Hall of Fame | WE in Kansas City, Missouri
We have a new GenderAvenger Hall of Fame citizen to announce! WE, which stands for Women's Empowerment, a brainchild of Missouri's Kansas City Mayor Sly James, will make sure that women have a voice in local government.
Mayor Sly James spends quite a bit of time in meetings, and he noticed that there were either no women at all in the meetings or, if there were, it was same women from the small number present at other meetings. He believes that it's not only not enough for him to point out this failing ratio but also that it is his duty to actively change it, and he is doing just that.
Women make up 51% of the population and are receiving higher levels of education at a faster pace than their male counterparts. We can use that to our advantage and it is good business to do so. Every organization, public or private, employs women and have female customers.
James is partnering with the Central Exchange, the Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City, and UMKC’s Women’s Center to research and develop strategies, and he's thinking big, imagining this as "…a model that other cities and businesses can use." Active strategy to not only welcome but encourage women's voices in business and politics is commendable, and we're proud to help show off Sly James' WE in the GenderAvenger Hall of Fame.
Thanks to Mindy Mazur for nominating Kansas City's WE into the GenderAvenger Hall of Fame, and thank you, Sly James and Kansas City, for ensuring that women are always a part of public dialog!