This week my column is being written by new Chamber team member Ruth Romero, Growth & Development Director, enjoy the read...
- JR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today we find our nation struggling to return to a level of pre-pandemic normalcy. We are facing many new challenges; supply chains issues, rampant inflation, spiking gas prices, and worldwide conflict. All combine to make a return to a pre-pandemic world difficult to say the least. Now is the time for us to empower women to a greater level. Let us utilize the women of our nation to help solve these issues, get our encouragement, and nation back on track. At the same time, we need to remember the women who fought for our rights. We cannot forget Susan B. Anthony. In my opinion, Anthony was the founder of empowering women to another level.
Anthony was the founder of American Equal Rights. She spoke all over the country for 50 years in favor of, and advocating for, equal opportunities for women. One of her main focuses was for women to have the right to vote. Anthony would die 14 years prior to seeing this goal come to fruition. Anthony also advocated for equal pay and opportunity in the workforce, a challenge still being faced today. This movement for women to be treated equally has been a fight in America for hundreds of years. Equal opportunity and pay should not be a battle. How do we fix this?
The progress of closing gender gaps has stalled. Persistent disparities remain between men and women, including labor marketing participation, pay for work of equal value, representation of women in high paying occupations, managerial, and leadership positions.
While most organizations recognize the advantages to achieving equality in the workplace, improvement is difficult to achieve without the implementation of a plan focused on cultural change supported by all levels of the organization. The leadership team must develop a series of principles and initiatives to improve gender equality that is definable and measurable across the organization. The embracing and support of the principles should never be optional.
We cannot forget what Susan B. Anthony started for us ladies. Anthony fought until the day she died for us to vote and have equal opportunity. There is sadly a war regarding equal opportunities. Ladies, we must empower each other like Anthony. There may be times you feel defeated and want to give up, but you have to keep going just as those who came before us kept going.
The Greater Escondido Chamber of Commerce is committed to gender equality in our own community workplace. As well as supporting our community in these goals. I am excited to part of this team and community. Let’s make some history!
Sincerely, Ruth Romero
