From Iceland’s ‘Women’s Day Off’ to No Kings, Progress Begins When Women Stand Together

Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world—with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment!

Milestones for notable women this week include birthdays for: Kamala Harris (former vice president), Sunny Hostin (co-host of The View), Kate Gallego (mayor of Phoenix, Ariz.), Jean Quan (first female mayor of Oakland, Calif.), Jocelyn Benson (secretary of state of Michigan), Meghan McCain (author and co-host of The View), Martha Rountree (creator and moderator of Meet the Press), Michelle Lujan Grisham (governor of New Mexico), Katie Sebastian (co-founder of Ixoq), Helen Rosenthal (former New York City Council member), Samantha Bee (comedian), Natasha Lamb (managing partner at Arjuna Capital), Belinda Phillpot (National Gallery of Art, London), Liz Popolo, Hillary Rodham Clinton (former U.S. secretary of state), and Jean Sinzdak (associate director of the Center for American Women in Politics).

Fifty Years Later, Iceland’s Women’s Strike Still Shows the Power of Collective Action

Fifty years ago, the women of Iceland changed the course of their nation—not through an election or a revolution, but through one simple, collective act: They stopped.

On Oct. 24, 1975, 90 percent of Icelandic women refused to work, cook or care for children for a single day. Factories, banks, schools and shops closed. Fathers brought their children to work. Sausages sold out across the country—the easiest thing for men to cook. The airwaves were filled with the sound of children playing in the background as news anchors tried to read the day’s headlines.

“What happened that day was the first step for women’s emancipation in Iceland,” recalled Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, who would go on to become Europe’s first woman president just five years later. “It completely paralyzed the country and opened the eyes of many men.”

That strike—known as the Women’s Day Off—became a watershed moment for equality, but it didn’t emerge overnight. It was the product of years of groundwork laid by Iceland’s women’s organizations, whose efforts dated back to the suffrage and independence movements of the early 20th century.

When the United Nations declared 1975 the International Women’s Year, representatives from five major Icelandic groups, including the Women’s Liberation Movement (the Redstockings), came together to plan a national action that would demonstrate women’s indispensable role in society. At the time, Icelandic women earned 60 percent of men’s wages and carried nearly all the responsibility for housework and child care. 

By renaming the strike “The Women’s Day Off,” organizers united women from across the political spectrum—from factory workers and teachers to mothers and artists. The movement spread quickly across a nation of just 220,000 people. 

When the day arrived, more than 25,000 women gathered in Reykjavik’s downtown square, filling the air with speeches, songs and solidarity. 

“There was a tremendous power in it all and a great feeling of solidarity and strength among all those women standing on the square in the sunshine,” Vigdis [Finnbogadóttir] says, in an article from the BBC, further writing that “brass band played the theme tune of Shoulder to Shoulder, a BBC television series about the Suffragette movement which had aired in Iceland earlier that year.” 

By midnight, the women returned to their posts—in classrooms, kitchens and offices—but Iceland itself had changed. The strike made visible what had always been true: Women were not the scaffolding of society; they were its structure. As Finnbogadóttir later said, 

“Things went back to normal the next day, but with the knowledge that women are, as well as men, the pillars of society.”

Today, on this 50th anniversary, you can still see the energy and emotion of that day in archival video footage; a sea of women singing, rallying and rewriting history together. 

Within a year, Iceland’s parliament passed its first equal rights law, and just five years later, Iceland elected Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, a single mother, as its president. The strike had redefined what equality looked like and proved that change built from solidarity and structure can reshape society. 

In the decades that followed, women’s representation surged, paid paternity leave became law, and Iceland rose to the top of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index, where it has remained since 2009.

I’ve had the honor of visiting Reykjavik for the Global Forum for Women, Peace and Security over the last four years, where women leaders from every continent gather to exchange ideas, share strategies and build partnerships for equality. Walking the same streets that those courageous women marched down in 1975, I’m always reminded of what this city has meant to women across the globe—including myself—every time I visit. 

Last year, I had the joy of walking those same Reykjavik streets with RepresentWomen’s Katie Usalis, who sat down for a private conversation with global icons Mary Robinson, Dr. Michelle Harrison and Sen. Donna Dasko on gender balance and leadership. 

