less men to have these 83 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: kinds of things be combated. And I really hope that 84 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: this is the reckoning a moment where more women start saying, hey, 85 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: maybe give us a chance for a while to see 86 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 1: if we can do a better job of running the stuff, 87 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: because all these men can't seem to keep it in 88 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: their pants long enough to even get the chance to 89 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: a lot of experts are seeing more women further hat 90 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: into the ring and plan to run for office this 91 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: year than ever before. And it's not just Democrats that 92 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: we're talking about here. First time Republican and Libertarian women 93 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: candidates are also jumping into the mix. In fact, Republicans 94 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: launched an effort back in two thousand twelve that's focused 95 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: on specifically electing more women. It's called the Right Women, 96 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 1: Right Now Program, and since the initiative was started, three 97 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: new GOP women have been elected. So we know that 98 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: the numbers are far in balanced when it comes to 99 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 1: women's equal representation in this country, including on the local level. 100 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: Only state legislators are women. So we want to take 101 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 1: a closer look at not only how the conditions are 102 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: even better now than they were in ninety two for 103 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 1: more women to get elected on the local and federal level, 104 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: but some of the organizations behind equipping women with the 105 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: skills to run for public office and win. And we're 106 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: going to talk to our good friend Aaron Valarti from 107 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 1: Vote Run Lead after this quick break and a word 108 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: from our sponsors, and we're back, and we are so 109 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: excited to be joined by Aaron Valarti, the founder, CEO, 110 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: and executive director of Vote Run Lead, a national nonprofit 111 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: leveraging technology and training to accelerate the number of women 112 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: across the political spectrum in civic and political leadership. Aaron, 113 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: thank you so much for joining us for today's conversation. 114 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: Thank you. So As Bridge and I are looking at eighteen, 115 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: we are asking ourselves, is this going to be another 116 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: year of the woman? Alaho Allah Post, Anita Hill, how 117 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: do you think this year is shaping up in terms 118 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: of the women you're training to run for office and 119 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: get more engaged in politics. I think the Year of 120 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: the Woman has a lot of similarities to what we're 121 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: going to see in eighteen, but I think there's some 122 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: unique comparisons that we also need to be aware of. 123 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: One of the first things that happened was that there 124 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: were tons and tons of open seats, meaning that women 125 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: weren't running against incumbents. They were actually running against you know, 126 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: someone who was also probably running for that seat for 127 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: the first time. So there's a huge advantage there, and 128 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: that's something we need to really look at closely in 129 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: our democracy. How many actually open seats are there going 130 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: to be. Now, jerrymandering and redistricting is critically important because 131 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: that has actually made seats really safe. We're in incumbents 132 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,679 Speaker 1: are getting reelected over and over again, and an incumbent 133 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: is some who's just sitting in that seat and is 134 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: eligible to run again. So that's one of the things 135 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: that's a big differentiator is that they're likely aren't going 136 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 1: to be the same number of open seats, so you 137 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: are beginning to see some serious retirements happen um and 138 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: that will help. So you know, I've been kind of 139 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: hilariously doing a national call to men to retire, so 140 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: they can go right ahead and retire. That'd be really great, 141 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: It will really help us with repeat But in the 142 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: you know a lot of similarities in the sense that 143 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: women are piste off and they're looking around and going 144 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: how did we get these systems this way in which 145 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: you know, we're not able to get justice, in which 146 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:37,199 Speaker 1: people are getting away with things that UM, are slowing down, 147 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: our careers, are keeping us under, you know, a thumb. 