May 28, 2008 Contact: Lara Cassell
For Immediate Release 212-261-4497 / lcassell@thewhitehouseproject.org
ACROSS DEMOGRAPHICS AND POLITICAL PARTIES,
WOMEN TRANSFORM POLITICS IN THE BUCKEYE STATE
Innovative Leadership Program Aims to
Increase Numbers of Women Running for Office
Columbus, OH– Next Friday, nearly 100 women from across Ohio will take the next step in their political leadership by attending The White House Project’s celebrated Go Run political training program for women. Ohioans have ushered the training into the region as a proactive solution to the Buckeye State’s bleak rating for women’s political leadership – a dismal 41st in the nation.
Although Ohio currently enjoys five female representatives in the U.S. Congress, as well as its first female Secretary of State, there is a dearth of women to fill the political pipeline at the local and regional levels of political leadership. Ohio Go Run will address this shortfall by training women to run for office at all levels of government.
As they prepare to launch their political campaigns, these women will learn the nuts and bolts of running for elected office. Representing the Republican, Democratic, and Independent parties, they are getting ready to embark on a spirited political journey to bring positive changes to their home state. Among the scores of participants are:
- Cat Fincun, a 22-year-old AmeriCorps volunteer working for Rural Action Ohio. “There is so much change going on in the US; from politics to energy, food resources to global relations, which are opening up doors for progressive leadership from intelligent, go-getting women. This is the very reason why I wanted to get involved with Ohio Go Run and The White House Project: to learn the skills to make my voice heard and help bring about the changes we need to make for our country.”
- Denise Williams, a 28-year old African-American woman who works as a Trauma Secretary at Akron Children’s Hospital. “As someone who is highly invested in healthcare reform, I am excited to attend Ohio Go Run and learn how I can channel my passion for healthcare into a winning political campaign. Leadership opportunities for women and minorities are limited here in Ohio, but it is trainings like Go Run which can inspire and inform the next generation of qualified and talented leaders.”
- Guadalupe Velasquez, a 42-year-old Latina who is the New Americans Coordinator for the City of Columbus. “As someone who has been very active on legislation at the state-wide level, it is very disappointing to see a mere one or two women in the room with me. We need equal representation. If more women were in charge, we would see better policies at every level of government. We would be creating a better world.”
- Deborah McKinney, a 51-year-old Cheviot City Council President and Vice Mayor, who is attending Ohio Go Run along with her 27-year-old daughter. “I ran for office because I wanted to make more of a contribution to my community and have a greater voice in what happens at the local level of government. Many women want to be involved in politics, but they don’t know how to make the leap – and that’s why trainings like Ohio Go Run are such a fantastic resource. The statistics are appalling when it comes to women’s political leadership – we are perfectly capable of leading. We only need the empowerment and support to do so.”
Ohio Go Run couldn’t come at a more pivotal time. At the state level, women comprise just 16.7% of the Ohio state legislature – the second-lowest percentage since 1992.
“Women remain Ohio’s greatest untapped natural resource,” said Marie C. Wilson, President of The White House Project. “Go Run inspires, informs, and equips women with the tools to lead. When women sit fully at the tables of power, we create stronger governments, from the school board to the city council to the senate, and compelling solutions to our nation’s most pressing problems.”
Speakers at Ohio Go Run will include a number of political pioneers, including Jennette Bradley, first African-American woman Lieutenant Governor, Jennifer Brunner, first woman Ohio Secretary of State, and Jane Campbell, first woman Mayor of Cleveland.
The multi-day workshop is led by state and national experts, and will create a permanent, nonpartisan pipeline to women’s political leadership throughout the state of Ohio. Across the U.S., the innovative Go Run program has already been instrumental in propelling a diverse group of women into positions of political leadership, having trained over 1,800 women to run for office since its creation in 2005.
Ohio Go Run will be The White House Project’s first training in the state, in conjunction with the national expansion of its signature Vote, Run, Lead program. The organization’s field offices operate out of Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, Georgia, and New York. Much of the program’s popularity is due to its hands-on, practical approach, which demystifies the political process for women who are not traditionally tapped for positions of political leadership. Vote, Run, Lead participants include some of the most underrepresented women in our political system: 41% are women of color; 46% earn less than $35,000 a year; 20% live in rural communities; and 50% are under the age of 30.
Scheduled to take place June 6th through June 8th, 2008 at the Hyatt on Capitol Square (Friday) and the Riffe Center (Saturday and Sunday) in Columbus, Ohio Go Run will train participants in the fundamentals of campaign strategy, fundraising and communications. Applications are open and a few spots are still available on The White House Project’s website, http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org. Travel and childcare stipends, as well as tuition and housing scholarships, are available based on financial need. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
The White House Project, a national, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization, works to advance a richly diverse, critical mass of women into leadership positions, up to and including the U.S. Presidency. For more information, please visit: http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org.
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