Close the Gap California

ICYMI, Congulations Yasmine-Imani McMorrin 💐

This City In California Just Elected A Black Woman As Mayor For The First Time | Essence On Monday evening, Yasmine-Imani McMorrin was unanimously elected as Mayor of Culver City. She is the first woman of color to hold the position and the sixth woman in the city's 106-year history.

The cost of the fight for Reproductive Freedom

Ohio’s 2023 abortion fight cost campaigns $70 million COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — This fall’s fight over abortion rights in Ohio cost a combined $70 million, campaign finance reports filed Friday show. Voters overwhelming passed November’s Issue…

To celebrate Close the Gap’s 10-year anniversary this year, we’re aiming to raise a record amount for our 2023 Annual Appeal.

Seizing opportunities is what we do. In California’s constantly shifting political landscape, we need to stay agile and ready to recruit women to be ready the moment a legislative seat opens up.

The closer our team is to fully funded, the sooner we can close the gap! Cross us off your giving list today and make your annual contribution so we can continue fighting for legislative parity by 2028!

www.closethegapca.org or https://secure.actblue.com/donate/CTGCA-ALL-Email-Dec2023-FR-AnnualAppeal?refcode=E5554-20231219-GoalThermometer-Image-DeadlineOther&amount=25

"In many of the governments that are here represented at COP, there are some governments that have no women and some governments with very few women," she said. "And so how do we get the concerns of women particularly when it comes to climate to be heard, and that's, you know, what events like this are about."

Hillary Clinton Calls For More Representation from Women in Climate Talks The former secretary of state said women are more 'dramatically' affected by climate change while speaking at the COP28 summit

Close the Gap California recruits progressive women to run for the State Legislature. Many of the women we recruit come from community leadership roles and local elected office.

Three school board members moved this California district to the far right. Women lead the effort to recall them. Mothers and grandmothers — including current and former teachers — are working to remove three conservative Temecula school board members.

Our Vice President of the United States continues to work hard and break records.

Kamala Harris breaks record for most tie-breaking votes cast in the Senate Chuck Schumer gave her a golden gavel to mark the accomplishment.

Congratulations and Courage to Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, the highest-ranking Indigenous woman serving in a statewide elected office, who was recently voted in as chair of the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association (DLGA). She is the first Indigenous woman to lead a party committee.

Highest-ranking Indigenous woman in statewide office will lead Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association As chair, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan will play an important role in fundraising, supporting candidates and reaching voters of color in swing states.

Don't forget to support your favorite feminist publications, journalists and authors!

What we lose when feminist publications die - WAN-IFRA 2023-12-07. There is a pressing need for everyone to understand the roots and consequences of gender inequality, not least because of the vast and growing manosphere online, writes Megan Clement, editor of the Impact newsletter and co-founder of the Gender Beat.

"Candidate Barbie" by Melanie V. Ramil

From Melanie:
America Ferrera’s monologue in the “Barbie” movie on the impossibility of being a woman was so powerful it evoked in me every emotion - heartbreak from hearing the truth shared so keenly, a sense of solidarity and sisterhood, a surge of empowerment, and the overwhelming relief of feeling so seen. I cried, laughed and cheered during her beyond brilliant 90 second monologue that broke down all the pressures, contradictions and challenges of being a woman.

With our ‘Parity for Parity’ event around the corner and jointly hosted with our sister organizations in the fight for parity, I knew last month that we could take America’s words and shape them in our own way – and we could make the women candidates we work with feel seen too. By popular demand following the event, below is the monologue - “Candidate Barbie” style - that the hosts delivered together in a joint reading.

We dedicate it to all the women who step up to run and - win or lose - reshape the narrative on elected leadership. It’s the only way a reflective democracy will be the norm, not the mission. Thank you, we see you.

~Melanie, Close the Gap & our Parity for Parity sister orgs

from Virginia (credit: )

In memoriam.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, first woman on the Supreme Court, dies | CNN Politics Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who blazed trails as the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court has died, the court announced Friday morning.

ICYMI

Climate change hits women's health harder. Activists want leaders to address it at COP28 With the annual U.N.-led climate summit known as COP to convene later this month in Dubai, activists are urging policymakers to respond to climate change’s disproportionate impact on women and girls.

From Gender on the Ballot

Disability Victory: Creating Space for Disabled Political Leaders   “Why do disabled people need their own campaign training program?” This is a question that me and my colleague, Neal Carter, have heard over the years, ever since we started the first accessible and disability-led campaign training webinars in 2019. This May, we launched Disability Victory, t...

Close the Gap California has kicked off our 2023 Annual Appeal!

Today, a total of 20 Close the Gap legislators are serving in Sacramento, 14 of them women of color. Our state house would not stand at a record high of 42 percent women today without them, and if you ask us, there couldn’t be a more critical moment in our history for bold California women to be at the decision-making table so they can set the bar for the nation on issues from reproductive freedom to public education.

https://closethegapca.org/the-motherlode

Come on California, are we going to let Michigan beat us? 😉

Is Michigan ripe for a women-majority Legislature? Advocates eye one in ‘24 - BridgeDetroit In a state where voters elected three women to statewide office, advocates see a women-majority Legislature in the Michigan Capitol as the next step.