148 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: And when it comes to public policy, and they're seeing power, um, 149 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 1: and they're looking at politics again in a way that says, hey, 150 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: I can do that, um. And that's I think what saw. 151 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: So you won't see the same jumps which were like 152 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:53,599 Speaker 1: doubling and tripling doubling in the Senate. But that was 153 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 1: only like something like to six or eight, right, so 154 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: you're not going to let me go to forty. UM. 155 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: So you won't see the same kind of percentage jumps, 156 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 1: but you will, I think see um, a larger increase 157 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: also in the number of women of color who are 158 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:10,559 Speaker 1: running for Congress and UM. You know that was something 159 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: that was a positive coming out of the elections, was 160 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: also the number of women of color and in Congress 161 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: and in the Senate. I'm curious, why do you think 162 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: that is. I've been so so excited to see more 163 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 1: women of color and what feels like a more inclusive 164 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: political climate. Why do you think that is? Why do 165 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 1: you think that's been part of this moment. Two reasons. 166 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 1: I think that women of color are stepping up in 167 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 1: a way that Um One, the March was a very visible, 168 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: um and honest assessment where the leadership of the women's 169 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,839 Speaker 1: movement like skipped a generation. So we went from the 170 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: sort of you know, glorious dynam era to all of 171 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 1: a sudden, we had women in their twenties and thirties 172 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: running this movement, women like Todd the digital team for 173 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: the March on Washington, the Women's March last year. And 174 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: the generational stuff is huge, Like the younger women just 175 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: get it in a different way. Um Maybe it's because, 176 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: you know, we were raised by different moms. Maybe it's 177 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: just culturally we've seen a lot more like women and 178 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:10,719 Speaker 1: women of color and TV and films. You know, I 179 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: don't know, there's a lot of reasons for it, but 180 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: like we are just coming at this like, yep, we 181 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 1: got this, trust us, we can do it. Yeah, we 182 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 1: know it's going to be hard, you know, and I'm 183 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: going to bring along this like diverse coalition with me. 184 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: So I think there's really something about that generational shift 185 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: where we kind of miss that in like feminist literature 186 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: about young women and We know this about millennials. You know, 187 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 1: we're much we have much more diverse groups of friends 188 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 1: were open to you know more, much more open to 189 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: gay marriage before our you know, older counterparts. UM. And 190 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: I think women's organizations are also getting a good kick 191 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: in the butt to say, nope, you know you have 192 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:45,959 Speaker 1: I've got to see a diverse board. I've got to 193 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: see a diverse team around conclusion of women of color. 194 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: This cannot be just like one of the things that's 195 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:53,599 Speaker 1: part of your you know, talking points. It's got to 196 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,439 Speaker 1: be deeply ingrained in your strategy. UM. Groups like the 197 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 1: Miss Foundation are only funding women of color led organizations 198 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: and it's awesome. UM. And it makes for we we 199 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: know this from you know, thirty years of research that 200 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,439 Speaker 1: diverse bodies actually make better leadership decisions. And I think 201 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: the women's community is taking that to heart. I love 202 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 1: that so much, and I just I completely agree. And 203 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: I've been thrilled to see not even just in electoral politics, 204 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:20,719 Speaker 1: but like you were saying in the advocacy space, in 205 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: the media space, kind of a willingness to pass the 206 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 1: mic two younger women, women of color at trans women. 207 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: I was so so pumped in the last Virginia primary, 208 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: Dana ca Rome the first trans woman to win like 209 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: that was a huge, huge thing, and UNDERS been so 210 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: thrilled to see that this generation a feminist is saying 211 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: our feminism is inclusive, Our feminism includes women of color, 212 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: Our feminism includes women that have been traditionally marginalized, and 213 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: we are going to go forward with a very inclusive 214 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,680 Speaker 1: and diverse coalition and kick some mass. I wonder what 215 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:58,439 Speaker 1: your take is on the Alabama Senate race then, because 216 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: whereas it was exciting to see Roy Moore, basically a 217 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: child molester, accused child molester, go down in a state 218 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:14,320 Speaker 1: like Alabama despite the full support and endorsement of a 219 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 1: lot of the Republican infrastructure and are sitting president, but 220 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: when you look at the exit polls, when you look 221 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 1: at the numbers white