By Program Coordinator, Alexa DeJesus

The White House Council on Women and Girls hosted the United State of Women Summit on June 14th. This inaugural event brought together over 5,000 people (mostly women) to the Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. for a two-day Summit to educate and empower women and girls on gender equity and social change. The summit focused on six topics: violence against women, health and wellness, economic empowerment, entrepreneurship and innovation, leadership and civic engagement.

There was a comprehensive itinerary bursting with notable speakers including; Vice President Joe Biden, Mariska Hargitay, Nancy Pelosi, Amy Poehler, Michelle Obama, President Obama, and Oprah.

Vice President Biden left the room in reverence when he spoke about violence against women, specifically campus assault, “Every single woman has the fundamental right to live free from violence,” he thundered. “It is not merely about changing the law, it is about changing our culture…when you free women, you free men, you free all of humanity.” Vice President Biden has been working on the campaign, It’s On Us, traveling all over the country, speaking at college campuses and asking young men and women to take the pledge to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault. It is a promise not to be a bystander to the problem, but to be a part of the solution.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, recently re-endorsed by the NWPC, gave a memorable speech about the future of our political system. “If we increase the level of civility and reduce the role of money in politics, we will elect more women, more people of color, more LGBT and more young people – and America will be the better because of it.” She spoke about what a woman’s presidency would look like, a greater achievement for all women, as well as a victory for progressive politics, national security, the growth of our economy, and the strengthening of our families. “It’s been 100 years since the first woman was elected to Congress,” Pelosi recalled. “Four years before women had the right to vote in America, a woman was elected to Congress. Today, there are 108 women members – the most in the history of our Democracy. But of course, we want more!” Pelosi was joined on stage by some of her congressional women colleagues, many of whom are endorsed by the NWPC, including; Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Carolyn Maloney, and Donna Edwards.

President Obama was introduced onto the stage by 11-year-old Mikalia Ulmer, the founder and CEO of Me & Bees Lemonade. She encouraged us all to “dream like a kid” because when you dream like a kid, you believe that anything is possible. When President Obama took the stage he gave a special shout out to Mikalia, jovially sharing his hopes that she will be hiring in 7 months, when he is back in the job market. He was welcomed with admiration and great applause. People gathered around, up from their seats, cheering for our President as he declared:

“We need to keep changing the attitude that raises our girls to be demure, and our boys to be assertive; that criticizes our daughters for speaking out, and our sons for shedding a tear. We need to change the attitude that punishes women for their sexuality but gives men a pat on the back for theirs. We need to change an Internet where women are routinely harassed and threatened when they go online. We need to keep changing the attitude that congratulates men for changing a diaper, stigmatizes full-time dads, penalizes working moms. We need to keep changing the attitude that prioritizes being confident, competitive, and ambitious in the workplace –unless you’re a woman. We need to keep changing a culture that shines a particularly unforgiving light on women and girls of color.”

He reminded us that stereotypes limit us all and that they can be changed, but it is all of our duty to change them. We must value women’s work, push the institutions that keep women from taking on leadership roles and educate and empower every young person to grow up tolerant and open-minded. He declared, “this is what a feminist looks like,” and likely inspired many men to follow in his footsteps, proud to be a feminist, and proud to support women’s empowerment. President Obama spoke of the progress we have made, highlighting workplace policies that still require many changes. He called for more women in Congress, more women presidents, more women CEOs, “more women in the corner suite,” because that is how these policies will change to the benefit of everyone.

Lastly, I would be remiss not to mention the incredible dialogue between First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. They championed self-esteem: “Surround yourself with goodness,” the First Lady encouraged. She spoke about knowing and loving oneself as the best way to defend against scrutiny. Obama explained how women often spend too much time trying to satisfy others and become limited to the boxes and roles others set for us. The First Lady warned not to stay within other’s expectations of what we should do and how we should act, as this will only limit our ability to grow and be who we really are. “If you’re going out into the world as a professional and you don’t know how you are…and you don’t know how much you’re worth, then you have to be brave,” she said. “And then you have to count on the niceness and goodness of others to bestow that goodness on you when you should be working to get it on your own because you deserve it. Know your own value.”

At the end of the day, work hard for what you believe, no matter what others are saying. What really matters is success and good work because together we can shatter each of our individual glass ceilings. We can help each other take on leadership roles and change our culture to respect and empower all women to be the best person they can be. In President Obama’s closing words, “We’re going to create a country where everybody, no matter who they are or what they look like or where they come from or who they love, can make of their lives what they will. And together, we can build a world that’s more just and more prosperous and more free. That’s a job for all of us.”