Ms. magazine later featured the exchange, highlighting a powerful reflection from former president of Ireland Mary Robinson that echoes the same vision of equality that Iceland’s women stood for in 1975: 

“I am very comfortable saying that I believe that if women had a balance of leadership and parity of leadership in our world, the world would be in a much better place.It is the fact that we have a dominance of male leadership, and it is leadership of one kind without checks and balances. We need that not just in individual top leaders, but we also need cabinets to have parity, which means 50 percent, more or less—also in parliaments, business, right across the board. That’s to me the important thing: that we understand that humanity will be better served if we can combine the leadership, and get inputs from both sides, with balance.” 

The women who filled Reykjavik’s streets in 1975 were calling for the same truth: that equality is not a matter of individual opportunity, but of collective balance—a system where women’s voices are not exceptional, but expected.

That principle of balance by design remains at the heart of the work we’re carrying forward. I’m thrilled to return to Reykjavik next month with Katie Usalis to continue those conversations, deepen these global connections, and explore how leadership parity strengthens democracy everywhere.

As we honor the legacy of Iceland’s Women’s Day Off, its lessons feel more relevant than ever. From the women who gathered recently outside the Supreme Court to defend the Voting Rights Act, to the millions who marched across the United States for No Kings Day last weekend, to women across the globe advocating for fair elections and peace, the spirit of Oct. 24 endures—reminding us that progress begins when women stand together. 

This week also marks several milestones in women’s history that remind us how progress is built through courage, conviction, and connection across generations. 

In 1850, the first National Women’s Rights Convention was held in Worcester, Mass, bringing together reformers from across the country to demand equality under the law. Sixty-seven years later, in 1917, suffragist Alice Paul was arrested and jailed for her peaceful protest outside the White House, a moment that helped galvanize the final push for women’s right to vote. Together, these anniversaries remind us that trailblazing women don’t just make history—they carry one another’s courage forward.

Women Hold Majority in Bolivia Legislature Despite Sweeping Change in Party Control

Bolivia’s parliament was 91 percent male as recently as 1997. Today, it leads the world’s democracies in gender balance—with women now holding 50.8 percent of seats in the lower house and 58.3 percent in the Senate following the country’s August elections. 

This transformation didn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of intentional systems design: a pioneering gender quota law combined with Bolivia’s long-standing use of proportional representation, which ensures that votes—and voices—are more fairly translated into seats. 

In 2022, the BBC explained how Bolivia’s structural approach helped it soar past the United States in gender representation: 

“Bolivia is one of the few countries in the world where roughly 50% of lawmakers at every level of government are women. This is no accident, but the result of an electoral law which requires half of all party nominees must be female. Quotas were introduced in 1997 when just 9% of Bolivia’s national parliament were women. Later on, it was made part of the constitution.

‘Lately we’ve seen certain countries backslide on women’s rights,’ said Adriana Salvatierra, who was a senator from 2015 to 2019, and became the youngest ever president of Bolivia’s Senate. ‘Putting it in the constitution makes it harder to undo. And that assures change in the longterm.’” 

Over the last two decades, the rise of women’s leadership in Bolivia has unfolded alongside the political dominance of the Movement for Socialism (MAS). The timing naturally raised questions about whether women’s progress was connected to a particular political moment or whether it reflected something deeper within Bolivia’s electoral system. 

The August 2025 elections offered a clear answer. The durability of Bolivia’s gender-balanced reforms was on display during one of the most significant political realignments in the nation’s modern history. The long-dominant MAS—once led by Evo Morales—fractured amid internal conflict and lost its grip on power after nearly twenty years in control. According to the American Society/Council of America’s report on the search for change in the Aug. 17 elections, as a result of this schism, roughly 20 percent of voters—approximately 1.2 million people—nullified their ballots in protest. 

Yet despite the turbulence, women’s representation not only held steady but increased. The reason? Because gender balance is protected by law and reinforced through proportional representation, every party—regardless of ideology—must field women candidates. Parity has become part of Bolivia’s political fabric, not a partisan talking point. The 2025 elections confirmed what reformers long argued: when inclusion is embedded in the rules, it endures no matter what party prevails.  

For me, Bolivia’s story offers a vital lesson for the United States and other democracies: Lasting equality requires more than goodwill—it requires structure. When gender balance is written into law and reinforced through fair voting systems, progress can’t simply be undone by the next election. Our own democracy would be stronger, fairer and more representative if we took a page from Bolivia’s playbook and codified equity into the very framework of our institutions.