women, just like they have supported 222 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 1: Donald Trump, We're very comfortable, frankly supporting a candidate like 223 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: Roy Moore, And had it not been for women of color, 224 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 1: that's how that election would have shaken out. So I wonder, 225 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: you know, are we going to see in women as 226 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: any kind of a cohesive voting block across racial lines, 227 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,679 Speaker 1: or is it really white women who are still not 228 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: necessarily UM, voting based on gender issues at all. I 229 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: think that that second part is true, Emily, that you 230 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 1: have you still have whole generations and whole groups of 231 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,959 Speaker 1: women who do not see power in womanhood and they 232 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:08,439 Speaker 1: are they see power in partisan politics. They see power 233 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:13,719 Speaker 1: in their husband's identities, you know, around his economic well being, um, 234 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 1: the attachment to the family UM. And you know, as 235 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,239 Speaker 1: we we do a lot of work in rural communities. 236 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: And the good news is there's a lot of amazing 237 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 1: feminist women in rural communities and they are doing this 238 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: really quiet social justice work that is just keeping their 239 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: communities together, which is fantastic. The hard part is is 240 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 1: that there's no feminist dialogue out there without them like 241 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: cutting new ground. UM. And so you are, you have 242 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,440 Speaker 1: these women who are surrounded by and given tons of 243 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 1: messages that are like, you know, how dare you vote 244 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 1: for Hillary Clinton? Your you know, I got emails that 245 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: were like, my mom can't tell my dad she's voting 246 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: for Hillary Clinton. UM. That you know, it's just and 247 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: so when you do an assessment of your personal power, 248 00:13:55,880 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: your woman power is not even making top five UM. 249 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: And so we've got to figure out how we and 250 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:05,079 Speaker 1: I think the Me Too movement is part of this. 251 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: It's like, how we really make sure that feminism and 252 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 1: this movement is including those women although sometimes we want 253 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: to like shake them right in a way. That's like 254 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: what's going on, um, Because once I think we start 255 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: to put some cracks there, you know, you saw which 256 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: was awesome, the head of the Young Republicans, which is 257 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 1: a woman, she bowed out pretty quickly about not endorsing 258 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: Roy More and that the Young you know, she could 259 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: no longer. She said that publicly. She went out on 260 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: Twitter for that, um. And so I'm also really curious 261 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: about what would it take to get some younger Republican 262 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 1: women's and young Republican women of color. I know we're 263 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: working on this, trying to figure out how they you know, 264 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: reshape the party from the inside out. So we've got 265 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: to make sure that when we're talking about diversity and 266 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: inter sexual illness of this movement, that we're also you know, 267 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: taking a look at some of our conservative sisters and 268 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 1: saying where can we you know, where can we align 269 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: and where is it that I can help bring you 270 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: along because I just think like you will be more 271 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: powerful in this sisterhood. I love it. I love that too. Yeah, 272 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: I would like to think that child molestation I'll be like. 273 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: But in my mind I was like, oh, what woman 274 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: could support this? And I remember watching like an interview 275 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: of all these older women saying things like oh, I 276 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: would have been thrilled if that was my daughter. Yeah. 277 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: I mean I think comes from the craziest like we 278 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: gotta just let them go, Like there's no we're not 279 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 1: going to get them. You know, there's a certain percentage 280 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: of folks where you like, no, if we firmly disagree 281 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: on you know, predatory child molestation and behavior, so we're 282 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 1: gonna have to draw the line there. There's probably not 283 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: a lot of room for us to work together. I 284 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 1: like that as a tactic, knowing where there's not even 285 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: a reason to sort of expend your energy trying to 286 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: flip these people to get them on our side, knowing 287 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: where it's a lost cause, and saying there actually are 288 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: people on the right that we it's worth it to 289 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: start building some coalitions and some intersections with but then 290 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: also knowing when that is not going to happen. That's 291 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: what I love about the work you're doing with Vote Run, 292 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 1: Lead Right you are a nonpartisan organization, is that correct? Yeah? 293 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 1: And and having trained more than twenty six thousand women 294 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: to run for political office, you've got a huge diverse 295 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: program running in urban and rural parts of our country. 