By Danika Dellor
On March 29, I had the privilege of attending the RISE 2024 Women’s Leadership Conference in San Mateo. The day was an engaging exploration of the multifaceted challenges impeding women’s progress, obstructing their economic advancement, and constraining their opportunities to ascend in influence and status due to outdated policies and embedded societal expectations.
The audience was predominantly comprised of women—nonprofit professionals dedicated to the social sector, alongside individuals running for elected positions, current officeholders, and other advocates for policies and initiatives supporting women. The realities presented resonated deeply with many of us. We confronted the harsh truth of the persistent gender pay gap, particularly in roles crucial to supporting vulnerable women and families. Many within the audience found themselves underpaid, overworked, and squeezed into the vanishing middle class, grappling with exorbitant childcare expenses that often swallow a significant portion of earnings. It’s a disheartening reality that leaves many questioning their decision to remain in the workforce when their hard-earned income barely covers childcare and housing expenses.
Like my fellow attendees, I found inspiration in the words of Malia Cohen, a fellow native San Franciscan and the first Black woman to serve as CA State Controller. She emphasized the imperative of investing in education to nurture the aspirations of our children and unveiled a ballot initiative to integrate financial literacy education into California’s curriculum, ensuring every student receives essential personal finance training before entering high school. Supervisor Noelia Corzo, an alumna of WANDA, shared her journey and highlighted how WANDA empowers women to learn about savings and advocate for career advancement. “We have all come a long way from where we started,” Supervisor Corzo remarked, “We have many opportunities even in places where we don’t think they are. We can create them for others. We can keep that door open.”
Yet, amid the enthusiasm, the collective resolve to drive change – hearing the messages we all know too well, we made a crucial observation: Who is in the room? Where are our sons, fathers, and brothers? Where are the CEOs and leaders who hold the power to dismantle the systemic barriers perpetuating gender inequality? Why aren’t they present in the room alongside us? This is the challenge we face—the imperative to engage allies and stakeholders across all sectors in our quest for gender equity and economic justice. It is the work we do, alongside the 40+ hour career plus the full-time job of being a mother. It is the task that demands our relentless commitment and collective effort.
As we reflect on the insights and conversations from the RISE 2024 Women’s Leadership Conference, let us inspire and empower each other, but also redouble our efforts to ensure that our collective advocacy transcends the confines of conference halls and resonates in our schools, workplaces, and homes. Only then can we truly effectuate the transformative change we envision.