| Intergenerational Feminism Luncheon Overcoming generational divides in the feminist movement was the topic under discussion when young women leaders, such as Humphrey Alumni Kiely Todd Roska, Heather Kilgore, Anita Patel, recent graduates Sara Radjenovic and Kim Borton, incoming student Jill Lipski, and Hamline Women’s Studies graduate Erin Parrish spoke at a June 7 Women and Public Policy lunch event of 60 people. These young women were the articulate and passionate nominators of organizations for the Humphrey School Young Women’s Leadership Award, a new award the Center on Women and Public Policy created to honor organizations that have made a demonstrated commitment to advancing the leadership of young women ages 25-35 in Minnesota. The young women, all members of non-profit boards dedicated to improving the lives of women, shared one effective practice for involving young women in leadership and offered one piece of advice to the audience. Sara, Kim and Heather became involved with board leadership as part of a Humphrey School board service on women and public policy course. This innovative class (link to course page) taught Professor Sally J. Kenney taught for the last two years places women and public policy students on boards and provides education and support throughout the year.
The speakers offered great advice to organizations. Anita Patel asked the audience to remember what it felt like to walk into a room where you know no one and to put themselves in the shoes of new board members. She recommended introducing yourself immediately and then listening to the way the new board member says her name, being careful to learn what she wants you to call her and how her name is pronounced. Attentiveness on this issue demonstrates a welcoming attitude. Second, she recommended immediately asking how the new person is, as both a basic requirement of politeness but also to get her talking and then, at key junctures, specifically asking her what she thinks rather than always waiting for her to choose to speak. Erin Parrish encouraged students to be persistent in seeking opportunities and for older women to recognize young women’s talent. All of the speakers challenged the stereotype that young women had nothing to contribute and were merely learners or apprentices. Kiely Todd Roska spoke eloquently of the need to overcome women’s greater reticence to put themselves forward for leadership by asking them to apply for leadership positions, telling women explicitly that you see leadership potential in them, and helping them develop the skills they feel they lack.
All of the speakers and the many young women in the audience challenge the oft-repeated, yet damaging and untrue statement that younger women are not interested in feminism. |