296 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 1: And I think that's a really important perspective to bring 297 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: to this conversation. I want to talk about how you 298 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: teamed up with she Should Run and Marie Claire tell 299 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: us about the research you did together in serving seven 300 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: dred and fifty potential women candidates to learn more about 301 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: what they're looking for in reclaiming some of their power 302 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: in in this selection cycle. What was really fun when 303 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 1: when Reclaire approached vote re lead and she Should Run 304 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: on why women you know, why millennial women want to 305 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: run for office? Is um? What really actually ran a 306 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: bunch of Twitter ads to make sure that we were 307 00:16:56,480 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 1: getting outside of our you know, email lists of you 308 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: know women who um, you know might already be inclined 309 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 1: to run. So close to half of the women or 310 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: I think it's a little more than half of the 311 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:12,359 Speaker 1: women were thinking about running before before the November sixteen election, 312 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: So there was this sort of like inspiration. They were 313 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: thinking about it, it was on their mind. Um, they 314 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 1: strongly believe that more women, that there is a gendered 315 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 1: component to leadership, that more women make a difference. Um, 316 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: you know, they're they're pretty evenly split around like the motivation, 317 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: like some have been asked to run by others, but 318 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 1: they just don't like the direction that the country is 319 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: going in, and they totally like overwhelming it was close, 320 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: like just hands down field that women are not treated 321 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:40,640 Speaker 1: well in public life, so they know they're stepping into 322 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:42,880 Speaker 1: an environment where they're not going to get a fair shake. 323 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: You know. But what I thought was probably the most 324 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 1: interesting of this was money. Of them said, what's kind 325 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: of the biggest factor for you? Like are you tackling issues? 326 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 1: You know, are you concerned about what your platform might be? 327 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: And they said fifty percent of them want to know 328 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:59,400 Speaker 1: how to make a living, which is something that vote 329 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 1: run Lead knows a lot about where we target a 330 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: lot of low income communities and make sure that you know, 331 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:06,439 Speaker 1: not just a long racial and ethnic lines, but that 332 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:09,919 Speaker 1: we're making sure that folks can run for office. You know, 333 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 1: I don't have to be millionaires to do it. Um, 334 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,400 Speaker 1: And that's you know, how do I make a living? 335 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:17,439 Speaker 1: How do I talk to my boss? You know, I 336 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 1: can't use this campaign finance money for putting food on 337 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:21,879 Speaker 1: the table, but I've got to leave my job every 338 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: day at three o'clock to go door knock or to 339 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: you know, stand outside the subway at five when rush 340 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:29,880 Speaker 1: hour start. So really figuring that out, um, about how 341 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: we do this and incorporating this into our really busy lives. 342 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,199 Speaker 1: So that was one of the more interesting findings for 343 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: me coming out of the Reclaire UM. And I'm so 344 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: glad to see me Reclaire and Cosmopolitan and in style, 345 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: like all these magazines getting political, which is awesome. We'll 346 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 1: hear more from Aaron after this quick break. Edward back, 347 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 1: Let's get right back to Aaron. I remember reading somewhere 348 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: that when Trump took off this and I know that 349 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,479 Speaker 1: y'all are a bipartisan organization, but when Trump took office 350 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 1: that it didn't matter if you were a fashion magazine 351 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: or a food magazine. All of those things were political now, 352 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 1: and that we really owe it to ourselves as folks 353 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 1: in the media to acknowledge that and say it doesn't 354 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 1: matter if you know you are a food writer, now 355 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:20,199 Speaker 1: you're a politics writer. And I also think it's important 356 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: to acknowledge. Something that we talked about in our episode 357 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:26,880 Speaker 1: around teen Vogue is that women's magazines have really always 358 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: lead the way in fierce political report NG. And it's 359 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:34,119 Speaker 1: not just now that women's magazines are embracing it, but 360 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:36,400 Speaker 1: women's magazines have always sort of been at the forefront 361 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 1: of intersections of you know, not just fashion, glamour, entertainment, 362 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: but real hard hitting journalism around politics and you know, activism. 