The Black Women Who Fought for Ohio’s Historic Abortion Win Voters recently approved a constitutional amendment that guarantees access to abortion—thanks, in part, to the Ohio Women’s Alliance.

Whitmer signs Michigan 'Reproductive Health Act,' repeals abortion restrictions Gov. Gretchen Whitmer repealed a handful of abortion restrictions in Michigan, making changes long-awaited by abortion rights proponents.

In memoriam.

Rosalynn Carter's mental health advocacy changed journalism — and journalists Aaron Glantz writes that he was adrift after years of reporting in Iraq and on the war's effects. His fellowship at The Carter Center and a pointed question from the first lady put him back on course.

Congratulations to Asseblywoman-elect and the New Jersey State Legislature for reaching this milestone 💐

Assemblywoman-elect Luanne Peterpaul will be first out le***an in New Jersey Legislature - New Jersey Monitor Luanne Peterpaul said while her Assembly win represents a victory for LGBTQ representation, her identity wasn't a focus of her campaign

"Liberal-leaning suburban moms are organizing for Democratic candidates as well as gun control, reproductive rights and democracy, and they’re starting on their phones."

Is 2024 the year of the Instagram moms? Liberal-leaning suburban moms are organizing for Democratic candidates as well as gun control, reproductive rights and democracy, and they’re starting on their phones.

Virtual panel hosted by for American Women and Politics Registration link: https://rutgers.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gFEMIkemR3W2j7n61xBzrg #/registration

💐Congratulations💐

Before Senator Caroline Menjivar was elected to represent California’s 20th District, she was a star member of Close the Gap’s Class of 2022 — and the underestimated dark horse candidate in the race.

When Senator Menjivar first launched her campaign back in 2021, her mother saw her opponent raising hundreds of thousands of dollars, and worked to match him as best she could by selling pupusas — a nod to the family’s Salvadoran roots. And while Sen. Menjivar says that “pupusa power” got her through the first half of her campaign, she credits the work of Close the Gap and the community supporting proud, progressive, LGBTQ+ women like her for giving her the tools she needed to win.

Senator Menjivar took a moment to make us this short video honoring Close the Gap’s decade of success and our impact along her journey to elected office. Please take a moment to watch and hear her Close the Gap story!


https://secure.actblue.com/donate/CTGCA-ALL-Email-Nov2023-FR-AnnualAppeal?refcode=E5149-20231128-GivingTuesday-Image-DeadlineOther&amount=20.28https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyL3C-FEWAo&t=8s

Caroline Menjivar Anniversary Video

We are targeting at least 20 new open seat opportunities in 2026. Our goal today is to recruit a winning progressive woman in ALL 20+ seats, and work with each one for over a year. Our deadline is one year out from filing – for the 2026 cycle, that means April 2025. That means we need to start this month!

Please join us this : https://secure.everyaction.com/WMy4yzlVIke8ENpZNbDp6Q2

Mary Hayashi is a former California State Assemblymember (AD 18). She has just released her new book "Women in Politics: Breaking Down the Barriers to Achieve True Representation" (MKC Press, October 25, 2023)

Trailblazing Politician Releases New Book On Transformative Power Of Women In Leadership Mary Hayashi is a Former California State Assemblymember, a champion of mental health access, and an award-winning author.

America’s first female mayor came from a tiny town in Kansas. And she got the job by accident Kansas was years ahead of most of the country in granting women full suffrage. A prank by a few men backfired when Susanna Madora Salter was elected mayor of Argonia, Kansas, in 1887.

We are grateful to the women who have gone before us.
This is a cross section of a tree marked with moments in
On display now at the de Young Museum in San Francisco as part of their exhibit until end of January. Artist: Shlain Artwork #825 (also available on de Young website)

We never pass up the opportunity to share an inspiring story of a woman running!

This physics professor ran 3,000 miles across America in record time Harvard professor Jenny Hoffman ran from San Francisco to New York City to beat the world record for fastest woman to run across America.

How the WNBA’s Unrelenting Activism Changed Women’s Basketball WNBA players have consistently banded together to lead displays of collective activism addressing racism, policing, gender equality, and more—and the league has never been more popular

and Thank You 💐

A Love Letter to the Women Running for Local Office - Ms. Magazine Ahead of Election Day on Nov. 7, I’m reflecting on the women candidates in our local elections. They inspire young women and girls.

Spotted our tshirt at this last general session of the weekend 💖

More from last night's !











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was a smash... Delores Huerta even walked in 😱 Thank you to Kimberly Ellis for being our MC and Asm Cecilia Aguilar Curry for checking out our tshirts!

Close the Gap out and about day 2!

CTGCA Board Member with leadership .twu at Dim Sum and Boba hosted by

General Session at

Gonzalez Fletcher
Huerta

Happening Now: of the California Democratic Party!
Councilwoman Monica E Wilson
Toni G. Atkins
Eleni Kounalakis
Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes
Reproductive Freedom for All
Shannon Olivieri Hovis

Thank you to our Sponsor Barbies! See you tomorrow night in Sacramento