Where Do We Go From Here? |
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The last month has been a rollercoaster of emotion for many of us.
While I’ll admit my stress reached whole new levels of late, I have to say that watching Kamala Harris give her acceptance speech as the first woman vice-president elect in the history of our country made up for it all.
My 12-year-old daughter, Amelia, and I watched together as Harris walked proudly on stage in her suffragette white and proclaimed, “I may be the first woman to hold this office, but I won’t be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.” Yes. And Harris makes this not only a moment of possibility for white girls, but also for girls of color, as she is our first person of South Asian descent and Black person to achieve this office as well. My brain could hardly absorb the reality that this moment that I had hoped and worked for my entire adult life had arrived. And I got to see it with my daughter. Tears flowed.
That moment also affirmed for me that the work we’re doing at WFM on this journey toward equity is worth it. We are building pathways to success and leadership for women and girls, and a culture that applauds them along the way.
But even as I celebrate this incredible moment in herstory, I recognize that there are many of my fellow Americans who are in mourning and live in fear for the future of our country.
So, where do we go from here?
I believe it starts when we take the first step toward healing the divide in our own families, neighborhoods and communities. We can come together through purposeful, positive regard for each other, deep listening, and a heart for our shared journeys.
Smile behind your mask. Say hello and ask how people are doing. Be willing to make meals for your sick neighbors, regardless of their political leanings. Ask them what they think, and be willing to listen. In those small moments of shared understanding and care, we are building our path forward.
Though we do not always agree on particular policies, I believe we do have a shared desire to see a brighter future for our children and our state. We know we rise or fall together. We want to work with you in this moment of possibility toward a future that provides opportunity for all our kids and in which all voices are celebrated.
Won't you join us?
Onward,
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P.S. - Want to learn more about how we can work together toward a more equitable and prosperous future? Join us for our Power Hour webinar on Civility this Wednesday at noon, or our conversation on Building More Equitable Workplaces the first week in December. Details and registration in the Events section below!
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The Importance of Civility in Difficult Times
2020 has been a wild ride: there has been a global pandemic, widespread civil unrest, and a tense presidential election. People everywhere are experiencing heightened emotions, either becoming more inspired to help their communities or more isolated or angry because of disagreeing world views.
Now, more than ever, we need to think about civility: what it means, why it’s important, and how we can achieve it for ourselves.
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5 Ways to be More Inclusive |
Diversity is truly an amazing thing. By creating spaces for folks of all ages, genders, sexualities, races, abilities, and other identities, we put forward a commitment to inclusivity, tolerance, and community.
Nobody is perfect when it comes to being inclusive, all we can do is continue to learn and correct ourselves when we make mistakes.
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PowerHouse Montana Events Calendar
Our PowerHouse Meet-ups have all transitioned to online gatherings for the near future. Join us!
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Wednesday, Nov 18 @ 12:00 PM
Power Hour: From Disgust to Trust
Online Event
When we work in the arena of distrust, productivity suffers, engagement suffers, the bottom line suffers, and people suffer. So how do we transform distrust into trust? By changing behavior. In this presentation, Diana Damron dives into today’s challenge of living in a world of distrust, its costs, its victims, and how we can turn this crisis around.
Join us THIS WEDNESDAY at noon to hear Diana's 5-step process to change behavior, build trust, and create a culture in which people can say what needs to be said and ask what needs to ask.
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Thursday, Nov 19th @ 4:00 PM
PowerHouse Flathead: Leading with Gratitude
Online Event
We would like to raise your awareness and encourage you all to take action this month to give thanks and show your appreciation and really give thought to what it is that makes you feel grateful for your life, your business, your relationships, and the little things that matter to you. What lessons in your life are you most grateful for experiencing?
FREE, no registration required. For more information, click here.
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Monday, Nov 30th @ 12:00 PM
PowerHouse Great Falls: Equal Pay in Montana
Online Event
As an organization that works to create equitable opportunities for women's success, we care deeply about equal pay for women. Join AshLy Tubbs from the Montana Equal Pay Task Force and the PowerHouse Great Falls team to learn more about what the work of the Equal Pay Task Force, and how YOU can work to close the gender pay gap in your own life!
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Friday, Dec 4th @ 12:00 PM
Workplace Revolution: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with Ruchika Tulshyan
Online Event
Join Ruchika Tulshyan and the Women's Foundation for the third installment of our Workplace Revolution series. Ruchika will talk about the importance of DEI initiatives in the workplace, and how we as individuals can better understand the issues BIPoC women face in society.
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Stay up-to-date on our offerings as they're scheduled by liking or following our page on Facebook! To see our events page, click here. Coming in November we're excited to have three incredible events lined up!
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Have an event to submit to WFM? Email Erika at Erika@mtcf.org
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Women take the win in Northern Cheyenne Tribal election
"The Northern Cheyenne Tribe made history Tuesday by electing women for all of its open tribal council seats. The tribe held its election on Tuesday [November 4, 2020]. Of the five open seats on the tribal council, along with the tribal president and vice president, all winners were women." Read On
Colorado voters just passed paid family leave
"Under the new program, Colorado residents will be entitled to 12 weeks of paid leave if they need to take care of a sick loved one, recover from an illness, or tend to a new child. Family members of active-duty military personnel and victims of domestic violence or sexual assault are also covered by the program. Those who are pregnant or face childbirth complications will be eligible for an additional four weeks of paid leave." Continue to Article
Miami Marlins Hire Kim Ng, Breaking a Baseball Gender Barrier
"Thirty years ago, Ms. Ng, 51, started work in the game as an intern for the Chicago White Sox, attempting to carve out a career in a sport dominated by men. She worked her way up, earning senior positions with the Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers and, most recently, serving as Major League Baseball’s senior vice president of baseball operations. On Friday, she became the first woman hired to run a major league team’s baseball operations when she was named general manager of the Miami Marlins." Read More
Research shows that small wins can make a big impact on gender equality
"We believe the small wins approach is a good starting place for start-ups and mid-sized companies – which are plentiful in health tech – that want to address workplace equality but may lack the HR personnel or financial resources to implement comprehensive diversity and inclusion programs." Continue Reading
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Leadership Opportunity Roundup |
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Montana Governor-Elect Greg Gianforte is looking for Montanans who are interested in serving the state in an official capacity in the next four years. If you have an interest in being a part of the new administration, or serving on a state board or committee, you can apply to serve through a new website, servemontana.com.
At the Women's Foundation we are always advocating for more women in leadership and we would be thrilled to see a large number of women in leadership for Montana in the new administration. Please consider applying yourself, and sharing with the powerhouse women in your life!
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Last month, we had a great conversation about creating a workplace that supports families. We were joined Montana policy and business experts familiar with implementing Paid Family Leave policies and creating childcare solutions for our Montana workers.
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Together we can empower Montana women and girls to pursue their dreams. |
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