Xi Calls for Greater Inclusion of Women in Chinese Governance

At the Global Women’s Summit 2025 in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on nations to broaden participation in decision-making and governance, urging that gender equality be “truly internalized” within society. 

His remarks struck an aspirational tone, but they stand in sharp contrast to China’s political reality. Despite women making up nearly half of university students and 43 percent of the workforce, the country’s top governing bodies remain overwhelmingly male. As Reuters reports, the United Nations has raised concerns about the absence of women in China’s highest leadership ranks, stating: 

An absence of women among China’s top leadership is concerning, the United Nations said in 2023, as it recommended China adopt statutory quotas and a gender parity system to quicken equal representation of women in government. In 2022, China for the first time in 20 years did not have a woman among the 24 members of the country’s politburo and no women among the seven members of the standing committee of the politburo.

Xi’s decade as the party’s general secretary has seen the number of women in politics and elite government roles decline and gender gaps in the workforce widen, academics and activists say. Xi said in 2023 that women have a critical role and must establish a “new trend of family”, as the nation grapples with an ageing population and record decline in the birth rate.

While Xi frames women’s advancement as tied to family, social harmony, national demographics and institutional legitimacy, analysts say that meaningful change will require more than rhetoric. Without systemic reforms—such as quotas, inclusive selection processes and open pathways to leadership—the barriers that keep women from power are unlikely to change. 

U.N. Women and Global Cybersecurity Forum Partner to Boost Women’s Roles in Cybersecurity

In a promising step toward gender balance in one of the world’s fastest-growing industries, U.N. Women has formalized a partnership with the Global Cybersecurity Forum (GFC), signing a memorandum to advance women’s representation across cybersecurity careers and leadership roles worldwide. 

Women currently make up about 24 percent of the global cybersecurity workforce, and progress has been slow due to structural barriers, such as limited awareness, biased hiring and exclusion from networks, which have restricted progress. A 2024 report by the GCF reveals that:

“The urgency of pursuing the inclusion of women in the field has never been greater, and attracting the demographic to the field is imperative for enhancing cyber resilience. According to our research, organizations with less gender diversity tend to have more unfilled positions than similar organizations. This suggests they may be less attractive to candidates, highlighting the need for an inclusive environment to effectively address workforce shortage…” 

The report found organizations implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives not only recruit more women but also see higher employee satisfaction and stronger overall performance. The report states: 

“… Having diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives benefits organizations beyond just increasing the talent pool. Our analysis shows that organizations implementing more DEI initiatives have higher employee satisfaction…

… The results from implementing this approach have so far been extremely encouraging. More women are entering cybersecurity than ever before, doubling their participation rate in just three years between 2017 and 2020. Continued efforts to empower women to participate in cybersecurity will bolster gender equality and strengthen cyber resilience. (p. 15-18)” 

The new memorandum between U.N. Women and GCF calls for digital campaigns to attract women to cyber careers, capacity-building initiatives, cross-learning platforms and advocacy for inclusive policies. 

This partnership is a good reminder that representation matters everywhere: in government, in business, and even in the digital spaces shaping our future. When women lead and contribute fully, our systems become safer, smarter and stronger for all of us. 

Presence Without Power: What Iraq’s Record Number of Women Candidates Reveal About Representation

As Iraq heads towards its Nov. 11, 2025, parliamentary elections, the headlines are striking: 2,248 women are running for office—more than double the number in 2021—but to compete for 83 quota-reserved seats. 

It’s an encouraging sign of progress, at least on paper. But as one Iraqi analyst put it this week, the question is not whether women are represented, it’s whether they truly hold power. 

Over the past two decades, Iraq’s gender quota system has guaranteed women roughly a quarter of the seats in parliament. Still, many say that representation has not translated into autonomy or influence. Political analyst Nawal al-Moussawi told Shafaq News: 

“Most women remain bound by the party frameworks that restrict their independence. She described the quota as ‘a political guarantee of presence rather than autonomy, as each candidate operates within her bloc’s strategic agenda.” 

The result: women are visible, but their ability to shape agendas remains limited. Even as participation grows, the underlying power structures have changed little. According to al-Moussawi, nearly three-quarters of the women’s seats still reinforce existing hierarchies rather than challenge them, evidence that systems built to protect representation can paradoxically contain it. 

