Mother as Mayor

How would our towns be different if more women were mayors?

In 2018, we will see many more women running for elected office. Across the US, thousands of women have committed to making their hometowns better through public service. My grandmother, Barbara Fleming, was elected mayor of Willows, California 50 years ago and her hometown still benefits from her legacy.

Barbara Fleming was raised in a progressive east coast suburb, educated at a liberal arts college in the Midwest, and lived 56 years in a conservative, rural northern California town. She taught English-as-a-Second-Language, coached the city championship baseball team, worked as a church secretary and raised five high-energy children. Barbara was also polio survivor who spent her adult life directing the world from her wheelchair. Female, disabled, but empowered.

She had a truly American story. She did not let any obstacle, let alone her wheelchair or her gender, prevent her from actively engaging in local politics. She made sure the town was built for healthy living: not just for her family, but for every family in her town. As I researched my new book, Pathways to Population Health, I read through the town council minutes and looked into the impact of my grandmother as mayor.

In Willows in the 1970s, there was a debate about what to do with multiple acres of undeveloped downtown land: sell it to real estate developers, build more administration buildings, or maybe lease it to local businesses. Willows’ elected mayor – my grandmother – fought to create Sycamore Park. She envisioned a safe space for families to play, exercise, picnic and celebrate. When mothers are mayors, towns make better decisions about the long-term health of families and communities.

In 2018, Sycamore Park has a playground, exercise track, 50 year-old shade trees, a community center, horseshoe pits, and even a skateboard park. The park is a long standing reminder of her legacy connecting the downtown, elementary school, junior high, and multiple neighborhoods with family friendly green space.

We need more women in local politics. Barbara Fleming changed the character her hometown through zoning policy and public works. There are many, many opportunities for women-as-elected-officials to implement health equity through local political processes. Our towns will be better places to work, better places to live, better places to learn, and better places to grow up and to grow old if we elect women to positions of power. Our towns, cities, counties and communities will be better.

Want to help more women be mayors? Check out these organizations and their work:

PWITP
“Politics are local—we're all taught that," says Megan Park, co-founder of Putting Women in There Place, a progressive organization committed to helping women win local elections. "But we don't act on it.” PWITP provides expert media support for female candidates in 2018.

IGNITE
Since 2010, Ignite has trained more than 5,000 young women to run for political office. The founder, Dr. Anne Moses, and her teams educates women to engage in the political process.

Emily’s List
By electing more women to national, state and local office, EMILY’s List will consistently infuse our government with leaders who will drive change. Emily’s List supports progressive, pro-choice female democrats to run for elected positions.

National Federation of Republican Women
Founded in 1938, NFRW empowers women from all backgrounds to serve as leaders in the political, government, and civic arenas. They are particularly interested in recruiting and supporting conservative women in local and state elections.

She Should Run
She Should Run wants to see 250,000 women running for elected office by 2030. They provide approachable starting place and network for women leaders considering a future run for office and for those who support them.

Women’s Campaign Fund
WCF is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to dramatically increasing the number of elected women in office. They believe that when it comes to fighting political gridlock, the single biggest change we can make isn’t red or blue, Republican or Democrat. It’s electing more women who create common ground to solve the nation’s complex problems.

Sources:
Vice Impact: https://impact.vice.com/…/this-grassroots-organization-empo…

Slate.com: http://www.slate.com/…/a_guide_to_resources_for_running_for…

This Grassroots Organization Empowers Female Candidates to Run For Local Elections

How the activists behind "Putting Women In Their Place" are leveling the political playing field for women and educating voters.

IMPACT.VICE.COM