363 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: I agree, and I think we're seeing things where it 364 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 1: used to show up in the style section actually showing 365 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,639 Speaker 1: up on the front page. UM. And that shift. You know, 366 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:56,199 Speaker 1: even though half of the men who have been you know, 367 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:59,400 Speaker 1: the major players and covering the presidential election turned out 368 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: to all be part of the me to perpetrators. Right still, 369 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:07,919 Speaker 1: and there's some remarkable women wanted being Rebecca Tracer with 370 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 1: New York Magazine, who is just writing the hardest hitting stuff. 371 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: I really love her UM analysis where she's really connecting 372 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: the dots around UM, people sort of coming out and 373 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: speaking out with a public voice. UM, why more women 374 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,360 Speaker 1: are running for office? You know, the connections of all 375 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 1: of this around power and that when there's a sense 376 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 1: of powerlessness, UM, you you have nothing else to lose, 377 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 1: and so Yep, I'm going to speak publicly. Yep, I'm 378 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 1: gonna you know, share with thirty million followers that I 379 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 1: too was sexually harassed or assaulted. Um and yes, I've 380 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: decided to run for office, even though this is something 381 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: I never thought I would do in my career. It 382 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,359 Speaker 1: really comes back to owning the power in the in 383 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 1: women's voices and the and just sort of the ability 384 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: to speak up because people did. People weren't really doing 385 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,439 Speaker 1: that before, right Like if you if these if you 386 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: had these stories, you maybe didn't feel like you could 387 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: come forward to be believed that. I think in I 388 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: think it's all connected the idea that women are feeling like, 389 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: you know what, I can run for office, I can 390 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 1: make a change, and feeling empowered in that way. It's 391 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 1: connected to this whole me too thing. Women are saying, 392 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: you know what, I've got a story to hell and 393 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:15,880 Speaker 1: I'm going to tell it and people are gonna listen. 394 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:18,919 Speaker 1: I think they're all interconnected with this idea that women 395 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:22,400 Speaker 1: are finding their voices and finding their power and speaking 396 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: up and we're being listened to and being heard, and 397 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,439 Speaker 1: we're taking what's ours in a way that we haven't 398 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: in the past, and especially true to me is this 399 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 1: difference between how Anita Hill was treated leading up to 400 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:39,439 Speaker 1: with that trial against Clarence Thomas. Right, Anita Hill was 401 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: cast aside. Quite frankly, she was not treated fairly, and 402 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 1: that was the beginning of sexual assault in the workplace, 403 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: in the political domain being put on the national stage. 404 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 1: And yeah, it led to a year of the woman, 405 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,360 Speaker 1: But those numbers were easy to double because they were 406 00:21:55,440 --> 00:22:01,720 Speaker 1: so low. So I wonder given the very palpable difference 407 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: in the public response to women's stories and women sharing 408 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: the reality of the persistent climate of harassment and assault 409 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: that women have to deal with, now that we're actually 410 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 1: being taken seriously and not cast aside, do you feel 411 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: like we're going to see major differences. Do you feel 412 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: like more women are running because they feel like, hey, 413 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:30,920 Speaker 1: they have nothing to lose, or be that they're more 414 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 1: likely to be listened to now than ever before. A 415 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 1: few things one, more women are definitely going to run, 416 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: but that's also means that more women are going to lose. 417 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:41,439 Speaker 1: So what we have to remember is that these in 418 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,880 Speaker 1: these crowded primaries, we have to make sure that we're 419 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:48,400 Speaker 1: not just giving the nomination in a particularly democratic primary 420 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 1: to some pro aggressive right. So when there's two or 421 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:55,200 Speaker 1: three really qualified women, Um, I'm thinking of this woman 422 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 1: Linda Webber in New Jersey who's running, who definitely had 423 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: a crowded primary. I'm not sure if people have about 424 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: out since I last talked to her. But you know, 425 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: these young I worked on the Obama campaign. I came 426 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: