From Technology to Politics: Women Are Taking Leadership Into Their Own Hands

I’ve just returned from sunny and chilly San Francisco where I attended the Blogher Conference.  A gathering of bloggers, blogger fanatics and blogger-related types, Blogher bills itself as an “annual conference like no other — it is the thrilling diversity of the blogosphere come to life!” The content of the conference included technical labs and workshops, discussion sessions and speakers from every corner of the blogosphere. It was billed as an opportunity to network and socialize and it lived up to its expectations.

I arrived Saturday morning and was greeted by scores of women who were excited to see that The White House Project was in attendance. I missed the first few sessions as I arrived because I met so many women who wanted to hear about WHP that I ended up holding impromptu court on the stairs of the Westin St. Francis.  Later in the afternoon as I attempted to attend another session, I ended up sitting in Union Square with some of the sponsors of Blogher discussing The White House Project and just how the women’s community can latch on to new technology and build a new infrastructure of communications and support. When I did finally get to sit in a session, I found myself taking copious notes and wishing I hadn’t left my favorite pen in New York City.  The biggest take away I had from the Blogher conference was that women bloggers not only exist in large numbers, but they are an overwhelmingly smart group of sisters and daughters, security moms and soccer moms, teachers and business women, and they are ready to take over the blogosphere.

As if the weekend wasn’t already chock-full of brilliant and engaging women, I got to spend time with another equally inspiring group of women before the week was through.  Before I left for California on my second of three airline trips in five days time, I had dropped down in Decatur, GA for our fourth annual Georgia Go Run. There is a large chasm in the depth of women’s political leadership in Georgia. No women represent Georgia at the national level, and at the state level, Georgia ranks 31st in the nation for women’s political representation. But what I saw at Georgia Go Run was hope for the future. As Marie Wilson said, “women remain Georgia’s greatest untapped natural resource” - and the women of Go Run were evidence of this. In the room on Friday evening, many women proudly wore badges declaring their candidacies for different races. I was warmly and enthusiastically greeted by a bevy of women candidates who wanted to make sure they shook hands with every person in the room and excitedly share what race they were in.

It was obvious to everyone in attendance that the dearth of women’s political representation in Georgia was about to change. On a panel Friday evening, Lisa Borders, President of the Atlanta City Council, told everyone in the room that it was time for a change and time for women to step into the shoes of leadership.  And more importantly I think, Borders told everyone in that room, when they decide to run, to dare her and her fellow “chicks in charge” in Georgia, to not help them win. The White House Project knows that women helping women win is one of the only ways we are going to build a solid pipeline of smart, articulate and capable women. The “chicks in charge” in Georgia are standing in the wings waiting to help the next class of women. And the women of Georgia Go Run are daring them to lead the way.

So, two coasts, two conferences and 5 days. And the prevailing message: women are taking leadership into their own hands. In politics, in technology and in sectors that we’ve worked in our whole lives. I’m lucky to be leading along side them.