Brencia Berry, political director for the DNC, with Tiffany Jones Smith, LBJWCS '22. (Photo courtesy of The Network)
ICYMI – EMMY RUIZ, former campaign aide to Vice President Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama encouraged more women to run for public office and get involved in democracy at an alumni summit co-hosted by the LBJ WOMEN'S CAMPAIGN SCHOOL and THE NETWORK on Tuesday, Feb. 12. Ruiz, from Harlingen, Texas, and the daughter of Mexican immigrants, emphasized the importance of personal experiences in her current role and for all women running for office or working in politics:
Ruiz: "In everything that I do, who I am and where I come from shapes my work. Our personal stories shape policy." She emphasized that for women in politics, and especially moms, we need to normalize what it means to be a parent in the workplace. "As a mom, we don't need to bend or adapt to fit systems, but the systems need to bend to fit our needs."
Thirteen alumni from the program have already stepped up to run in 2024.
LBJWCS founder and executive director Amy Kroll and Emmy Ruiz discuss normalizing motherhood while working in politics. (Photo courtesy of The Network)
AMY KROLL, the founder and executive director of the LBJ Women's Campaign School, opened the event by welcoming the alumni, each of whom "are passionately dedicated to their communities and creating meaningful change," and the Alumni Summit's goal of "inspiring alumni to take on even larger leadership roles in their communities."
When women run, women win. U.S. Rep. ASHLEY HINSON (R-IA-02) spoke about the challenges she faced as a woman candidate running for office, emphasizing the role of "trusted mentors" to recruit and support other women, and the fact that "we need women's voices [in Congress] on a lot of issues." Hinson also described her work in the House Appropriations Committee, asserting the importance of bipartisan collaboration in passing legislation.
It's been more than half a century since a candidate who was not from the Republican or Democratic Party has won a single state in a presidential election. LBJ School alumna BRENCIA BERRY, who serves as the political director at the Democratic National Committee, spoke with the former executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, PARKER POLING, on the party resources that future candidates, staff, and volunteers should seek out before an election. They also talked about the challenges that women face when entering the political arena.
Berry: "I know how much more it takes for women of color to run for office, and how inequitable it is. Connecting with organizations like the LBJ Women's Campaign School is important. Use all the resources you have at your disposal."
Poling spoke about the importance of asking for help from your party organization: "We can only help if you ask […] Make a persuasive case for your candidacy and what you bring to the party."
LBJWCS alumni Priscilla Vigliante ‘23, LBJWCS Staff Elizabeth Picherit, PhD., and LBJWCS Alumni Christine Erwin-Jimenez ‘21, Elizabeth Claudill McClain ‘23, Jenny Flanagan ‘23, Heather Bredimus ‘23, and Laurel Bush ‘22 at the welcome reception at the Decatur House, White House Historical Society. (Photo courtesy of The Network)
Elected officials are changing how they communicate with their constituents. Pennsylvania State Rep. SHERYL DELOZIER and U.S. Rep Josh Harder's chief of staff RACHEL GOLDENBERG discussed the strategies involved with reaching out to constituents who consult both social media and television for their political news. Delozier said she goes "where my people are, where my constituents are; behind the scenes is more important than the headlines." Goldenberg agreed, saying that in her district, "We don't expect our constituents to come to us; we go to them." Her strategy as chief of staff embraces all modes of communication used by Harder's constituents, from social media platforms to educational material translated into three different languages.
The LBJ Women's Campaign School Alumni Summit was co-hosted by The Network and sponsored by Southwest Airlines, Arnold Ventures, The Center for Women in Government at the Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership at Texas Woman's University, and Women's Public Leadership Network.
NEXT WEEK – Feb. 19 is the final deadline to apply for the LBJ Women's Campaign School. Apply online at lbjwcs.lbj.utexas.edu.