U.S. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joined a panel of high-profile Colorado women on Wednesday to advocate for engagement in the era of Donald Trump.

“Understand that this is about your patriotism, taking responsibility, and how you go forward in improving the daily lives of women, but also making our country even better in that regard,” Pelosi said at a women’s event at the History Colorado museum in Denver.

The event was hosted by Emerge Colorado, which supports women running for elected office.

Emerge Colorado board member, Lucille Wenegieme, who moderated the event, started off with some strong words for Trump.

“Our president is a misogynist accused of sexual assault and harassment… Because women are woefully underrepresented at every level of government… it’s about time that change,” Wenegieme said.

Others who participated in the event included U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette of Denver, Colorado House Speaker Crisanta Duran of Denver, former state Sen. Morgan Carroll, chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party, and Jenny Willford, executive director of Emerge Colorado.

Westminster City Councilwoman Maria DeCambra also joined the event, along with Cristina Aguilar, executive director of the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights.

Panelists pointed out that women make up only 20 percent of the U.S. House.

DeGette said it is the voices of women in Congress that help propel legislation, pointing to the Affordable Care Act passed under President Obama.

“When we passed the Affordable Care Act, it really was because Nancy Pelosi was the speaker that we were able to pass a bill that not only didn’t have any additional restrictions against a woman’s right to choose, but that also expanded health care for women,” DeGette said.

Duran, the first Latina speaker of the Colorado House, said she is working on a path for women to be elected to local offices across Colorado. She said much of that plan relies on younger voters becoming more engaged.

“There is so much strength and power in the next generation, in our millennials,” Duran said. “The only thing that is more powerful than money in politics is the power of each and every one of you.”

Willford said one thing that is holding women back from running for office is public perception. She recalled the story of leaving a note at a voter’s door while campaigning. A man responded by email to tell her to stay home and bake apple pie.

“When so many women think about running for office, they think how nasty it is and they don’t want to put themselves through that and they don’t want to put their families through that, and so they don’t run,” Willford said.

Pelosi pointed to the importance of the state party in encouraging to run for office, highlighting Carroll as a national leader.

“The state party is to facilitate and lead a movement, an entire progressive movement…” Carroll said. “We need people to know their power. If they know their power they will vote, they will engage.”

Pelosi concluded, “People see the urgency, they want to take responsibility that equals opportunity, and that opportunity is there for women.”