IRON RANGE WOMEN TAKE THE POLITICAL LEAD
Innovative Political Leadership Training Takes Program to Rural Minnesota
Tower, MN–Today, The White House Project announced that its ground-breaking Go Run political leadership training program will be coming to Minnesota’s Iron Range. This innovative three-day event, which runs April 11th - 13th, aims to create a permanent, nonpartisan pipeline to women’s political leadership among women on the Iron Range and across the country.
“Women remain our country’s greatest untapped natural resource,” said Marie C. Wilson, President of The White House Project. “Go Run inspires, informs, and equips women with the tools to lead. When women sit fully at the tables of power, we create stronger governments—from the school board to the city council to the senate—and compelling solutions to our nation’s most pressing problems.”
After a successful four-year track record in the state of Minnesota, The White House Project is teaming up with local Iron Range women to develop a model training program that speaks to the needs of rural women and that can be replicated nationwide. A study by the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota found that political participation by women was lowest in rural counties, noting that while women currently make up 34.8% of the Minnesota state legislature, at the local level, just 11.4% of county commissioners are women. Go Run aims to change those statistics by starting at the grassroots level, training women of all political persuasions and backgrounds to run for political office.
Already, the women of Minnesota’s Iron Range have proven themselves eager to take on the challenge: to date, over 150 women have signed up for the training, with the waiting list steadily growing. The participants are coming from 7 counties, 6 reservations, and over 50 cities and townships across northeastern Minnesota, and over 1/3 are women of color. At April’s training, they will come together to learn the nuts and bolts of running for political office. From the fundamentals of campaign strategy to fundraising and communications, Go Run works to prepare and propel a critical mass of diverse women into positions of leadership.
“Go Run has been a part of the Minnesota landscape for four years now, and during that time, a number of women from the Iron Range have participated in our programming,” said Midwest Regional Director, Liz Johnson, “It was their passion and commitment to the issue of women’s leadership that inspired the White House Project to bring Go Run to the Iron Range.”
Go Run aims to demystify the political process for women—a group not traditionally tapped for positions of political leadership. Through programs in Minnesota, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Washington, New York and Wisconsin, Go Run has trained some of the most underrepresented women in our political system: 41% are women of color; 46% are low income; and 50% are under the age of 35.
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“There are so many talented women in our communities on the Iron Range,” says Tony Sertich, Minnesota State House Majority Leader. “We need to tap into this incredible resource for solutions!”
FOCUS ON RURAL WOMEN:
Go Run’s focus on rural women’s leadership comes at a particularly appropriate time: As the Chronicle of Philanthropy recently reported, the nation’s rural areas have been “hit hard” by the issues that top the country’s policy agenda. By specifically addressing the needs of rural women—a constituency that faces different challenges on the path to leadership than urban women do—Iron Range Go Run will equip Minnesota’s rural women with the information, inspiration, and tools to both lead their communities and have rural interests represented at the state and national levels. And through their involvement, they will in turn help to create a model training program that will propel women into leadership in rural areas across the nation.
The Go Run program utilizes both local and national speakers to train its participants. April’s Iron Range Go Run will feature: Marie C. Wilson, President and Founder of The White House Project; Karen Diver, Fond du Lac Tribal Chair; Eveleth City Councilor and Go Run Alumna Liz Kuoppala; Virginia City Councilor and Go Run Alumna Nevada Littlewolf; Former State Senator Becky Lourey; Former candidate for Lt. Governor, Kim Stokes; Cherie Averill Manner, Women of Steel, President of Local 9115 and Go Run Alumna; Itasca County Commissioner Lori Dowling; Peggy Flanagan, National Training Director, Wellstone Action; and Gary Cerkvenik, campaign strategist and veteran, among others. US Senator Amy Klobuchar will also deliver an address to the participants. Polar Explorer Ann Bancroft and Winona LaDuke will speak at lunch on Saturday and Sunday.
Iron Range Go Run will take place from April 11th – 13th at The Fortune Bay Resort and Casino in Tower, MN. Applications can be submitted online at: http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/voterunlead/gorun/2008/MN/IronRangeGoRun2008.php.
This event is made possible with generous support from The Blandin Foundation, The Otto Bremer Foundation, The Skoll Foundation, and The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.
The White House Project is a national, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization that works to advance a richly diverse, critical mass of women into leadership positions, up to and including the U.S. Presidency. For more information, please visit: http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org.
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IRON RANGE GO RUN QUOTES
“I have been to the Go Run training several times it's a great opportunity to meet other women, see great speakers, and improve our skills as advocates in our unions and possibly as candidates for elective office in the future. Remember, most participants who attend are NOT currently planning to run for office and everyone is welcome.”
-Cherie Averill Manner, Women of Steel members and President USW Local 9115
"Gender equality in a representative government is a necessity, and in a society where we still describe equal representation with the phrase, "one man, one vote," women need to seek public office in large numbers to make government a level playing field."
- Gabriel Brisbois, Native American Elder, former Advisor to US Senator Paul Wellstone
"Given the growing gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ and the current state of our economy, it is very important for the voices of the disenfranchised and the poor to be heard in the political system. I think that women, who make up a large portion of the human service field, are uniquely qualified to bring that voice to the table.”
- Lorrie Janatopoulos, Planning Director, Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency
"There are so many talented women in our communities across Northeast Minnesota! Just think of what we could accomplish if we gave them all opportunities to get involved!”
- Liz Kuoppala, Eveleth City Councilor
"I went to Go Run and I am so energized about bringing this leadership opportunity to the Iron Range . We have infinite potential in our local female leaders! Let’s tap that resource. The White House Project will provide the tools and support to ensure that our rural women are in the political pipeline."
- Nevada Littlewolf, Virginia City Councilor
