Wednesday, November 13 @ Noon ET

You have questions. How can I channel my feelings into helping my community? What are some ways I can get involved in my local government? How do I encourage more women to get involved so that future elections look different?

She Should Run hosted a 30-minute town hall where we held space to gather and address the top inquiries we’ve received.

Watch the Replay

2024 Election Webinar Series

This nonpartisan webinar series brings women leaders together to offer tangible actions you can take to improve your mindset and your community this year.

Lifting as We Climb: How We Can Grow a Diverse Movement to Address Racism

Wednesday, October 25 | 12pm ET

Regularly, we witness how racial discrimination is not always conscious or explicit. Instead, racism is woven into the fabric of our country’s systems, from education, employment, housing, and healthcare to the criminal justice system and more. According to YWCA’s YWomenVote 2022 Findings, 66% of Black women are concerned about the rise in white nationalism, and 67% named racial violence as a top concern.

In this webinar, we provided attendees with various perspectives of women working to address racism in their communities and how that type of leadership lends itself to public office.

Economy + Me: How Equality Starts with Us

Wednesday, September 20 | 12pm ET

There is no question that women experience greater wealth disparities than men. A 2015 report from the McKinsey Global Institute found that advancing women’s equality can add $12 trillion to the global economy by 2025. So, why does there continue to be such a significant gap between men and women in areas like pay, leadership roles, and access to education?

In this webinar, we provided attendees with various perspectives from field experts, including researchers, elected officials, and women working directly to boost women’s financial status, to help women feel confident about advocating for their financial future personally and for their community.

America 1 Year After Dobbs: How Taking Up the Mantle of Reproductive Health

Wednesday, June 21 | 12pm ET

The World Health Organization defines reproductive health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes.”

In this webinar, She Should Run and our co-hosts, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, joined forces with some of the most notable women reproductive health advocates to discuss the impact of local government and what that means for policy change. Participants learned how to sustain hope in an emotionally intense time, and how to build an inclusive local movement to ensure reproductive health remains a priority.

Thursday, June 1 | 12pm ET

Keeping Our Communities Safe: Local Actions to Address Gun Violence

The majority of women acknowledge the need for gun violence prevention, making it more important than ever that we build a bench of leaders ready and willing to tackle an issue that disproportionately affects them.

In this webinar we learned from some of the most notable women gun violence prevention advocates about how to craft and communicate persuasive messaging and how to create your own plan of action to build a lasting, inclusive movement to address gun violence in your community.

Local Action, Global Impacts: How We Can Address Climate Change at Home

Wednesday, April 26 | 12pm ET

With women and girls experiencing the most significant impacts of climate change globally, it is more important than ever that we build a bench of leaders ready and willing to tackle an issue that disproportionately affects them.

This webinar explored the various ways women can lead on climate change in their communities.

Visit the Community to watch the recording.

Power in Purpose

Wednesday, September 14 + 21 | 4 pm ET

This 90-minute, two-part virtual event assisted participants in aligning their values with their purpose and potential. Our interactive workshops are designed to support you in identifying your unique qualities and values that lend themselves to public leadership. You already have all it takes to lead in office – whether you volunteer in your community, serve on the PTA, or sit on a Board or Commission, you are qualified.

Navigating Social Media: From Your Biggest Fans to Your Worst Trolls

Wednesday, August 24 | 12pm ET

Social media is central to nearly everyone’s lives and it’s not going away any time soon. For a woman looking to become more engaged in her community, politically or otherwise, it can be a crucial tool for connecting with others. But for anyone who has ever read the comments on what seems like an innocuous post about cats, it’s obvious that it comes with a certain set of pitfalls. When you combine polarizing topics with passionate users and add a dash of anonymity, chaos ensues.

In this webinar, we discussed how to set yourself up for the best and prepare for the worst on social media.

Visit the Community to watch the recording.

Power in Purpose

Thursday, July 14 & 28 @ 4 pm ET

This 90-minute, two-part virtual event assisted participants in aligning their values with their purpose and potential. Our interactive workshops are designed to support you in identifying your unique qualities and values that lend themselves to public leadership. You already have all it takes to lead in office – whether you volunteer in your community, serve on the PTA, or sit on a Board or Commission, you are qualified.

How to bounce back from criticism and rejection

Tuesday, August 17, 2021 @ noon ET

Fear of perceived failure is a huge barrier to considering a variety of leadership opportunities, including running for office. When we learn to process our responses to criticism and turn them into opportunities, we also build our ability to innovate, influence others, and collaborate with those who hold different ideas than us. Each of these skills can help us in any leadership opportunity we pursue, and can build our confidence to courageously go after the things we care about.

