Cinderellas Must Demand Equality at the Ball

>>We are energized at the Women AdvaNCe offices. There’s a buzz of excitement and inspiration and it comes at just the right time. While many of you have been enjoying summer vacations and time with your kids (we have too), we’ve been planning the 2017 NC Women’s Summit (more on that later). And while we collaborate together – sharing ideas and inspirations – each contributing our unique skill sets and life experiences, I am struck by a realization. When we come together as women, and take time/make time to share – magic happens. Beyond that, when we as women take that magic into our communities it’s contagious.

This month our country is celebrating >>Women’s Equality Day on August 26th. Designated in 1971, the date commemorates the certification of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. Part of me finds it hard to imagine living in a time when I would watch my husband go off to vote without me. The idea would be ludicrous today. But when you consider that demands for equality by women at the voting box and in society have been ongoing for more than 100 years – I find it unacceptable that we’re not further along.

Sure, we can all get an education, pursue a profession, run for office and cast our votes – but in the middle of it all we’re navigating family demands, a lack of affordable child care, a lack of health care, lower salaries and continued discrimination in the workplace. It’s like we’re Cinderellas (pardon my princess reference but hear me out) being told we can go to the ball and have a seat at the table, but not until we finish all of our work and only then can we prance to the ball in borrowed glass slippers.

This month, we are focusing our editorial content on women’s equality. We’ll share research we’ve collected on the state of feminism in our society, pursuits of equality, and how we can all advance each other. The month will culminate with our participation and support of the >>Stand with Women and Families Women’s Equality Day March – we’ve been organizing with our friends at >>Action NC . You can participate too – the event is in Durham, where we’ll gather at the Durham County Register of Deeds and march to the American Tobacco Campus to rally, hear inspiring speakers, performances, live music – and kids are welcome too!

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And beyond that, we hope you’ll join us on >>November 4th at the NC Women’s Summit. Ticket are on sale today, starting at $25. Scholarships are available and the earlier you buy, the less expensive your ticket is. The day will include lunch, a whole host of amazing women speakers and workshops on leadership, self care, advocacy, the economy and more. Gather up a few friends and make a day out of it. You can even make a weekend of it by coming in on Friday night for our Speak Up! Poetry performance at Little Brother Brewing in Greensboro. The event raises money for Women AdvaNCe and the brewery is even making a special in our honor – called She Persists.

The theme for this year’s Summit is Thriving Through Change and that is what we must do in times like these. We all deserve to go to the ball – just like Cinderella – our Prince Charming’s have proven unsuccessful to make that happen. We’ve been waiting for almost 100 years for the leaders of our country (mostly men) to make that a reality. It’s time to demand more seats at the table because we all know just how much women can get done when we take charge.