Officials at Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission view the surge of candidates as a positive step toward awareness and inclusion, but they, too, acknowledge the need for deeper reform. As the article notes: 

“Nibras Abu Suda, deputy spokesperson for the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), confirmed to Shafaq News that women’s representation will not drop below 25 percent of the 329-seat legislature, noting that minority allocations remain outside the quota system. She considered the surge in female candidates “a sign of growing awareness and readiness to participate,” yet stressed that empowerment “requires a political environment that safeguards freedom of opinion and decision.From the commission’s media team, Hassan Hadi Zayer pointed out that no officially registered women’s parties will participate in the upcoming vote — a sign, he said, of the fragility of independent female political movements.” 

Yet, there are also signs of renewal. Candidates like Anwar al-Khafaji are deliberately distancing themselves from entrenched political blocs that, in her words, “failed to meet the aspirations of women and voters alike.” Her campaign focuses on competence, integrity, and public service—qualities she hopes will shift the conversation from symbolic inclusion to substantive impact. 

Two decades after Iraq first introduced its gender quota, the 2025 elections may test whether the system can evolve from a mechanism of access to a platform of power. 

At RepresentWomen, we often say that representation is only the starting point —the structure that allows progress, not the proof that it’s been achieved. Systems can open doors, but only when those systems also enable independent leadership, equitable participation and decision-making do they create true parity. 

As Iraqi voters prepare to cast their ballots, the world will be watching not just how many women win, but also whether the rules that shape their power begin to change. 

Japan Confirms Sanae Takaichi as Its 1st Woman Prime Minister—but the Work for Equality Continues

As expected, Japan’s parliament has selected Sanae Takaichi as its 1st woman prime minister—a historic milestone in a country where women remain deeply underrepresented in public life.

NBC News aptly captures the nuance of this moment, noting in a recent headline that while Japan has its first female prime minister, not all women are celebrating. That sentiment, sadly, doesn’t surprise me. Takaichi, a long-time conservative leader within Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), rose to the post following a closely contested parliamentary vote—earning a 237-149 majority in the lower house over opposition leader Yoshihiko Noda, and later securing her position through a confirming vote in the upper chamber after narrowly missing a first-round majority. 

I understand why many women in Japan have met her election with mixed feelings. As the article notes: 

“Though her election is a milestone in a country where women are severely underrepresented in government, Takaichi enters office with a fragile coalition and facing a number of pressing challenges, including a visit next week by President Donald Trump. Takaichi, who says her hero is former British conservative leader Margaret Thatcher, has appointed two other women to her Cabinet, the same as the previous government. They include Satsuki Katayama, Japan’s first female finance minister.

‘I place great importance on equal opportunity, equal chances. And also participation from people from all walks of life,’ Takaichi said at a news conference Tuesday. ‘I formed my Cabinet with this idea in mind, bringing together the combined strength of all generations.’” 

Still, her election doesn’t automatically translate into progress for women. Takaichi’s path to power relied on alliances with more right-leaning parties, raising concerns among observers that her administration may further entrench traditional hierarchies rather than challenge them. As NBC News reports: 

“‘One would like to say this is a historic moment in Japan,’ Jeff Kingston, a professor of Asian studies and history at Temple University’s Japan campus, told NBC News. ‘But it’s really hard to make that case, given her rather poor track record on empowering women.’

Takaichi opposes same-sex marriage and favors keeping succession to men only in Japan’s shrinking imperial family. She also opposes changing the rules to make it easier for married women to keep their maiden names in Japan, where married couples are required to have the same surname. Progress toward gender equality has been slow in Japan, where women are far outnumbered at the highest levels of business and government and bear a disproportionate responsibility for child care and household chores.” 

The article ties these stances to data, underscoring the broader structural inequities: 

“Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy, ranked 118th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Report. It noted that women make up less than 16% of Japanese lawmakers in the lower house of parliament and 10% of government ministers.” 

Yet I find hope in moments of humanity that hint at something deeper. Takaichi has spoken candidly about her own health challenges and the importance of greater awareness around women’s experiences with menopause—a topic rarely acknowledged publicly in Japanese politics. Her willingness to name it—to speak to the lived realities women face, both privately and publicly—matters. 

