#WomenPowerVote: Women, Let’s Control Our Next 100 Years

This piece was originally published in Ms. Magazine.

This election season, gender parity is on the ballot—and women must act. Without the 19th Amendment, America would not have made the strides we have since 1920. But despite this progress, we still have miles and miles to go before we sleep.

Women Legislators’ Lobby (WiLL), a program of Women’s Action for New Directions, gathered women legislators and thought leaders across the U.S. to illuminate the importance and impact of the 19th Amendment. These women fight daily to challenge societal norms and improve conditions for their communities. It is through political empowerment that they are able to make the changes women need in order to succeed. 

We continue to be challenged by the pay gap, voter suppression, gender-based stereotypes in the media, and a lack of full representation in government. Working together is essential in surmounting societal and political obstacles that hold women back.  

Women, it is imperative to vote this year. Political engagement can make a significant difference in what happens in our lives and our communities. In the 100th year of the 19th Amendment, we must vote for our interests. The 19th Amendment has given us a blueprint—it is up to us to continue to build from it.  

As leaders, in every sense of the word, these women have charged us to ensure we move forward with the promise of the 19th Amendment.

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