October 16, 2008 Contact: Lara Cassell
For Immediate Release 212-261-4497 / lcassell@thewhitehouseproject.org
NATIONAL TAKE OUR DAUGHTERS TO THE POLLS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN HISTORIC YEAR FOR WOMEN’S POLITICAL LEADERSHIP
Co-creators of “Take our Daughters to Work Day” encourage political participation of girls throughout the country
New York– In this historic year for women’s political leadership, the co-creators of Take our Daughters to Work Day have launched a national campaign to encourage political participation among girls, entitled Take our Daughters to the Polls. The national campaign, an initiative of The White House Project and the Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Foundation, aims to have thousands of voters across the nation pledge to take their daughters and other important girls in their lives to the polls on Election Day.
With the U.S. ranking an astounding 71st in the world for women’s political participation – comprising only 16% of the Senate, 23% of state legislatures, and 10% of big city mayors – Take our Daughters to the Polls intends to show girls that there is a place for them in politics.
“Children model their own dreams on what adults and society show them to be possible,” said Marie Wilson, President of The White House Project. “By taking girls to the polls on Election Day, we teach them that they are a valuable part of the political process, and that their voice and their vote can make a difference.”
The campaign will encourage parents, grandparents, and other adults to pledge to take a young girl to the polls this Election Day, which can be signed and submitted via website, while encouraging eligible voters to register. The initiative has also released a viral video, which can be viewed here, which emphasizes the political power of girls across the country.
“When we started Take our Daughters to Work Day over fifteen years ago, we showed girls their unlimited potential in the workforce,” said Carolyn McKecuen, President of the Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Foundation. “Now we need to teach our girls that they can succeed and lead in the political arena as well.”
Take our Daughters to the Polls is a non-partisan initiative envisioned by the co-creators of Take our Daughters to Work Day - Marie C. Wilson (President and Founder, The White House Project) and Carolyn McKecuen (Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation) - and is supported by a national coalition of women's organizations. The program will utilize local, regional, and national media to encourage the political participation of girls across the country, commencing with the 2008 presidential election cycle. To get involved, please contact Elizabeth Hines, Communications Director, The White House Project: 212.261.4346 / ehines@TheWhiteHouseProject.org, or visit www.thewhitehouseproject.org/daughters.
Coalition partners include 9 to 5 National Association of Working Women, Dads and Daughters, Every Child Matters, Feminist Majority Foundation, Girls Inc., Girls on the Run International, Girl Scouts of Colorado, Girl Scouts of the USA, Global Action for Children, Latina Initiative, Mi Familia Vota, MomsRising.org, Mothers Acting Up, New Moon Girl Media, National Coalition of Black Civic Participation, Progress Now, The Motherhood, Women’s Campaign Forum, and Women’s Voices, Women’s Vote.
Take our Daughters to the Polls is a non-partisan initiative envisioned by the co-creators of Take our Daughters to Work Day - Marie C. Wilson (President and Founder, The White House Project) and Carolyn McKecuen (Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation) - and is supported by a national coalition of women's organizations.
The White House Project, a national, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization, works to advance a richly diverse, critical mass of women into leadership positions, up to and including the U.S. Presidency. For more information, please visit: http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org.
Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day program was founded to create an opportunity for girls and boys to share and communicate their expectations for the future. For more information, please visit www.daughtersandsonstowork.org.
###