This webinar discussed leadership successes, failures, hardships and triumphs, and building your ability to bounce back when things don’t go as planned.

Visit the Community to watch the recording.

How Ableism is Keeping Us From Equal Representation

Wednesday, July 28, 2021, 2021 @ noon ET

At She Should Run we know that part of this societal contribution depends on representation in elected leadership and that equal representation does not happen without investment, information, and resources. That’s why we partnered with NCIL to talk about how members of the disabled community can use their skills of adaptability, resilience, creativity, and problem solving to lead in elected positions.

After attending, participants were better able to:

• Share personal story and experiences
• Navigate political spaces while advocating for disabled rights
• Build networks of support with others

Visit the Community to watch the recording.

How to be a Pro Networker

Wednesday, June 23, 2021 @ noon ET

This webinar showed viewers how to build and maximize their network as well as develop their networking skills. We focused on how to get comfortable with networking, how to maximize the network you already have, and how to build a foundation that can help with donations and assistance for making your candidacy a reality.

After attending, participants were better able to:

• Identify and pursue opportunities to expand your network
• Comfortably ask your network for information, connections, and support
• Create authentic networking opportunities in a variety of situations

Visit the Community to watch the recording.

June 3, 2021 @ 12 PM MT / 2 PM ET

In a conversation with local leaders from Wyoming, we discussed how they developed their own voice and used it both offline and online, how they learned to navigate digital communications, and how they used active listening as part of their communications with voters.

Viewiers of this webinar will be better able to:

• Identify ways to start developing and sharing your story
• Identify and pursue opportunities for building your brand online
• Use active listening as a tool for connecting with others

Visit the Community to watch the recording.

Overcoming Racial Bias on Your Leadership Journey

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT

Whether in the boardroom, on the Senate floor, or at a Town Hall meeting, we only reach the best solutions when we create space for all voices. Join She Should Run for a discussion around embracing your leadership potential while shutting down racist stereotypes and microaggressions, and demanding your seat at the table.

Viewers of this webinar will be better able to:

• Shut down inappropriate speech, questions, or behaviors
• Grow your personal leadership confidence
• Build leadership opportunities as and for people of various races and ethnicities

Visit the Community to watch the recording.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021 @ 12 PM ET

Many women count themselves out as potential candidates for financial reasons. Between paying for rent, child care, keeping up with student loans, car payments, and other bills it can feel impossible to also take on the burden of running for office. At the same time, people with these experiences have valuable contributions to make in governance and representing their communities. Running for office with debt is not impossible, but having the right information can make or break this decision for you.

Attendees learned how to be better able to:

• Understand financial constraints as they relate to leadership opportunities
• Map out your plan to communicate debt as a candidate
• Build the value of financial relatability as a leader

Visit the Community to watch the recording.

Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 2 PM ET

Stop one on the Road to Run was all about leadership. As a leader, elected office or otherwise, you don’t lead by yourself. Your network is essential to your success and fundraising is a critical aspect of running for office. Networking can have a bad reputation, especially in politics, and fundraising, i.e. asking people for financial support for your campaign, can stir up all types of uncomfortable feelings. Through a conversation with local leaders, we showed attendees:

• How to think differently about networking and fundraising
• How you can build and maximize your network now before you ever run for office
• How to start getting comfortable with asking people to support your vision financially.

Visit the Community to watch the recording.

Thursday, March 18, 2021 @ 12 PM ET

The challenge with combatting sexism is that it is often subtle and hard to recognize. Due to the prevalence of these thoughts and behaviors, people can be tempted to brush them off as normal. Even when sexism is easy to identify, many women feel like challenging these notions could put their leadership at risk. Unless women are equally represented in leadership, we won’t get the best results out of politics, business, or any industry. We know opportunities for women in leadership are more fruitful when sexist barriers are removed.

Attendees left the event better able to:

• Recognize sexism when you or others are experiencing it
• Shut down inappropriate thought patterns or behaviors
• Grow personal leadership confidence

Log into the Community to watch the full webinar.

Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 1 PM ET

Our first stop on the ‘Road to Run’ series was all about leadership. Taking the first step towards running for office requires confidence in your own leadership skills and abilities. Chances are, you are already a leader in some way through your workplace, your family, your neighborhood, your house of worship, and/or a local nonprofit you volunteer for.

In a conversation with Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome and former Louisiana State Representative Julie Stokes, we dove into how they demonstrated leadership in their communities before they ran for office, how they knew running for office was the right step for them, and how they were able to build the confidence to pursue a run for office.

Learn more about Road to Run.

