Press Release: United WE Unveils New Research on Gender Parity on Kansas Municipal Boards and Commissions

Study reveals Kansas women are underrepresented on “power boards” that have significant influence in local communities

United WE today announced research conducted by the University of Kansas Institute for Leadership Studies about women’s representation on Kansas municipal boards and commissions. Funded by United WE, the research project was conducted as part of the Appointments Project® and Ready to Run Kansas Women’s Leadership Series, which focuses on preparing women to participate on civic boards and commissions and run for political office in Kansas. 

The report, “Kansas Municipalities and Gender Balance” revealed that Kansas women are underrepresented on civic boards and commissions, especially on “power boards” that have direct influence on policy making and financial resource allocation such as planning and zoning boards. Of the six most common civic boards and commissions, Kansas women have achieved gender parity on only two: library boards and housing boards, regardless of community size. In fact, while women hold more than two-thirds of the seats on library boards across Kansas, they hold only about one-quarter of the seats on planning and zoning boards. 

“Our award-winning Appointments Project® is successfully advancing women’s representation in many communities,” said Wendy Doyle, United WE President & CEO. “As we continue to improve women’s economic and civic empowerment, we know that expanding our Appointments Project® to reach all women will facilitate more women appointments across all boards and will help create a more fair and equitable community for all.”  

“Elected officials rely on recommendations from civic boards and commissions to drive informed policies that arguably have the greatest effect on our day-to-day lives,” said Erik Sartorius, Executive Director for the League of Kansas Municipalities. “Boards and commissions play an important role in public policy and it is imperative for women’s voices to be heard at these decision-making tables.”

The next evolution for representation in civic leadership of our communities is to ensure that equal representation must occur on the powerful and influential boards which make critical community decisions, not just the boards that have a more narrow impact on the community and its residents. 

“While Kansas women are well represented in some instances, we found that Kansas communities have some work to do,” said Emily Vietti, co-author and partnership director for the Appointments Project and Ready to Run Kansas Women’s Leadership Series. “Increased transparency and accessibility of information about the appointments process will be necessary to move our state toward gender parity on municipal boards and commissions.”

With these key findings in mind, the study seeks to provide a benchmark on the status of gender parity on Kansas’ civic boards and commissions. By providing a look at municipal boards and commissions, these results offer policymakers, elected leaders, and advocacy groups data from which to evaluate their practices in identifying and filling open seats.

The full research study is available here. To learn more about United WE’s Appointments Project® visit www.united-we.org/appointments-project.

Press Release: University of Notre Dame and Tulane University Researchers to Study the Impact of United WE’s Appointments Project®

The five-year study will assess the impact of United WE’s national program to attract qualified women for appointed positions on civic boards and commissions.

United WE today announced an agreement with researchers from the University of Notre Dame and Tulane University for a five-year research program to assess the efficacy of the Appointments Project®, which works to empower women and strengthen communities by increasing gender parity on civic boards and commissions.

The study will evaluate the impact of the Appointments Project® as part of United WE’s mission to advance all women’s economic and civic leadership. The research will focus on the characteristics of board members in cities and the opportunities for women who participate in the program, or serve in an appointed role, to run for and serve in elected office.  

“United WE is dedicated to continued research that will help drive gender and racial parity,” said Wendy Doyle, United WE President & CEO. “Over the course of this study, we plan to expand the Appointments Project® nationally to facilitate the appointment of hundreds more women. We are thrilled to join with the researchers at the University of Notre Dame and Tulane University to study the Appointments Project® during this exciting time.”  

“This research has the potential to identify the determinants of women’s civic and political participation beyond knowing that it lags behind those of men,” said Professor Christina Wolbrecht, Department of Political Science, Notre Dame. “A multi-year study gives us the opportunity to observe how participation in the Appointments Project® impacts the trajectory of individual appointees, and how they in turn affect the cities where they serve.” 

Wolbrecht is one of three principal investigators on the study. She is joined by Associate Professor of Economics and Global Affairs, Lakshmi Iyer, Notre Dame, and Mirya Holman, Associate Professor of Political Science at the Tulane University School of Liberal Arts.

The Appointments Project’s approach to diversifying boards and commissions has been driven by evidence-based research since its inception. In 2014, United WE commissioned a landmark study about the barriers that keep women from serving in civic leadership roles. In the years since, United WE’s Appointments Project® has facilitated 175 appointments and conducted programming in 36 cities, including cities across Kansas and Missouri like Kansas City, St. Louis and Wichita, as well as scaling in cities such as Austin, Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Pa., Richmond, Va. and South San Francisco. Approximately 16% of Appointments Project® appointees and 37% of registrants are women of color. 

