March 29, 2022
NEWS & NOTES
From the nation's leading source on all things women and politics.
New Jersey General Assembly Celebrates CAWP’s 50th 
Last week, CAWP Director Debbie Walsh attended a session of the New Jersey General Assembly where the chamber recognized the Center’s 50 years of dedication to the cause of women’s political advancement. The General Assembly resolution, which passed unanimously, celebrates “the significant work the center has done in research, education, and training, and increasing the political engagement of women in politics.” In remarks before the vote, Assemblymember Pamela R. Lampitt noted gains for women’s representation in New Jersey and told the assembled legislators, “Debbie and her staff work miracles, but despite these gains, more work remains to close the gap to ensure that our government is truly representative of the people and by the people. And it is with the help and hard work of [CAWP] that we continue on the progress made and encourage the next generation of female leaders to run for office.”

It was a beautiful moment and a tremendous honor, and we are so appreciative to the legislature for this acknowledgement. You can read the full text of the Assembly resolution on the New Jersey Legislature website and view video of the vote on Twitter or Facebook.
Women Leading Locally Continues on The Takeaway
Have you been following our Women’s History Month partnership with WNYC’s The Takeaway? Host Melissa Harris-Perry has been interviewing local women leaders from around the country about their experiences in office and how politics has allowed them to make positive change in their communities. From Ohio State Representative Emilia Sykes to Philadelphia Councilmembers Helen Gym and Kendra Brooks, from Central Falls, Rhode Island Mayor Maria Rivera to Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz here in New Jersey, these conversations have been enlightening and inspiring. Catch up on the full series on the Women Leading Locally project page on the WNYC website, and check out the Facebook Live conversation from last night between Harris-Perry, CAWP Senior Scholar Kira Sanbonmatsu, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome.
Debbie Walsh Talks with Kids Press
Earlier this month, CAWP Director Debbie Walsh spoke with Scholastic KidsPress reporter Sasha Powell, a New Jersey schoolkid, about women and politics and the work of the Center. Powell and Walsh discussed how better political representation of women leads to better outcomes for everyone, and they also discussed our Teach a Girl to Lead® classroom reading project and the importance of changing how kids think about leadership. “We want little girls to grow up believing they could be a public leader,” Walsh told Powell, “and we want little boys to grow up thinking that people who are leaders don’t just look like their fathers. They look like their moms, too.”

Powell also interviewed New Jersey Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman for the piece, who told her “There’s no ceiling to what you can do or think. You only have to imagine it and then work hard for it. You can be President of the United States. You could be a chief executive officer. You could be a lawyer. There’s not a thing you cannot be.”

Read the full piece on the Scholastic KidsPress website. Thanks so much, Sasha, for including us in your article!
Apply Today for NEW Leadership®
The Susan N. Wilson NEW Leadership® New Jersey summer institute is a non-partisan college students' public leadership training program addressing women's underrepresentation in politics. This six-day residential program will take place June 9-14, 2022 at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. During the summer institute, students will meet women leaders, learn about women’s participation in American politics, and develop and practice leadership skills through panel discussions, workshops, and projects. After the summer institute, participants become part of NEWL’s national network of distinguished alumnae.

Applications are due by April 18th, 2022; learn more and apply today at the NEW Leadership® page on the CAWP website.

Not a student in New Jersey? Find a NEW Leadership® national network partner program in your state or region.
Thank You for Our RU Giving Day Success!
Last Wednesday, CAWP participated in RU Giving Day in support of our NEW Leadership® program, and we’d like to thank all of the people who contributed to our campaign or helped spread the word, with a special thanks to our RU Giving Day ambassadors, who worked with CAWP and the Rutgers University Foundation to get our message out there in their networks and to their audiences.

NEW Leadership® (National Education for Women’s Leadership) operates with zero direct costs to students, so these generous donations will assist in defraying expenses related to accommodations, meals, programming, and travel to state capitals for NEW Leadership® participants. It also helps us fund research that will improve the program for future generations. Thank you for making this all possible.
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