back home. I want to remember office crap. Meanwhile, like 427 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:11,959 Speaker 1: you know, thirty year residents, small business owner, feminist, like 428 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 1: definitely most qualified person. And then what we see is 429 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: the local parties saying I'm gonna like, I'm gonna wait 430 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: out the primary. That's we need to hold the parties 431 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 1: accountable to that when they are qualified women in a 432 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: crowded primary. So that's one of the things we can 433 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: do before like November elections come up. Um, I think 434 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 1: the number of donations going to women candidates is going 435 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 1: to rise. I would, you know, I love me some 436 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 1: Emily's List, but I would be definitely putting that money 437 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 1: directly to candidates because you know, mless list is also 438 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 1: an old dog, been around a long time, and they're 439 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,520 Speaker 1: going to take safer bets, and so we have to 440 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,400 Speaker 1: really be looking at long shot candidates and directly contributing 441 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,879 Speaker 1: to their campaigns. UM. And they've been a little slow 442 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: around some talented women of color where you know, I 443 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:55,399 Speaker 1: think they're going to get better in twentyeen with putting 444 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 1: the money there. So if we're smart about UM, you know, 445 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: finding folks in you know states that we care about 446 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: and making sure that we're directly donating to those women. UM. 447 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: But I think where you're going to see huge surge 448 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,880 Speaker 1: and where vote really does specializes is local and state office. 449 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: I think you're gonna see state legislatures have you know, 450 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: three or four maybe six percentage point bumps and the 451 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,520 Speaker 1: number of women who are in those legislatures. UM. I 452 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 1: think you're going to see more women's commissions in the 453 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 1: fifty states or you know, bipartisan commissions at the state 454 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: legislative level. I think you're going to see more women 455 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: lead state legislatures as you know, majority leader or as 456 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 1: Speaker of the state House. And that's where you actually 457 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,879 Speaker 1: get to then look at policy and a state like 458 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: Colorado that has something close to fifty women in the legislature. 459 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:44,879 Speaker 1: We one of our alumni is actually the Speaker of 460 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: the House. UM. Young Latino lawyer super Dynamics, you should 461 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,160 Speaker 1: run for higher office soon. That's where you see things 462 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:54,399 Speaker 1: like paid equity getting past. That's where you see you 463 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: know this ten point legislative plans that are good for 464 00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: women and families because there's a tipping point when you 465 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 1: see more women at the local level, and that's where 466 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: we're gonna get to innovate. So I would also encourage 467 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:06,640 Speaker 1: folks to look at who's running for your state ledge 468 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 1: who's running for your city council, and making sure that 469 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,719 Speaker 1: you're giving them the ten bucks you donations too. I 470 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: love it. So let's say you have a listener out 471 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 1: there who is listening. She's so fed up how things 472 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:21,400 Speaker 1: are going down in her community, she wants to run 473 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: for office. What would you tell her? Sure one, go 474 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 1: to Vote Run Lead dot org. The UM We have 475 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: something called the ninety Day Challenge, which if you've never 476 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: been in politics before, or even if you have a 477 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 1: little bit of you know, civic experience. The ninety da 478 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:37,680 Speaker 1: Challenge was written by local elected officials and the Vote 479 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: Run Lead Network, and it gives you thirty actions to 480 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,680 Speaker 1: take in ninety days. So it's like getting out and 481 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:45,919 Speaker 1: meeting your community, having a conversation with um, you know, 482 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: political people, starting your own Twitter account, coming researching what 483 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:52,479 Speaker 1: your top issues are and if you can tackle like 484 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:55,200 Speaker 1: two thirds of that list, you are going to build 485 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:58,400 Speaker 1: your political capital within your community by you know, letting 486 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:00,680 Speaker 1: folks know you're interested in running. Or you can also 487 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: write an email that says I'm interested in public service? 