“While we know that boards play an important role in public policy, we don’t know enough about who is represented on these boards,” said Holman. “We are eager to partner with United WE to evaluate how the Appointments Project® is creating opportunities for women now and in the future.”

To learn more about the Appointments Project® visit www.united-we.org/appointments-project.

Just Announced: Mayor Levar Stoney, National League of Cities and Leadership Metro Richmond partners with the Appointments Project® to appoint more women of color to boards and commissions

Recently, United WE’s Appointments Project® announced its expansion to Richmond, Virginia. The Office of Mayor Levar Stoney and the National League of Cities, in collaboration with Leadership Metro Richmond (LMR), announced their partnership to increase the number of women on local boards and commissions through United WE’s Appointments Project. Started in 2014, the Appointments Project has facilitated 175 women being placed on boards and commissions.

“I’ve seen first-hand the need to address racial and gender disparities in civic leadership to ensure that we are drawing on the talents and diverse perspectives of our residents.” Myra Goodman Smith, LMR’s President and CEO, said. “Our partnership with the City of Richmond and United WE’s Appointments Project will strengthen the city by increasing the number of women and women of color who are at the decision-making table of their communities.”

United WE’s Appointments Project serves as a talent bank, advisor, and advocate for women seeking opportunities to lead their communities and works to attract diverse applicants for appointed positions on boards and commissions. The award-winning approach guides women through applying for these positions and suggests applicants for appointment.

“Our research showed us that women don’t become civically engaged because they weren’t being asked. As a result, we created the Appointments Project so local boards and commissions could reflect the communities they serve,” said Wendy Doyle, United WE President & CEO. “With the help of partners like Mayor Levar Stoney and Leadership Metro Richmond, we are addressing the gender disparities in local leadership and are able to make significant changes in our communities.”

The Appointments Project fills a critical need in creating a pathway to more equitable and inclusive representation. Based on a growing number of success stories and city partnerships, the pipeline of women leaders is growing rapidly across the country.

An Information Session will be held virtually on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at 6:00 pm EST with United WE, city officials, and LMR. Learn about the Information Session here or register for the session here.

“We encourage and invite everyone to learn more and join us in unlocking women’s potential for civic leadership,” Mayor Stoney said. 

Statement by United WE President & CEO Wendy Doyle on Ukraine

The war in Ukraine is very worrying and a source of concern especially for women and children. The current situation is full of fear, danger and uncertainty, devastating their advancement and freedoms.

As we approach International Women’s Day (March 8, 2022), United WE supports the fair and equal treatment of all women. It is our hope that a peaceful solution can be identified soon.

Creating a Better World for Future Generations

United WE Donor Feature: Michelle Wimes

Michelle Wimes has invested a large part of her life working for equity and social justice and United WE’s mission deeply aligns with her values and experiences. “United WE’s strategic and systemic approach to breaking down barriers for women, especially women of color, attracted me. United WE is not just developing programming they THINK women want and need. Instead, they are doing the research, talking to women on the ground to understand their challenges and then developing targeted solutions to address the unique challenges impacting women’s lived experiences.”

“The focus on the economic empowerment and development of women leaders is what most interests me. I grew up on the East side of Kansas City in a community that has been devastated by redlining and housing segregation. As a young woman, I did not have exposure to women leading in high positions in government or business. To have an organization focused on empowering ALL women no matter where they come from and developing the next generation of leaders deeply interests me.”

Michelle is excited to see the impact that United WE’s advocacy efforts make for women and families in our communities. “United WE is working to develop solutions for ALL women who face challenges regarding childcare, elder care, broadband access, and even networking to encourage relationships with personal bankers and financial institutions to help them accomplish their dreams. The Appointments Project which seeks to educate women on how to secure appointments to public boards and commissions and then helps them get there, is highly innovative and impactful.”

Personally and professionally, Michelle has made equity a priority. “As Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Children’s Mercy, my goals are to create a culture of inclusion where every single person who enters our facilities, whether they work there or are a patient there, feels like they belong and are treated with dignity and respect. We ALL deserve that.” 

She also shares a few of her early volunteer experiences in other areas of equity and inclusion. “I have always been volunteering or working in the areas of equity and social justice, even since high school. Striving to meet the needs of the underserved and less privileged has always been a core value of mine.”

