Editor:

Last month, a group of young women from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe participated in a media training initiative called #GirlsGovern, which culminated in interviews with female elected officials. Run by GlobalGirls Media, #GirlsGovern sought to empower, inform and engage girls in politics through journalism.

As the director of Emerge Colorado, an organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, I know the importance of engaging women in the political process early on. So, I decided to lend a hand to the #GirlsGovern initiative by arranging for the girls to meet and interview several Colorado women serving in office.

State House Majority Leader Crisanta Duran and state Sen. Linda Newell spoke to the girls about the importance of engagement and equal representation. Over lunch, Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne and state Sen. Beth Martinez-Humenik touched on the unique abilities that women bring to the table. Engaging in discussions like these can spark an initial interest in politics, which is the first step for young women to enter the pipeline and eventually run for office themselves.

Inspiring a future generation of female leaders is one of the many great things that women do when they’re elected. That’s why Emerge is working hard to change the face of leadership in Colorado. Eight of our alumnae won their primary races last month, including three women of color. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved, but until Colorado women are fairly represented, we’ll be on the front lines of this fight.

Jenny Willford

Executive director, Emerge Colorado

Denver