488 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:05,199 Speaker 1: Can I have a coffee with you? So it's a 489 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:07,679 Speaker 1: it's a roadmap for I r L like politics is 490 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: in real life. So this ninety D challenge is free 491 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 1: on our website. If you don't know what you're going 492 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:14,919 Speaker 1: to run for yet, We've got also more local elected 493 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: to talking about what office should I run for? So 494 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: if this is what I care about, these are the 495 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: issues that are important to me, where do those issues 496 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: get legislated? You know, it might be that you want 497 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 1: to be on a commission and get an appointment because 498 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 1: of your you know, you're looking at your life and 499 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 1: you're kind of busy, UM, and you can't make it 500 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: back and forth to the capital, you know, whatever it 501 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: may be. So we've got to think about two workshops 502 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 1: that are free online, What office should I run for? 503 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:40,199 Speaker 1: And the nine D D Challenge that are great for 504 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:43,200 Speaker 1: people who want to just get their brain moving and say, Okay, 505 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: I'm thinking about running and thinking about running. Um, if 506 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 1: you know you're running and you want to run in eighteen, 507 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,919 Speaker 1: we've got like campaign plans for running in ten that 508 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: maps out of timeline for you. You know, what's a 509 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,159 Speaker 1: campaign finance plan, which is kind of the thing that 510 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: trips up a lot of folks. That's where this legal 511 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: stuff happens. So both of those resources are also available, 512 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: and everything's up boat really dot org, backslash learn awesome. 513 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: And you've got an event coming up this month right 514 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: in on the anniversary of the Women's March. Am I 515 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,719 Speaker 1: remembering that correctly? That's right January. We're going to be 516 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:16,919 Speaker 1: in New York City with hopefully a couple of hundred 517 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:19,439 Speaker 1: women and just that for women who want to run 518 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 1: as well as one who want to support other women. 519 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:23,680 Speaker 1: And we're gonna be talking about sex, politics and power 520 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,400 Speaker 1: and this connection between the mood to movement and political participation, 521 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,160 Speaker 1: and um, hopefully Senator Gillibrand will be there, Rebecca Treyster 522 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: will be there, um, and you know, just giving folks 523 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:39,159 Speaker 1: after the probably very cold march, giving folks, you know, 524 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,760 Speaker 1: come have a glass of wine, some hot chocolate, get warm, 525 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: get some food, and get connected to other remarkable women 526 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: in your network. You know, this reminds me a lot 527 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 1: of my time as a community organizer working on behalf 528 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: of the Obama administration back in two thousand nine. After 529 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 1: really being trained by Obama's campaign and getting some training 530 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 1: from Martial and we were able to and really equipped 531 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:08,119 Speaker 1: with the skills to create power structures, to create power 532 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,920 Speaker 1: structures and community organizations that would outlast us. And one 533 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 1: of the things I will remember the most about my 534 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:18,160 Speaker 1: time about two years I spent organizing across the state 535 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 1: of Rhode Island is that when I left, some of 536 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 1: my neighborhood team leaders women, mind you, ran for office 537 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 1: on the local level, and one upsetting an incumbent Democrat 538 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 1: in the process, and one of my other neighborhood team 539 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:37,400 Speaker 1: leaders ran her campaign. And there is nothing like that 540 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 1: ripple effect of seeing women in male dominated spaces harnessing 541 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: their power, growing their power and influence, and making that 542 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 1: connection between the issues that they want to make progress 543 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 1: on and their ability to grow their power and and 544 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:56,200 Speaker 1: be a part of that change. So I'm so excited 545 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: and so motivated to hear of all the work that 546 00:28:58,200 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: Vote Run Lead is doing on the local level of 547 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: specially UM and I can attest to the resources you 548 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 1: provide UM as being some of the best that's out there. 549 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 1: So thanks for the work you're doing on this front. 550 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: Errand it's awesome, Thank you, thank you. And I want 551 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 1: to let you guys in on a little secret. It's 552 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: not that hard to run prop but I used to 553 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 1: say that the talent pool is shallow. Yeah, and it's 554 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 1: the reality, right like amateur hour. If you don't show up, 555 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 1: if if if the right people don't show up, someone 556 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: will Totally. That reminds me. One of my favorite stories 557 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: out of the last election cycle was the story of 558 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: a woman who's elected official had made a joke about 559 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: the Women's March and he said something like, oh, are 560 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 1: they walking to make me a sandwich? Or these women 561 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: can sure used a walk to lose some weight, and 562 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: that that one joke angered her so much that she 563 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: ran against him at one So these stories of the 564 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: small little thing where you know, it's just that one 565 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: crystallizing moment where you're like, I'm gonna unseat maybe you could. Yeah, 566 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 1: I love it. Yeah. Actually, Bennett from Jersey right exactly. 