Michelle is enthusiastically involved with United WE as Campaign Co-Chair of the Change Can’t Wait Campaign and is also a Trailblazer and Changemaker. “This work matters to me because I have three daughters. I am focused on creating a better world for them which means eliminating  barriers to their full participation in society and professional growth opportunities.” She urges others to take action to support their personal values. “There comes a time when we have to start putting our dollars behind the organizations in our community who are doing the hard work focused on the issues we care about. But don’t only give your money, get involved at the grass roots level so that you can truly make a difference!”

Thank you, Michelle, for your incredible leadership and passion for equity and inclusion! We invite you to join Michelle to support United WE through a gift of any size at: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/united-we

For questions or more information on other ways to give and volunteer, contact Robyn Kollar, Director of Annual Giving at agd@united-we.org.

From Our President & CEO: Equity for All

We cannot achieve meaningful change for women without equity for all, and it’s important to recognize that women of color face unique challenges. Change will not come far enough or fast enough unless we are inclusive and continue an intentional focus on marginalized members of our community.

While we celebrate Black History Month, it’s important to note that women of color are facing barriers every day, each month, all year long. United WE is steadfast in our research-based approach to create systemic change for women and families from all walks of life. Our research demonstrates that women in Missouri and Kansas, like women across the country, face issues like pay inequity, difficulty accessing child care, poverty, and more. The gaps, however, are often even more severe for women of color.

For example, the gender wage gap still persists, especially for women of color. Women in Missouri in 2018 earned on average 77.5 cents for every dollar earned by a man, and the gap is even larger at 68 cents for Black women. This fundamental inequity often compounds other economic and social challenges women face, like limited access to child care, as it is women who often take up the mantle of care, something that has been reinforced in the wake of the COVID-19 disease outbreak. And for those women working in childcare, nearly half of whom are women of color, they are largely underpaid. Nationally, median wages for early educators often fall below the poverty threshold. 

When we conducted our research, we held listening sessions to hear observations from Black women in our community. In these sessions, participants reported economic barriers such as limited access to education, limited access to capital to start businesses, few advancement opportunities, and lack of support for working mothers. We heard these women report interest in civic leadership roles to support underrepresented communities and help those less fortunate, however they were hesitant because they did not believe that their voices would be heard and respected.

At United WE, we envision a world where all women are empowered to strengthen America’s economy, democracy, and to represent their community by having a seat at the civic decision-making table. That is why diversity, equity and inclusion are at the forefront of our organization’s mission. 

We know that research and data are powerful tools to help unlock women’s economic potential. Data and stories inform and inspire policy that address the everyday experiences of working women across the state, from the boardroom to the home offices of small business owners. For example, the American Rescue Plan Act in 2020 expanded the child tax credit from $2,000 to $3,600 for children under the age of six and $3,000 for children ages six to 17. Researchers estimate that the expanded child tax credit has the potential to reduce child poverty by 40%.

Join our movement — we need your talents, experience, values and insights. Together, we will find solutions to overcome barriers to economic development and civic leadership that impacts all women and their families.

United We Advocate,

Wendy

Press Release: City of St. Louis Launches Online Boards and Commissions Application Portal

Today, the City of St. Louis announced its launch of a new online boards and commissions application portal. The new online portal will increase transparency by allowing residents to view current board members and board vacancies with ease. With this system update, civic engagement is now more accessible for constituent participation and applications. While there are a large number of appointees serving beyond term, strategic partnerships with civic organizations will assist with the recruitment efforts to bring in a new class of appointees.

“Our boards and commissions should reflect the incredible diversity of St. Louis, across racial lines and different backgrounds, but many residents have felt excluded from the decision-making process for far too long,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “This partnership with local civic organizations and United WE’s Appointments Project® will strengthen our city and ensure that a diversity of perspectives is included on our civic boards, which will make our city stronger in the long run.”

The Jones Administration is partnering with United WE to increase the number of women and people of diverse backgrounds on local boards and commissions through its Appointments Project®. Started in 2014, United WE’s Appointments Project® has successfully facilitated more than 170 appointments of women on boards and commissions. The project serves as a talent bank and advisor, and guides women through the process of applying for boards and commissions. The Appointments Project fills a critical need in creating a pathway to more equitable and inclusive representation.

“Our research showed that women were not civically engaged because they weren’t being asked. As a result, we created the Appointments Project to ask women to serve so local boards and commissions could reflect the communities they serve,” said Wendy Doyle, United WE President and CEO. “With the help of partners like Mayor Jones, we are addressing the gender disparities in local leadership and making real change in our communities.”

