Running Start: Bringing Young Women to Politics
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Running Start: Bringing Young Women to Politics is non profit c(3) organization whose mission is to inspire young women and girls to run for political office. This non-partisan organization's mission is to increase the number of women who serve in elective office in the United States by educating women and girls that they are needed in politics. Our training programs emphasize that political office is an attainable and exciting goal for young women to pursue. Running Start was started by Susannah Shakow, Esq., former president of the Women Under Forty Political Action Campaign.
[edit] Overview
Running Start focuses on research, education, and outreach. Running Start intends to be the nation's premiere resource on young women and politics with nonpartisan, accurate data about young women candidates and their unique role in politics.
Running Start also introduces college and high school girls to the power of politics through their education initiatives. These include the Young Women's Political Leadership Training, Campaign College, Women to Watch Awards, and Path to Politics lunch series.
The Young Women's Political Leadership Training introduces high school girls to politics, equips them with the skills necessary for political leadership, and inspires them to become political leaders. Young women candidates and elected officials speak to the girls about what it is like to run as a young women, how to get involved on a local level, and why they feel it is important to get more women elected. The Political Leadership Program is July 17-20th, 2008.
Campaign College is a new initiative in which Running Start and the Women and Politics Institute at American University will work with student governments in D.C. area colleges to train college women on how to run for office.
The Women to Watch awards is an annual event which honors impressive young women leaders under 40. This year's honorees include Dana Perino, White House Press Secretary; Linda Rottenburg, CEO of Endeavour; Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Dutch Parliamentarian; Cathy Lanier, DC Chief of Police; and Michelle Rhee, DC Schools Chancellor. By honoring these outstanding women, we hope to inspire young women and girls to take their leadership to another level. Proceeds from the Women to Watch Awards benefit Running Start's research and education programs. The date for this year's event is May 6th, 2008 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
The Path to Politics luncheon/dinner series is new initiative in which young women interested in running for public office will have the opportunity to meet young women legislators and candidates over lunch or dinner. The speakers will focus on a particular aspect of what it is like to run or serve as a young woman. Each seminar focuses on practical advice, such as fundraising, building your base, working with the national parties, establishing credibility as a young woman legislature, as well as on inspiring the audience to run for office themselves.
Through these and other programs, Running Start seeks to educate young women about how they can make a difference in politics by becoming candidates themselves.
[edit] External links
- runningstartonline.org