567 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:06,360 Speaker 1: So that was my favorite story of That's one of 568 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:09,280 Speaker 1: the best stories. It really is so good. Well, thank 569 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: you so much for having me. You both are doing 570 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: awesome work and I'm really excited to be a part 571 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: of this podcast. Thank you so much, Aaron. And for 572 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:17,560 Speaker 1: folks who want to keep up with your Twitter feed, 573 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 1: where might they find you on the twitters at Aaron 574 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: Ballardi and at Vote Run Lead. We are so fired 575 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 1: up and ready to run basically or at least ready 576 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 1: to donate to your campaign's minty listener. If you're running 577 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: for office in your community this year, there is good 578 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:37,840 Speaker 1: reason to be optimistic, to be fired up and to 579 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 1: make this the year of the Woman, and perhaps the 580 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: year of you the woman to run for office or 581 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 1: support your local girl gang and doing so. I actually 582 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: want to close this out in the words of Barbara 583 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 1: Boxer herself, who's since retired from the Senate, but pen 584 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 1: this excellent op ed for USA Today in comparing two 585 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:02,520 Speaker 1: thousand eighteen to the nine two iteration of the Year 586 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 1: of the Woman. Here's what she writes, quote, so, why 587 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: am I hopeful that this time may be different? Because 588 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 1: it feels different, mainly because the majority of Americans believe 589 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 1: the victims the Senate race in Alabama were Democrats, Republicans, 590 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:21,760 Speaker 1: and independent voters said no to an accused molester sent 591 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 1: shock waves through the body politic. The firing of many 592 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: private sector powerful men in the news and entertainment industries 593 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 1: is more proof. The resignation of politicians is even more proof. 594 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 1: She goes on to say it is time to end 595 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: this epidemic that has been hurting people for far too long. 596 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,520 Speaker 1: We can do this. As Martin Luther King Jr. Said 597 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 1: in nineteen sixty three, the ultimate measure of a man 598 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:52,080 Speaker 1: is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, 599 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 1: but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. 600 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: And this is one of those times. Two thousand and eighteen. 601 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 1: We have a choice to make as a country. We 602 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: have a choice as women in this country as to 603 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:10,080 Speaker 1: whether we can tolerate sitting on the sidelines one more time. 604 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: I don't know if any of y'all have buyer's remorse 605 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:16,959 Speaker 1: after last election cycle, but I certainly do. And I 606 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: want to be a more active member of my community, 607 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:23,680 Speaker 1: whether it's getting out and organizing, knocking on way more doors, 608 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 1: donating to campaigns of local women who are running or 609 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 1: running myself someday. Who knows, But I want to see 610 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 1: this community get out vote at a minimum, or really 611 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 1: make sure that women are being elected in the highest 612 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: offices of the land and are very backyard local offices too. 613 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:47,480 Speaker 1: I couldn't agree more. I hope that somebody out there 614 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,760 Speaker 1: listening is called to action because we need y'all. If 615 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 1: anyone's ever told you you know you should run for office, 616 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 1: I hope that this really speaks to you and makes 617 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 1: you think, yeah, maybe I should, because just like Aaron said, 618 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:01,640 Speaker 1: be it turns out it's a lot more easy than 619 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:04,080 Speaker 1: you might be thinking. Maybe there's actually tool kids and 620 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 1: support for you out there. And if you're thinking that way, 621 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: we really want to hear from you. Let us know. 622 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: Will you be running for office? Have you always wanted 623 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 1: to run for office? Is there a woman in your 624 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 1: life that you wish would run for office because you'd 625 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 1: make a really good public office holder. Let us know 626 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:20,640 Speaker 1: on Instagram at stuff I've Never Told You, on Twitter 627 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: at mom Stuff podcast, or a good old fashion email 628 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:36,480 Speaker 1: at mom Stuff at how stuff works dot com.