This month our mission to advance women’s economic and civic leadership took a huge leap with the first of several Economic Development Task Force Town Hall meetings.
As I discussed last month, we launched a first-of-its-kind statewide effort to better understand and address the issues affecting Missouri women’s participation in the workforce. At United WE, a key piece of our work is the belief that research + solutions = results. With these town hall meetings between July and October, we will gather the critical qualitative and quantitative data needed to generate solutions that will allow women to reach their full economic potential. We look forward to hearing stories from real women across Missouri, because we believe that our work is only as strong as the people behind it, and that women’s voices need to be heard to create effective change.
We are fortunate to have generous partner organizations helping us bring these meetings to life over the next several months. This initiative has been made possible with funding from Missouri Foundation for Health and Centene Charitable Foundation. Our strategic partner, the Hawthorn Foundation, has been instrumental in making the town halls a reality, helping to secure host sites and encourage participation.
On July 20 we held our first Town Hall meeting, which was a virtual conversation with members of our Task Force, leaders from Missouri Southern State University, and residents from the Joplin, MO, area. Thank you to the participants for your honesty and openness, and for sharing your voice.
In just one meeting, we heard themes on the barriers facing women throughout Missouri whether they live in rural, suburban or urban areas. In particular, access to childcare continues to be a challenge for families, as does healthcare. We also heard that internet access can be a barrier, with skyrocketing costs to create the physical infrastructure to have more reliable internet during pandemic work-from-home conditions. We are continuing to see the impacts of COVID-19 on our communities, and know that women bore the brunt of the impact in the workforce and at home.
Missouri women: I encourage you to attend an upcoming town hall meeting to make your voice heard. In addition to game-changing policy impacts in Missouri, we will strive to develop strategies to engage more states across the country in the future. To do this, we need to hear from women like you. Your stories will inform -- and more importantly, inspire -- the policy changes we need to affect everyday life for women across the nation. It is my hope that this work impacts not only today’s generation of working women, but that it supports future generations of women. Consider as we approach the end of summer and back to school season, what type of future do you want to help us create for today’s young women and girls?
If you aren’t located in Missouri, please know that United WE will replicate this model in Kansas in 2022 and look to communities across the nation as part of our long-term strategic plan. Our work today creates a template for executing a data-driven program approach that drives awareness, policy changes, and ultimately stronger communities.
Our next town hall is in person in Sedalia, Missouri on August 9, where we will have a breakout session for Spanish-speaking attendees. Additional in-person and virtual town halls will be held in the coming months. View the full schedule and RSVP here: Town Halls - United WE (united-we.org).
Join our efforts to impact the lives of women across Missouri now and into the future. Thank you for your continued support of our mission to elevate women.
Kindly,
Wendy D. Doyle, President & CEO