The Jones Administration is also partnering with various civic organizations to assist with recruitment including 100 Black Men of St. Louis, the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of St. Louis, the National Pan-Hellenic Council of St. Louis, St. Louis (MO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, Tower Grove Pride, the Archway (MO) Chapter of The Links Incorporated, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the Heartland St. Louis Black Chamber of Commerce.

A public virtual training event is planned for Thursday, February 17 at 12:00pm for interested applicants to learn more about the application process. To learn more about open board and commissions vacancies visit stlouis-mo.gov/government/boards/ and to register for the event visit formstack.io/FC984 [formstack.io].

To learn more about the Appointments Project® visit www.united-we.org/appointments-project

Press Release: United WE and University of Kansas Institute for Policy & Social Research Unveil New Research on the Status of Women in Kansas

United WE held a virtual press conference today to announce findings from ongoing research on the Status of Women in Kansas. United WE commissioned the study with the University of Kansas Institute for Policy & Social Research in an effort to analyze women’s progress to better identify areas of concern and potential policy insights for women of all ages.

This research illuminates important findings, implications, and policy insights as women are being disproportionately affected by the economic and societal effects of COVID-19. Kansas maintains higher female labor force participation than the U.S., however, the gender earnings gap is wider in Kansas. For Kansas women, 73.5% are employed while only 69.6% of U.S. women participate in the labor force. Women in Kansas earned 78 cents for every dollar earned by a man in 2020.

Covid has illuminated how challenging it is to fully participate in the workforce when childcare is compromised. The research shows that infant care in Kansas is less affordable than most other states, accounting for 29% of female median earnings in Kansas. The unemployment rate rose dramatically at the beginning of the pandemic, with the rate for U.S. women peaking at over 16% in April 2020. Kansas women’s unemployment peaked at 7.6% in June 2020 and remained higher than men’s through August 2020.

“The pandemic has brought long-time gender inequities such as pay equity, paid family and medical leave, childcare and flexible work options further to the forefront,” said Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of United WE. “It is our collective responsibility to take this research, identify innovative solutions, educate elected officials and community leaders, and unite to advance and support policies that strengthen Kansas women and families for the economic development of our state.” 

The 2021 findings highlight areas of possible action to help economically empower women and their families. Findings from the research include the following:

Employment & Earnings

• In Kansas in 2020, for every dollar earned by a man, women made only 78 cents. This is less than the national average of $0.82 per dollar.

• Women have lower levels of self-employment in Kansas compared with the U.S. and are less likely to own a business in Kansas.

• United WE advocates for salary history bans and has established pay equity best practice guidelines to promote equal pay for equal work. 

Covid-19 & The She-cession

• A greater share of Kansas unemployment claims have been filed by women since March 14, 2020 (46.6%) than prior to the pandemic (32%).

• Women in Kansas are more likely to work in sectors that were subject to layoffs due to Covid such as health care, accommodations and food services, education, and retail trade.

• United WE advances and supports policies that reduce workforce development obstacles such as pay inequality, childcare barriers, limited paid family leave, entrepreneurship restrictions, and sexual harassment.

Childcare

• Kansas infant care costs are 29% of female median earnings, one of the highest percentages in the U.S.

• In Kansas, infant care at daycare centers is 1.3 times more expensive than in-state college tuition. Daycare costs for four-year old children compare to in-state tuition in Kansas.

• United WE advocates for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave at 100% pay for all part-time and full-time workers. Thousands of additional state employees in Kansas benefit from paid parental leave, as the Judicial Branch and Board of Regents updated their paid family leave policies in September 2021.

Poverty & Social Insurance

• Among people age 65 and over, women in Kansas are almost twice more likely than men to be in poverty.

• Child poverty in Kansas averaged 14.9% from 2015-2019. This rate increased significantly since 2000, when it stood at 9.1%.

• Poverty strikes single mother households at an alarming rate: 34% in Kansas and 35% for the U.S.

• United WE supports policy reforms that remove barriers and leverage opportunities for women’s economic development, such as gender pay equity, which impacts retirement savings for women in the long-term. 

Civic Engagement

• Women are in the minority in state legislatures in Kansas and in the U.S. Women comprise only about 28% of state legislators in Kansas and 29% in the U.S.

• Women vote in higher numbers in Kansas compared with men. In the 2020 general election, 61.4% of women versus 58.7% of men 18 and over reported casting their ballots.

• United WE’s Appointments Project® facilitates the appointment of women to civic boards and commissions and addresses a critical gap in representation and leadership. The project is expanding to cities across the country including Ft. Worth, Pittsburgh and Oklahoma City.

