
There have been fewer than 300 women elected to the House of Representatives since Jeanette Rankin became the first in 1916; in nearly 230 years, only 52 women have been elected as US senators. Women comprise less than half of their state legislatures in all of the 50 states of the union and less than 35 percent of state legislatures in all but six. It's safe to say that strides toward gender and racial equality in the nation's politics have been slow, and far between.
But, with the 2018 midterms, we’ll be seeing more groundbreaking women who could totally change the game. Among these are candidates poised to become the youngest members of the House, the first transgender congressperson and governor, and even the US’ first Black woman governor.
Here are nine candidates whose wins could make history.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who will have just turned 29 in time for the election, is poised to become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. This first-time politician’s odds of winning are good: Her district has been a strongly Democratic one for decades.
She’s inspired people not just in her New York district, but around the country. "Women like me aren't supposed to run for office,” she said in her campaign video. “I wasn't born to a wealthy or powerful family. But we have to ask ourselves... who has New York been changing for?" (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
Stacey Abrams: Stacey Abrams may make history in two ways if she wins her run for Governor in Georgia this year. She’ll not only be the first-ever Black woman governor in US history, but she’ll also be the first woman elected to the position in the state.
In her primary victory speech, Abrams said she was inspired to run in order to make Georgia better for everyone, especially Georgians who felt they didn’t have a voice. "I'm running because I want every Georgia family to have the freedom and the opportunity to thrive,” she said. “You deserve nothing less, and I know Georgia can deliver a whole lot more." (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Essence)
Paulette Jordan: Idaho gubernatorial candidate Paulette Jordan has a tough road ahead, but also an exciting one. Though she’s campaigning in a strong Republican state, the Democrat and member of the Skitswish Nation (Coeur d’Alene) could become the first woman governor of the state, and the first Native American governor in American history.
“I think it’s great, and I’m really excited that we are breaking a lot of barriers from age and race to gender, but it’s not the goal,” Jordan told The Independent in June. “The goal is to bring back real representation – whether a man or woman – bringing back leadership to the people that they can be confident and believe in.” (Photo by Sam Morris/Getty Images)
Ilhan Omar: 36-year-old Ilhan Omar became the first Somali-American elected to US office when she won a seat in the Minnesota state House in 2016. With her August primary win to replace retiring Democratic House member Keith Ellison, she is now poised to become the first Somali-American elected to the federal government as well as the first hijabi Muslim woman elected at the federal level.
Omar is a refugee who came to the US in 1995 with her family, and often cites her time in refugee camps when talking about her desire to enter politics.
“In my last race, I talked about what my win would have meant for that eight-year-old girl in that refugee camp,” she said at a rally after her primary win. “And today, today, I still think about her and I think about the kind of hope and optimism all of those eight-year-olds around the country and around the world get from seeing your beautiful faces elect and believe in someone like me.” (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)
Christine Hallquist: When she secured her nomination for governor in her home state in Vermont, Christine Hallquist became the first openly transgender person on the ballot in the state. If she wins in November, Hallquist will become the first transgender governor in US history.
In August, Hallquist told The Guardian that her campaign was not as difficult as people may expect. “I tell people this isn’t the hardest thing I ever did,” she explained. “In fact, I think after transitioning everything else looks pretty easy.” (Photo by Hillary Swift/Getty Images)
Deb Haaland: In New Mexico’s primaries last June, Deb Haaland’s landslide victory excited many. In winning by more than 15 points, Haaland became the first Indigenous woman poised to take a seat in the House.
Although Haaland doesn’t want people to focus on her heritage, she does hope more women get involved in politics. “The best way for young women to get started is just by volunteering,” Haaland told us in August. “That’s what I did. I started as a phone banker, now I’m running for Congress. I think that more young women should get involved in campaigns, volunteer for campaigns — not just political campaigns, but maybe issue campaigns, things that they truly believe in.” (Photo by Mark Ralston/Getty Images)
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.