As I reflect on this milestone, I’m reminded that systems change takes time and that progress often begins with visibility. Representation opens doors, but it’s what we do once inside that transforms institutions. Japan’s historic “first” offers a familiar lesson: equity isn’t achieved through symbolism alone, but through the steady, persistent work of making opportunities real for every woman. 

Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado is the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize Winner

This month, Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado received the Nobel Peace Prize—a remarkable recognition for a woman who, in another political reality, might be serving as her nation’s first woman president. 

In 2023, Machado surged ahead in national polls and won the opposition’s primary by more than two million votes. Yet, she was later barred from appearing on the ballot, as the candidate she endorsed, diplomat Edmundo González, was widely viewed as having the most votes in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election — an outcome the regime refused to recognize. 

The Guardian captured the gravity of her story: 

“Machado, 58, a conservative often described as Venezuela’s Iron Lady, has spent the last year living in hiding after her political movement was widely believed to have beaten the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, in the July 2024 presidential election. Maduro refused to accept he had lost to Machado’s ally, the former diplomat Edmundo González, and launched a ferocious political crackdown that forced González into exile and Machado to go underground….

The Norwegian Nobel Institute shared a video of the moment its director, Kristian Berg Harpviken, woke up Machado with the news. “Oh my God!” she said. “I have no words … But I hope you understand that … I am just one person, I certainly don’t deserve this.”

“It caught her totally by surprise,” said Pedro Mario Burelli, an opposition politician and friend of more than four decades. “She’s very moved. She’s very concerned about what impact this has on the last phase of the struggle. She’s tearful,” he added, shortly after speaking to Machado on Friday morning.” 

Her reaction—a mix of disbelief, humility and a deep concern for her country’s fragile struggle—reflects both the weight of the moment and the risks of her leadership. 

Like Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, Machado’s story resists a straightforward narrative about women’s leadership. Her conservative politics and past calls for military intervention have divided opinion among supporters of democracy abroad. Yet her persistence in the face of political repression and her insistence that Venezuelans deserve a free and fair vote speak to the deeper truth of what representation means. 

For me, Machado’s recognition is both a celebration and a warning. It reminds us that women’s leadership is not defined by ideology, but by courage—by the will to confront injustice and demand that systems are fair, transparent and accountable. In a just electoral system, Machado might already hold Venezuela’s highest office. Until such systems exist everywhere, the struggle for democracy remains unfinished.

25 Years After Resolution 1325, Women Still Fight for a Seat at the Table

Just weeks before the United Nations marks the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, the U.N. deputy envoy for Syria has sounded the alarm on women’s near-total exclusion from the country’s new parliament. 

Out of 221 women candidates, only six secured seats in Syria’s 210-member People’s Assembly following elections earlier this month—a result that U.N. Deputy Special Envoy Najat Rochdi described as both predictable and preventable in an interview with The NewRegion: 

“This month, six women were elected to the People’s Assembly out of 119 seats contested, reflecting a voting process where women were consistently under-represented from the outset, which could have been avoided,” said Rochdi in a briefing to the UN Security Council on Wednesday.” 

While President Ahmed al-Sharra will appoint one-third of the legislature, potentially increasing women’s overall share, Rochdi stressed the following: 

“While more women are likely to be represented in the People’s Assembly via presidential appointees, Syrian women expect and demand future electoral processes designed to protect their legitimate right to participate and to maximise opportunities for their representation,” the UN official added.” 

Her remarks come as the U.N. prepares to commemorate the WPS framework, born from U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), which affirmed women’s central role in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and post-war recovery. Yet 25 years later, progress remains painfully slow: women accounted for just 7 percent of peace negotiators worldwide between 2020 and 2024, according to a U.N. report released Monday. 

“The United Nations stands ready to accompany the Syrian authorities and people in writing the next chapters of a Syria that is safe, inclusive, and prosperous for all,” [Rochdi] concluded.” 

For me, this moment underscores what the Women, Peace and Security agenda has always made clear: Peace without representation is fragile, and reconstruction without women’s leadership is incomplete. Sustainable democracy cannot be built when half the population remains excluded from shaping it. 

As we reflect on the 25 years since Resolution 1325, the lesson from Syria, and from so many nations still emerging from conflict, is unmistakable: If women are not guaranteed a seat at the table by design, they will continue to be left standing outside of it. 