Be the Change: Discover the confidence within yourself

Wed, January 27, 2021, 3 PM EST / 12 PM PST

Each new year begins with promise, and we want to help you start 2021 right. Instead of offering advice on how to remake yourself, we know that you already possess the skills and talents necessary to lead in your community, state, and country. The key is how to recognize and mobilize those gifts that are unique to you.

As seasoned experts in the realm of women’s leadership and civic engagement, this event helped participants build confidence and lead change about the things that matter most to them.

Participants left this webinar better able to:

• Identify their own talents and skills
• Support causes and people they care about
• And understand how to grow their personal leadership goals

Watch the recording here.

Thursday, November 12, 2020 @ 12 PM EST

Studies consistently show that women in elected office are more likely to work across party lines, bring more money back to their home districts, and actively build healthier societies. Election predictions indicate that we could be in for another “year of the woman” and then another, and another–because women are more politically engaged and inspired than ever.

At She Should Run we hope for, and anticipate a future where women make up half of all elected officials. However, getting there requires us to invest in ground-level training and myth-busting, speaking to the rising generation about political opportunities, and inviting all people, regardless of party or gender, to support the movement to get more women in office.

For November’s Road to Run, we were joined by the Women’s Political Collaborative of Tennessee as we spoke with Nashville Councilwoman Zulfat Suara and Knoxville Councilwoman Janet Testerman about how they embrace hope and what they are hopeful for looking ahead. This event was moderated by Stephanie J. Williams, President of the Board for the Women’s Political Collaborative of Tennessee.

Watch the recording here.

What's a Ballot and Who's On It?

Wednesday, October 7, 2020 @ 12 PM ET

The US Constitution began operation in 1789 at the time only allowing white, property-owning men the right to vote. 130 years later, and after significant struggle, some women received the right to vote in 1919. After even greater sacrifice and trial, in 1965 the passage of the Civil Rights Act granted all people, and all women, full voting rights in America. The freedom to vote is America’s most important political right outside of the original Bill of Rights, and it is also the most hard-won right.

This webinar was moderated by She Should Run’s Political Pipeline Director, Jarinete Santos. Jarinete hosted a discussion with Ballot Ready Electoral Fellow Taylor Raymond and Rock the Vote’s Director of Civic Partnerships and Campaigns Allie Aguilera DiMuzio who provides tips on how to evaluate your ballot, reassures you that your vote is secure, and helps you make a voting plan.

Watch the recording here.

Sincerity, Loyalty, and Unity: Breaking Barriers for Latinas

Sunday, September 20, 2020 @ 7PM ET

On September 20th, She Should Run joined forces with Sigma Lambda Upsilon to host a Breaking Barriers webinar about the experience of Latinas running for office. Join us for this conversation with Monroe County Legislator Yversha Roman and Cranston City Councilwoman Lammis Vargas as we discuss the challenges and triumphs of seeking office as authentic, proud, and prepared Latinas.

Celebrated from September 15 – October 15 each year, National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates and recognizes the contributions Hispanic Americans have made to American society and culture. Hispanic and Latinx Americans represent the second-largest ethnic group in the United States, and yet when it comes to political representation Latinas are sitting at 2.6% of elected officials. Many areas across the United States are waiting for their first to represent them.

Watch the recording here.

Road to Run: Embracing Risk to Improve Your Leadership

Wednesday, September 16, 2020 @ 12PM ET

Our topic for September was Risk.

There are a variety of perceptions surrounding risk. Some of us think of risk as careless and irresponsible; others may think of risk as an exciting opportunity to try something new. Understanding how to engage with risk can open new doors for you–including the possibility of running for office. We know that women are more likely to calculate the costs and barriers of running for office, which can sometimes make the idea of considering a run sound reckless.

In a conversation moderated by She Should Run Political Pipeline Director Jarinete Santos, we spoke with State Representative Amber Mariano and City Commissioner Reina Saco about how they have embraced the unknown and how others can do the same.

Watch the recording here.

How to Stay Informed This Election Season

Thursday, August 20, 2020 at 12PM ET

2020 has already been a year filled with election conversations, public scrutiny of current elected officials and hopeful candidates, and a bombarding of policy information in our emails, on social media, on television, on radio, and anywhere else we consume information.

This fall, the presidential election will occupy even more media attention, and beyond who will occupy the White House, voters are also evaluating candidates in local elections, the entire House of Representatives, a third of Senate seats, and 13 governor races.

It can feel like a full-time job learning where to get your information and how to stay on top of all the policies impacting crucial issues from healthcare to climate change to gun control to civil rights. Our webinar taught participants how to manage it all this election season.

