Though Black women exhibit leadership in many areas, they are woefully underrepresented in the field of politics.Since March is Women's History Month, right now presents a prime opportunity to explore the reasons why. With Barack Obama in the White House, one major barrier has already been broken; who's to say that someday soon, a Black woman might not break down yet another? Click here to learn more about Women's History Month. - NewsOne Staff
From The Root:
When Ayanna Pressley decided to take a shot at a seat on the city council in her adopted hometown of Boston, Mass., she was committed to winning by any means necessary. This meant cashing in her 401(k) retirement plan--earned over 16 years as a Democratic operative in Boston and in Washington for Sen. John Kerry and other lawmakers. With a mother needing regular care, chasing a job that depended entirely on her willingness to, say, shake hands outside Fenway Park, her run was something of a gamble. "I know what it is to live in the margins; I know what it is to feel that your government doesn't reflect you, represent you, or advocate for you," Pressley--whose investment paid off with a win in November 2009--says today. "I was unafraid."
Fearlessness is what it takes for a woman to run for elective office, especially a black woman. In his official proclamation designating March Women's History Month, President Barack Obama noted that America "must correct persisting inequalities" facing women in every sphere of life, such as making less money and having greater family burdens than men.
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SOURCE: NewsOne for Black America
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