March is Women’s History Month and 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. This month we focus on the role of women as Public Sector leaders and their achievements. Learn about the 19th amendment here or start a book discussion about women who lead in the public sector.
Women’s History Month and Public Sector Leaders
Hattie Caraway was sworn into her late husband’s senate seat on December 9, 1931 with the democratic party of Arkansas backing, she easily won a special election in January 1932 for the remaining months of the term, becoming the first woman elected to the Senate. She also ran a second term and won. “Women are essentially practical because they have always had to be from the dawn of time. It’s been our job to see that both ends meet”
Things have changed quite a bit since the first female US Senator began serving in congress and shared her thoughts about women in government. For inspiration check out these quotes from women in all sectors of public service on Govloop—you are sure to find something to talk about with the women working alongside you this month. Better still, consider bringing a few of these quotes up over lunch, what do they tell us about the different ways women handle challenges and how they overcome them?
What We’re Reading:
Women in Public Service and at the Ballot Box:
This book inspires readers with untold stories of women who did behind the scenes policy work to accomplish voting rights for all women. Great stories about leadership from women that made the 19th amendment possible in Why They Marched by Susan Ware or read the New York Times 2018 bestseller Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to Women Who Will Run the World by Jennifer Palmeri as a chance to examine the different ideas that women bring to public service.