Webinar participants gained:

• The confidence to engage with election news and media
• Ways to identify opportunities to get involved in the democratic process
• And understanding of the importance of women’s representation on the ballot
• A game plan to prepare for upcoming elections

Webinar sponsored by Youth to the People.

How to Combat Imposter Syndrome

Thursday, August 13, 2020 at 12PM ET

Gill Corkindale defines Imposter Syndrome as “a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. ‘Imposters’ suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence.”

Imposter syndrome is also ongoing. We have to combat this thinking several times and in various ways throughout our careers.

While feelings of imposterism are very common, what is less common is specific guidance for how to overcome these feelings, especially in pursuit of new or (seemingly) audacious goals…like considering or pursuing a run for office.

Following a presentation by She Should Run’s Political Pipeline Director, Jarinete Santos, our guest speaker, City Councilmember Rosemary Ketchum, shared her personal experience of managing imposter syndrome while running for office.

Webinar participants gained:

• An understanding of what imposter syndrome is and the ability to recognize when you are experiencing it
• Simple techniques to help work through feelings of imposter syndrome
• A new outlook toward personal goals that currently seem out of reach or overwhelming

Road to Run: Find Your Purpose Through Public Service

Wednesday, 7/22/20 at 12 PM ET

Our topic this month is Purpose.

Understanding and pursuing our purpose is an obstacle that most of us contemplate at various points in our lives. We are driven by interests, passions, frustrations, and experiences that often connect to ideas and systems that are larger than ourselves.

At She Should Run we know that women can bring their experience and expertise to bear in the realm of political leadership and that the health of our democracy depends on the unique understanding and information they can bring to decision-making tables.

In a conversation moderated by Jeni Britton Bauer, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Columbus City Auditor Megan Kilgore and Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge Terri Jamison spoke on a panel about how they discovered their purpose, how to accomplish that for yourself, and where running for office fits in the mix.

Leadership and Lessons Learned: A Candid Conversation for LGBTQ Women

Wednesday, July 15, 2020, 12:00 pm ET

This July 15 at Noon ET, we hosted a panel conversation for LGBTQ women where Angela Hawkins and Natalie Herman, two She Should Run Community members, answered your questions and discussed their real-life experiences of considering and pursuing a run for office.

While all women face barriers to running for office, there are unique challenges for women facing an intersection of prejudice or discrimination.

Our Breaking Barriers Webinar Series allows space for women of various experiences to gather for sharing advice, networking, mentorship, and political and personal development.

Elevating LGBTQ Women: A Conversation with Annise Parker

Wednesday, July 8, 2020, 12:00 pm ET

On Wednesday, July 8th, we were joined by Annise Parker, LGBTQ Victory Fund and Victory Institute President & CEO, who shared her story of being the first openly LGBTQ mayor of a major American city as well as her experience with building the political power and leadership of LGBTQ women.

—

“A government that represents its diverse communities is critical to a well-functioning democracy. Yet LGBTQ people hold just 0.13 percent of elected positions, despite the most conservative estimates showing LGBTQ people as 4.5 percent of the U.S. population. This absence of LGBTQ voices from legislative bodies, judicial positions and executive offices allows bigoted legislators to push forward anti-LGBTQ laws and policies that further marginalize the community. Achieving equitable representation is crucial to ending these attacks—but there is a long road ahead.” — “Out for America 2019,” Victory Institute

For LGBTQ people who identify as women, and especially women of color, the multiplicity of barriers to running for office is even greater.

Our Breaking Barriers Webinar Series allows space for women of various experiences to gather for sharing advice, networking, mentorship, and political and personal development.

Log in to watch the video of our event here.

A Conversation with Michelle Love-Day and Mishon Montgomery

Friday, June 26, 2020, 12:00 pm ET

While all women face barriers to running for office, there are unique challenges for women facing an intersection of prejudice or discrimination.

Our Breaking Barriers Webinar Series allows space for women of various experiences to gather for sharing advice, networking, mentorship, and political and personal development.

On July 26 at Noon ET, wehosted a panel conversation for Black women where we heard from Michelle Love-Day and Mishon Montgomery, two She Should Run Community members, as they discussed their real-life experiences of considering and pursuing a run for office with our facilitator, Sara Mwamlima, She Should Run’s Development and Operations Assistant.

Claiming Your Seat at the Table: A Conversation with Kimberly Peeler-Allen

Friday, June 19, 2020, 12:00 pm ET

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Inherent to freedom in America is the opportunity and ability to participate in democracy. The power structure and White society at large that had been slow to grant Black women the right to vote continues to make it difficult and dangerous for Black women to access leadership in elected office.