Still Waiting for a Woman President: What the U.S. Can Learn From Global Parity Gains

As was mentioned earlier in this week’s edition, Japan has ushered in a new era with the election of Sanae Takaichi, its first female prime minister. This story—like those from Bolivia, Iraq and beyond—reminds us that even imperfect progress is still progress. Takaichi’s election may be complicated, but it underscores an undeniable reality: Around the world, women are continuing to break political barriers, while the United States remains notably behind. 

According to the Center for American Women and Politics, women make up about half of the U.S. population, yet hold just 28 percent of seats in Congress. RepresentWomen’s 2025 Gender Parity Index further understores the depth of that imbalance. The United States remains stuck at a “C” grade, ranking 73rd in women’s political representation—far behind nations with fewer resources but far stronger political will to reform their systems. 

These gaps aren’t just cultural; they’re structural. The countries that have achieved the highest levels of gender balance — including Bolivia, Mexico, and Iceland — did so by redesigning the rules of their democracies. Gender quotas, proportional representation and intentional design didn’t just open the door for women, but rebuilt the doorway itself. 

By contrast, in the United States, conversations about women’s leadership too often focus on the individual breakthroughs rather than system design. This dynamic has long constrained women’s political power, especially for women of color. As The American Bazaar Online observes: 

“Historically, the idea of American womanhood has been closely tied to whiteness, shaping who is seen and how they are judged in public life. White women have often been viewed primarily through the lens of gender, constrained by traditional expectations of femininity and behavior. Women of color, however, have long been excluded from that narrow definition.

For much of U.S. history, they were marginalized not only by gender but also by race, often rendered invisible in political and social narratives. Paradoxically, that very exclusion has sometimes allowed women of color to navigate leadership roles differently, free from certain gendered stereotypes that continue to limit how white women are perceived. This complex dynamic continues to influence how power and representation unfold for women in American politics today.” 

This complex reality continues to shape who leads, who is visible, and whose voices are heard. Even as leaders like Kamala Harris have made history, their paths reveal how narrow those frameworks remain. The American Bazaar references an interview CNN conducted with Harris reflecting on her presidential run, during which she said: 

“I am running because I believe that I am the best person to do this job at this moment for all Americans, regardless of race and gender.” 

Her words highlight a central challenge in American politics: how to transcend identity without being defined by it. We have not yet transcended these frameworks, but I believe we can, and it’s my life’s mission to help ensure that happens in my lifetime. 

Yet, as the article notes, we still have a long way to go from where we are positioned today: 

“The United States remains a striking outlier among advanced democracies when it comes to electing a woman to its highest office. Even as nations across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America have broken that barrier, the world’s oldest democracy has yet to do so. This enduring gap reveals the deep-seated expectations and cultural biases that continue to shape perceptions of leadership and gender in America. 

While women have made historic gains in Congress and the Cabinet, they still face higher scrutiny, narrower definitions of competence, and persistent structural barriers. The slow pace of change underscores that the fight for true equality in political power like in workplaces and public life is far from over. The glass ceiling may be cracked, but it is not yet shattered.” 

For me, the question is no longer whether Americans are ready for a woman president; it’s whether our systems are ready to produce one. Until we modernize how we elect, fund, and support candidates—through reforms such as ranked choice voting, proportional representation and legislative modernization efforts like compensation commissions—the promise of equal representation will remain out of reach. 

The article’s sentiment deeply resonated with me and left me with this reflection: The world’s oldest democracy shouldn’t be the last to achieve equality. Structural change, not symbolism, is how we finally move from waiting to winning. 

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Community, Conversation and Civic Commitment

It’s been a full and inspiring week of collaboration and community.

I was grateful to spend time last Friday at the Citizen University’s Civic Collaboratory at the beautiful Lincoln Center Theater—many thanks to Eric Liu and the incredible members of that community, who work every day to strengthen democracy through engaged and meaningful citizenship.

I was also glad to help sponsor the Gender Justice Fund’s anniversary event in Philadelphia and to host Expand Democracy board and staff members—Rob Richie (my husband), Nivea Krishnan and Eveline Dowling—for dinner and conversation this week. Moments like these remind me how vital collaboration, generosity and shared purpose are to the work of building a stronger democracy together.