And Still We Rise. Pass It On!

A bit of news to inspire!

First the Bad

Many of us spent much of 2016 preparing with pride to celebrate our first female President of the United States. My informal survey over coffee and on social media with friends is that many of us ended 2016 shell-shocked and deflated.

And it’s not just about the presidency. The number of women in Congress did not budge. Started off as 104. Ended up as 104. And that equals just 19% of legislators. The number of women governors actually fell: from 6 to 5.

Then The Good News

But 2017 brings fresh, hopeful news. Women are not deterred. In fact, they are acting with redoubled determination. Emerge America, an organization that arms women with the tools to make a strong run for political office, reports that the number of women expressing interest since November 9 is DOUBLE what they normally see.

Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. Following the election, my own daughter, for the first time, voiced an interest in running for office. I’ll admit — sometimes, looking at things through my experienced eyes that have seen progress ebb and flow, I can feel weary. But youth! Oh, youth! This is where the energy is, where the future is. And our young women are not defeated.

Pass it on!

Share your stories of meeting defeat with renewed effort.