Despite a 133% increase in the number of woman mayors between 2011-2017, and more elected in the elections since then, still only around 18% of mayors are women.
Back in January, which feels like a million years ago, my nonprofit Equity Agenda partnered with the Mayors Innovation Project to launch the Women Mayors Network (WMN). The launch included twenty-five women mayors from cities both big and small and from all over the country, and I distinctly remember the vibe in the room:
It was powerful- and dynamically so.
This diverse group of women showed up seeking their peers for networking, collaboration, best practices. What they found was a group of people with whom they shared a distinct set of experiences, and the alchemy that happened in that room as they connected with each other was truly something special. They talked about experiences they’d had and were greeted with knowing nods around the room. They found humor and shared laughs. As sometimes happens in a room full of women, the connections felt immediate and intimate. Even when they rejoined their male peers, the women were more visible within the shared space- they had empowered each other.
In the months since January, participation by women mayors in WMN has grown exponentially. Even though WMN events have been virtual, the alchemy of connection is still happening. While it seemed like the WMN might languish as so many ”normal life” gatherings are because of COVID; the opposite has happened. The Network is growing and flourishing with an endless list of exciting new work to do. We get to build the plane while we fly it.
While the magic of their connection is tangible and I feel privileged to help foster it, the WMN is having an even broader impact. The WMN provides resources to improve equity in communities, helps women mayors overcome the gender- and identity-related barriers they face, and improves women mayors’ experience of leadership. Last but not least, the network also aims to raise the profile of women mayors, and thereby ultimately help increase the number of women mayors. After all, if you can’t see it, you can’t be it.
Being a mayor can be a lonely experience that is not for the faint of heart or the thin-skinned; it’s personal and the challenges in our communities are deep-rooted and intractable. Despite that, or maybe because of it, local elected officials are quintessential public servants. They are often pragmatic problem-solvers who have to go beyond virtue signaling to actually solve a problem, a thankless job in our hyper-partisan world. Add to that the sexism leveled at those who do the job as a woman, especially as a woman of color or an LGBT woman, and you get a sense of what these women overcome to get the job done.
We’re thrilled to be providing a way for these powerful women to connect, support each other, learn and collaborate, improve their communities, and amplify their work.