COMPANION. NOTEBOOK: Making the Decision to Serve

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1 COMPANION NOTEBOOK: Making the Decision to Serve 43

2 6 You Can Get There From Here. Just Start Running for office will test your faith, your will, and your talents. But victory and the positive effects you can achieve will give you the unmatched satisfaction of knowing that people in your community trust you to make their lives better. I am fortunate that generations of women have paved the way so I can stand where I am today. Betty Sutton Former Ohio U.S. Representative 44 36

3 Women from all walks of life, women of every age, and women with every imaginable passion are needed to serve their communities, governments, and parties. The backgrounds of women who have already chosen service show incredible diversity: school teachers, social workers, counselors, moms, CEOs, nurses, attorneys, and more. Some were drawn to public life because of a particular issue, others were drawn to the work of a particular office or board, and some stepped up to lead because they were asked. Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius started as a campaign volunteer. She says she didn t think about running until the woman who was in the seat decided to retire and asked me to run for her seat. For Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, being a housewife was her entrée into politics she organized her community and said that, in the process, she was transformed from an ordinary housewife into an ordinary housewife who could make a difference in the world. 37 U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin U.S. Senator U.S. House of Representatives Wisconsin State Assembly City Council County Board of Supervisors Lawyer U.S. Representative Karen Bass U.S. Representative Speaker of the California State Assembly Majority Whip California State Assemblywoman Founder of Non-Profit Community Coalition Clinical Instructor, USC School of Medicine Physician s Assistant, USC Hospital Former Gov. Anne Richards College Professor and Consultant Texas Governor Texas Treasurer Travis County Commissioner Campaign Worker Junior High Teacher 45

4 Former Gov. Linda Lingle Governor of Hawaii Chair of the Hawaiian Republican Party Candidate for Governor Maui County Mayor Maui County Councilwoman Founder of Community Paper Press Liaison, Teamsters Union U.S. Senator Kamala Harris California Attorney General San Francisco District Attorney Office of San Francisco City Attorney Managing Attorney, San Francisco District Attorney Deputy District Attorney, Alameda County U.S. Senator Susan Collins U.S. Senator Congressional Committee Chair Candidate for Mayor Maine Commissioner of Professional and Financial Regulation Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration Legislative Aide Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Chair of Wisconsin State Arts Board Candidate for Lieutenant Governor Founding member of Greater Green Bay Community Foundation Candidate for State Senate International Business Consultant Former Mayor Jane Campbell Director of Neighborhood Development Corporation State Representative County Commissioner Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio Teaching Fellow at JFK School of Government Chief of Staff to Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana 46 38

5 Former U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe U.S. Senator U.S. Congresswoman Maine State Senator Won husband s seat as Maine State Representative Worked for Congressman Board of Voter Registration Justice Sonia Sotomayor Assistant Justice of U.S. Supreme Court Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge, U.S. District Court Partner at law firm Associate at a law firm Assistant District Attorney Over the past 25 years, women have cleared many hurdles and broken through many roadblocks to equality in public service. Their efforts make access to elected, appointed, and party offices more attainable. But now it s our turn to encourage each other, to work together to promote the women who are already in office, and to recruit the best among us to serve. And that means you. The rewards are great, the work challenging, the colleagues enriching, and there are no limits to how much you can accomplish. Make the decision to lead for yourself. Who knows? Someone s going to be the first woman President. It could be you

6 Books We Love & Resources We Rely On No Excuses By Gloria Feldt Feldt argues that the most confounding problem facing women today isn t that doors aren t open to them, but that not enough women are walking through. From the boardroom to the bedroom, public office to personal relationships, she asserts that women are their own biggest enemies when it comes to acheiving parity. Living History By Hillary Rodham Clinton Current Secretary of State, former U.S. Senator, and First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton shares her unique experience occupying multiple powerful roles, and discusses breaking the gender barriers in the upper echelons of American political power. The Majesty of the Law By Sandra Day O Connor Former Supreme Court Justice and the first woman on the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O Connor discusses divisive issues on the Court and provides a civics exam on women s suffrage. Women and Politics: Paths to Power and Political Influence By Melissa Deckman and Michele Swers This book tells the stories behind female policy makers at all levels of government, in the media and in the judiciary, and incorporates new scholarly work on women and politics. American Association of University Women Works for equity for women and girls, and conducts extensive educational efforts and advocacy work. League of Women Voters Provides information on all the mechanics of voting, registering, and learning about the candidates and issues