“Factual data is the first step in telling an accurate story of the lives of Kansas women,” said Dr. Donna Ginther, Director, Center for Science Technology & Economic Policy at the Institute for Policy & Social Research at the University of Kansas. “This research validates the importance of removing barriers and advocating for policies that support women, ultimately making families and communities healthier and the economy stronger.” 

The study was initially released in March 2016. A full copy of the 2021 report can be viewed here.

From Our President & CEO: Impactful Public Policy Starts with Listening

In my role, I have the honor of speaking with and listening to women regularly. I often hear stories of perseverance, strength and resilience from so many women who are facing challenges daily in our society and economy. These stories are what drive me to advocate for those women whose voices are not being heard. 

In order to identify barriers, one must listen to concerns directly from those being impacted. We had the chance to sit down with hundreds of women in 2021 through our Missouri town halls, where we heard about the challenges they are facing such as childcare, eldercare, healthcare, paid family leave and broadband access. 

In listening to these women, there was an unmistakable theme that women want to participate in the economy, but there are structural barriers keeping them from participating fully or succeeding. But even more shocking, was that we learned this was the FIRST time many of these women had been asked questions about these issues. This was the first time they were able to share their stories. The first time someone sat down to listen to them.

We heard stories such as:

Angela from Kansas City who had challenges with gaining the funding she needed from a bank to start up her bakery business.

• "If my dad came in [to the bank] with the same information, he would have gotten a loan. I was a minority, a woman, and I was younger - I wasn't taken seriously."

A woman from Southwest Missouri who’s facing challenges with childcare.

• “We are in a heavily industrial area, second shift childcare is non-existent. There are unfortunate choices being made. There are several organizations that have tried with grants and task forces. It continues to be an issue.”

A rural town hall participant who struggles to get broadband access at her home.

• "We live in a rural area ... in order for us to obtain internet, we would have had to pay the construction cost, which was over $24K."

Women’s voices must be heard to help shape policy solutions and drive systemic change. We need to continue to provide opportunities for women to speak up, such as roundtable talks, small group discussions, listening sessions and surveys. We are excited to be conducting town halls throughout the State of Kansas in the summer of 2022 to hear firsthand from more women. 

At United WE, we are not only listening, we are also taking action. The Missouri Town Halls Report has helped us inform policy priorities in Missouri and we plan to do the same with the Status of Women in Kansas Report which will be released on Feb. 2, 2022. Earlier this week, our Missouri Town Halls Report was leveraged by Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe at an important roundtable discussion on the state’s childcare needs. I am proud to be at this table and have United WE’s research informing the group. I will also have the opportunity to advocate in support of a childcare tax credit and financing during both Kansas and Missouri 2022 legislative sessions, sharing the learnings and stories I heard from women at our town halls.

We will continue to advocate for policy solutions that benefit women across our communities and work to drive real, lasting change in both Kansas and Missouri as we enter the new year. We will continue listening to women, hearing about the challenges they face each day, and advocating on their behalf. Because when women are included and heard, we have a more inclusive economy and we all win.

United We Listen,

Wendy

A Loyal Changemaker

United WE Donor Feature: D.I. Murphy 

“I’m thankful for the changes that have come about since I was in the workforce but we still have a lot of work to do”.

When D.I. Murphy decided to become a Changemaker for United WE in 2020, she said it was an easy decision. Ms. Murphy has been a donor to United WE since 2014 and knew becoming a Changemaker, United WE’s group of loyal donors that make monthly donations, was the right step. She said, “I don’t even notice that $10 coming out of my account every month but I realize that it is going to a cause I believe in.”

Ms. Murphy, (Dodie to her friends and family) has a fascinating story and has seen her share of change and empowerment for women since her career in government, highlighted by her tenure with Governor Teasdale in the 70’s and 80’s. She will tell you she has dealt with a host of issues with gender equity in her professional career, education and personal experiences. She has been retired for many years, yet she offered a piece of advice to women of all ages that never outdates—"be open to constantly learning and encouraging the allies in your lives to do the same. Above all, “do not accept anyone putting you down, even jokingly.” 

Ms. Murphy said, “I’m thankful for the changes that have come about since I was in the workforce, but we still have a lot of work to do”. “I am 100% behind the work that United WE is doing”.

We invite you to join Ms. Murphy and become a Changemaker today! A gift of any size, automatically charged monthly, is an easy and affordable way to empower women. For questions or more information on other ways to give and volunteer, contact Robyn Kollar, Director of Annual Giving at agd@united-we.org or 816.988.2006.