Fighting for Women’s Equality

by / Sep 01, 2020

Between the success of women-led countries’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic to the positive impact of women’s equality on economic growth, it’s no surprise that gender parity is directly linked to sustainable development and socioeconomic wellbeing. In fact, in its 2020 Gender Gap Report, the World Economic Forum identified female underrepresentation in politics as the top priority in promoting progress in other areas. It is more evident than ever that female leadership in office at the local, state, and federal levels is indispensable to building a dynamic, effective government to meet this century’s unique challenges. We’re so excited to be donating 20% of net online proceeds from August 26th to September 9th to She Should Run, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to dramatically increase the number of women considering a run for public office. She Should Run exemplifies SENREVE’s values that women shouldn’t need to sacrifice any aspects of their multifaceted lives to pursue their dreams.

She Should Run works to combat the barriers that women face when exploring the possibility of running to be an elected leader. Rather than diving straight into the often-overwhelming world of political participation, She Should Run meets women where they are and welcomes them to find their unique roles in public service. Through data-driven content, education, and collective action, She Should Run hopes to realize its #250Kby2030 vision: that 250,000 female leaders will run for public office by the year 2030. Since its founding in 2011, the nonprofit has helped more than 20,000 women consider the possibility of running for office, offered learning events to nearly 1,500 women, and secured financial support across all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Everyone has a role to play in the fight for equal representation. Take the Role Call quiz to find yours. Read on to learn more about She Should Run’s initiatives, programs, and impact.

Coral, SENREVE’s CEO, moderates SF Salon panelCoral, SENREVE’s CEO, moderates SF Salon panel

The She Should Run Community
The virtual She Should Run Community is a space for women to access various resources to begin their first steps toward exploring a bid for public office. The Community provides a network for women to connect with each other along their journeys, first access to events like workshops, webinars, and Q&As, and free, nonpartisan online courses through its flagship program, the Incubator. These programs’ past guest speakers are women with extensive and diverse political backgrounds, including former city council members, state delegates, and lieutenant governors. Its accessible online format is especially remarkable in the face of this year’s challenges. The She Should Run Incubator’s curriculum includes lessons on cultivating personal leadership styles, building networks to garner support and assistance, fostering communication, and finding unique pathways to elected office. Since 2011, the Incubator has encouraged over 22,000 women to consider a run for office. 

Women celebrate Jasmine Tookes' partnership with SENREVEWomen celebrate Jasmine Tookes' partnership with SENREVE

Road to Run
She Should Run also hosts virtual Road to Run events as part of a series meant to unite women around specific topics in leadership. Leaders from select cities share their experiences, give advice, and respond to participants’ questions. In July, She Should Run organized a Road to Run event regarding how serving in public office can be a catalyst for self-discovery and purpose. Past areas of discussion include balancing public leadership with personal life, race and gender in politics, and the refugee experience.

Professional Development Series
Businesses and organizations with high levels of gender equality and female leadership tend to report higher profitability, employee retention, and innovation. She Should Run’s Professional Development Series aims to provide businesses with tools and strategies to uplift and retain its female leaders. She Should Run team members work with organizations to foster inclusive, healthy environments by hosting workshops and discussions about imposter syndrome, risk-taking, the importance of equal representation in politics and business, and more.  These topics are top of mind here at SENREVE, where we strive to empower female leaders with beautiful, functional, and versatile products that are a daily companion to their multifaceted lives.


SENREVE bringing together female leaders, from left to right: Elanah Entin, Julia Mehra, Marissa Mayer, Coral Chung, Wendy Wen SENREVE bringing together female leaders, from left to right: Elanah Entin, Julia Mehra, Marissa Mayer, Coral Chung, Wendy Wen

She Should Run offers many more tools and resources along with those mentioned above. Not only are women less likely to run for office than men, they’re also less likely to be asked to run; the "Ask a Woman to Run" tool allows community members to nominate women, who then receive resources and support from the organization to consider a bid. She Should Run’s Role Call quiz helps individuals identify their unique positionality and skills in the fight for gender equality, and the "Help Her Lead" course provides mentors, teachers, and parents with resources to facilitate conversations with young girls about their leadership potential and the challenges they’ll likely face.

Recently, She Should Run partnered with Mattel to launch a line of politically-themed Barbie dolls, including a campaign manager and a voter doll, to encourage girls to learn about politics and overcome gender roles. We love that She Should Run strives to empower women and girls without compromising their identities, just as SENREVE does. All of these initiatives are a reflection of founder and CEO Erin Loos Cutraro’s vision to unite innovative strategy with systemic change to promote gender equality.


Co-founders Coral and Wendy celebrate Jasmine Tookes' partnership with SENREVECo-founders Coral and Wendy celebrate Jasmine Tookes' partnership with SENREVE

Did You Know?
- There are three men for every woman in the U.S. Congress (Brookings)
- Women occupy less than one in four seats in national parliaments worldwide (United Nations)
- Women are less likely than men to advance in the workplace due to an uneven playing field at all career stages, a significant leadership gap in senior roles, and the deprioritization of gender diversity (McKinsey) 


Infographic on female political representation. Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer/Jared Whalen, 2016.Infographic on female political representation. Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer/Jared Whalen, 2016.

We’re thrilled to support She Should Run for their incredible work in empowering women and girls to represent their communities and fight for gender equality in our lifetime. Learn more about SENREVE’s initiatives and tips for Women’s Equality Day and Election Day here, including our Women of the World Scarf launch.

SENREVE’s Women of the World Scarf, inspired by the powerful image from the 50th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in New YorkSENREVE’s Women of the World Scarf, inspired by the powerful image from the 50th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in New York

* 20% of net online proceeds from August 26th to September 9th will be donated to She Should Run.
** All photos courtesy of She Should Run or SENREVE; infographic courtesy of The Philadelphia Inquirer. 
***Source: She Should Run. 2020. Retrieved from sheshouldrun.org. 

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She Should Run is an organization that truly embodies SENREVE’s values of empowering women to do it all. Which female leaders do you look toward for inspiration and guidance, and what other parity-related issues are you passionate about?  Leave a comment below—we’d love to hear about the causes and organizations you’re interested in.