As a country, we will not achieve our greatest policies without the voices of Black women.

In a conversation with She Should Run’s CEO, Erin Loos Cutraro, Kimberly Peeler-Allen, Co-founder of Higher Heights and Visiting Practitioner, Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University, shared about her experiences building the political power and leadership of Black women.

Log in to watch the video of our event here.

Finding Balance: Creating Space for Public Leadership in a Busy Life

May 20, 2020, 2:00 PM

You see a need for change. But with so much to manage in your everyday life, it can be overwhelming to even think about getting involved in public leadership. In May’s Road to Run, we heard from three women in office who have experienced this first hand.

Mayor Michelle Kaufusi and City Councilmembers Shireen Ghorbani and Kat Martinez spoke on a panel about their experiences with balancing careers, family, self-care, community, and more as they explored and eventually came to hold public office in Utah.

Watch the video of our Road to Run event here.

The Only Challenger: How my life as a refugee inspired my political journey

Thu, Apr 30, 2020 3:00 PM

Road to Run topic: Courage.

Madison Nguyen served as Vice Mayor on the San Jose City Council from 2011 to 2014. When she was four years old, Madison and her family escaped Vietnam on an overcrowded fishing boat. Her time as a refugee, the sacrifices her family made, and growing up as a Vietnamese American shaped who Madison became as a public leader.

Log in to watch the video of our Road to Run event here.

April 17, 2020

When women run for office, they win at the same rates as men. Yet women remain underrepresented at all levels of elected office. The reason? They are not running at the same rates as men.

One critical setback to women’s representation is that they are not asked to run as frequently as men are. In this webinar, Erin Loos Cutraro, She Should Run’s CEO & Founder, spoke about women’s representation and how you can play a role to effectively encourage women to consider the opportunity to run for office.

After the presentation, Eileen Kelly, a She Should Run Community member and active candidate for City Council, joined Erin for an open Q & A. Watch the webinar here.

Suffrage. Race. Power. A Candid Talk About Race and Gender in Politics.

March 9, 2020

The topic for Road to Run: Philadelphia was equality.

Jovida Hill, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Engagement for Women in Philadelphia spoke to our audience on the topic of equality, including her own experience with bias and advice for how we can work toward seeing true equality for all women.

Log in to watch the video of our Road to Run event here.

National Conversation 2019

November 13, 2019

On November 13, 2019, She Should Run hosted an invite-only first look at Role Call, our newest initiative in the fight for equal representation.

The evening was full of honest talk and real action about the importance of women’s political leadership and what it takes to move women’s representation toward our vision of 250,000 women running by 2030.

Road to Run: Kansas City

August 26, 2019

What better way to spend Women’s Equality Day than with over 150 enthusiastic women (and some enthusiastic men!) from the Kansas City area at Road to Run! The vibe was electric and the crowd was captivated as local leaders in politics and business shared their “a-ha” moments of leadership, the power of authenticity, and their experiences with failure. Afterward, our Creating Your Path to Leadership activity had attendees planning their actionable next step so they could continue the journey after Road to Run ended. As one participant put it, “Tonight definitely sparked confidence in myself and potential opportunities in the future.” Can’t wait to see what the women of Kansas City do next!

Road to Run: Austin

May 13, 2019

The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas! And while we were impressed by the stars, the queso, and the temperatures in Austin—nothing was as impressive as the women we met at Road to Run. We kicked off the evening with drinks, snacks, and great conversation on the patio of the Austin Central Library. Attendees heard from inspiring women in business and politics and made meaningful connections with a passionate community. Our activity had attendees committing to the next step of their leadership journeys and responses ranged from joining a neighborhood association to having coffee with their city council district representative to, you guessed it, running for office!

National Conversation 2018

November 13, 2018

She Should Run took an urgently needed pit stop on our shared journey for gender equality at National Conversation: Road To Run on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 in New York City.

We’re on the road to remaking the entire electoral system into one that recruits, welcomes, funds, and supports women candidates without question at the very same rates as men. But our work is just beginning and we can’t let the wheels fall off without giving it our all. Presented in three acts, Road To Run focused on the tools needed to run a budget, run a business, and maybe run a nation one day.

Tuesday, September 21, 2021 @ 7PM ET

Join She Should Run as we talk to women in leadership who will share their stories, experiences, and tips for managing mental health on the campaign trail, while serving in office, and/or taking care of their community.

After attending the webinar, you will be better able to:

• Manage personal mental health
• Lead with emotional intelligence
• Communicate about personal and societal mental health issues

Visit the Community to watch the recording.