“We need to help our girls see that they are capable of doing anything and stand behind our women as they break through the doors that are still closed,” Hillary Clinton, November 1, 2013, Philadelphia, PA
Women make up more than half the electorate in this county yet women still lag behind men in the number of elected offices held. There’s a new group that has started up to help elect more women candidates to office in OC. Read more about WeLead OC below.
There’s a new non-profit in Orange County — WE (Women Empowered)Lead OC — a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women in Orange County by engaging, educating and training.
WELead OC’s mission is to build a back bench of Orange County Democratic women candidates and women campaign operatives and increase the number of elected Democratic women in our County.
WELead OC’s mission will only become a reality when women become educated, engaged and empowered — kitchen table-by-kitchen table, living room-by-living room, block-by-block, neighborhood-by-neighborhood, precinct-by-precinct and city-by-city.
According to the 2010 Census, women comprise more than 50% of Orange County’s population — yet, despite this statistic, of the approximately 500 elected offices in our County, just over 1/5th are held by women.
Democratic women hold even less. Orange County is home to 34 incorporated cities where Democratic women hold an average of 7.8 of Orange County’s Congressional, State Assembly, State Senate, City Council, School Board and Community College Trustee seats.
WE can do better.
Learn more about WELead OC here.
If you are an Orange County Democratic woman interested in running for elected office, an Orange County Democratic woman interested in pursuing a career in politics or a young woman in Orange County seeking to sharpen your leadership skills, WELead OC is here for you.
WELead OC is comprised of two training programs:
- Young Women’s Leadership Training Program for young women ages 15-17, in Orange County’s under-served communities.
Learn More About the Young Women’s Leadership Training Program Here
- An in-depth political boot camp training program for Democratic women in Orange County, interested in seeking elected office and for Democratic Women in Orange County with a passion to pursue opportunities with political campaigns.
Learn More About WELead OC’s Democratic Women’s Candidate/Campaign Training Program Here
Both programs are based on an application/selection process to include a maximum of 20 participants for each program. Both programs run one full Saturday each month for 6-months. Experts from Orange County, statewide and around the country will be brought in, representing a specific area of concentration, to facilitate each session.
WELead OC was created when women throughout Orange County expressed the need not only to elect more Democratic women for offices in our County, but to engage younger women in the process. And while similar programs exist at the state and national levels, WELead OC has tailored its program to fit Orange County’s communities.
We are excited.
WELead OC is committed to working with individuals and organizations at all levels, to build a coalition dedicated to empowering Orange County’s young women as leaders within their communities and Orange County’s Democratic women who want to seek elective office and/or work on campaigns.
WE (Women Empowered) want to empower you.
If you or your organization want to become a WELead OC Empowered Partner, click here to learn more.
Over the coming days and weeks, WE will be reaching out providing information regarding programs and upcoming events.
WE look forward to working with you!