For Immediate Release 212-261-4497 / lcassell@thewhitehouseproject.org
GEORGIA WOMEN TRANSFORM POLITICS IN DECATUR’S FIRST
“GEORGIA GO RUN”
Innovative Leadership Program Aims to
Increase Numbers of Women Running for Office
Decatur, GA– Next Friday, nearly 100 women from across Georgia will take the next step in their political leadership by attending The White House Project’s celebrated Go Run political training program for women. Georgians have ushered the training into the region as a proactive solution to the Peach State’s bleak rating for women’s political leadership – a dismal 31st in the nation.
Not a single woman represents Georgia in the U.S. Congress, and only eight of Georgia’s 56 state Senators are women. The lack of women serving in the upper echelons of public office mirrors the dearth of women who are ready to fill the political pipeline at the local and regional levels of political leadership. Georgia 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:
- Helen Adeosun, a 23-year-old native of Nigeria and Atlanta Teach for America fellow: “I went to public school in a state that ranks 48th in the nation for education, and I only made it this far with the support of passionate and dedicated teachers. I now strive to give the same resources to my students – but the quality of America’s education is ultimately dependent on Capitol Hill. That’s why I’m going to Georgia Go Run – to learn how I can be an effective voice in the political arena for our nation’s children - who deserve no less than the best education.”
- Mary Jo Haywood, the 60-year-old Mayor of the City of Camilla: “I was recently elected mayor of my town - the first female and the first Black to hold the position in the town's 150 year history. One of the biggest challenges thus far has been building effective coalitions across diverse populations to advance the common good. Only when we have the diversity of our constituents represented amongst their political leaders can we truly come together. And adding more women to the mix is essential to achieving that representation.”
- April D. Thompson, a 26-year-old Technical Specialist for IBM and Smyrna resident: “In this increasingly globalized world, the U.S. must increase its paltry representation of women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to remain competitive. As someone who witnesses this under-utilization of women first-hand, I'm eager to participate in Georgia Go Run, and gain the network and necessary skills to impact, influence, and improve the educational opportunities for women in Georgia and our nation. The future of our country depends upon it.”
Georgia Go Run couldn’t come at a more pivotal time. At the state level, women comprise just 19.9% of the Georgia state legislature.
“Women remain Georgia’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.”
"As the second woman to be elected Atlanta City Council President since the Council formed over 150 years ago, I know that there are many challenges facing women candidates," said Lisa Borders, Georgia Go Run panelist and current Atlanta City Council President. "It is now time for the voices, passions, talents and knowledge of Georgia's women to become part of the political dialogue."
Speakers at Georgia Go Run will include a number of political pioneers, including former Congresswoman Denise Majette, Presiding Georgia Supreme Court Justice Carol Hunstein, Atlanta City Council President Lisa Borders, State Senator Gloria Bulter, State Senator Nan Orrock, and State Representative Nikki Randall.
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 Georgia. 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 nearly 2,000 women to run for office since its creation in 2005.
Georgia Go Run will be The White House Project’s fourth training in the state, in conjunction with the national expansion of its signature Vote, Run, Lead program. Previous Go Run alumnae have gone on to serve Georgia in a variety of roles, including Dee Dawkins-Haigler, who just last month won a seat as State Representative of House District 93.
The White House Project operates field offices 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 July 18th through July 20th, 2008 at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia 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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