IGNITE's Blog

Dear friend, 

Below is a statement from IGNITE’s CEO Sara Guillermo in response to the news today that U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein died at the age of 90. Senator Feinstein led a trailblazing political career full of firsts, and leaves behind a powerful legacy for the next generation of leaders:

In response to today's Supreme Court decision curtailing Affirmative Action Sara Guillermo, Chief Executive of IGNITE, America’s largest, most diverse organization devoted to young women’s political leadership, said:

A new United Nations report has found no improvement in gender biases in the past decade. Young women have no choice, it seems, but to fight through bias to succeed. It's a powerful insight when it comes to running for political office. There is no point in sugarcoating it for them. Not if we're going to reshape the future in a more positive direction. But there is more that we can all do to help, too. The solution isn't only in women's hands but everyone's.

We are both relieved and encouraged by the recent Supreme Court decision in the case of Allen v. Milligan. The Court's ruling to reject Alabama's congressional voting map, which diluted the power of Black voters, is a significant step in the right direction for voting rights and representation in our country.

"We are pleased to see today’s Supreme Court overruling the efforts of lower courts to restrict the mailing of abortion pills. A ban would have disproportionately impacted Black and Brown communities, gender expansive people, and other marginalized groups. While this ruling is a relief to many, it is by no means the end of the long-running struggle to restore abortion access in America. Gen Z voters will continue to show up at the polls in a decisive way as judges seek to regulate their bodies through the courts. Abortion access remains a top issue for Gen Z women-identifying voters. In Kansas, in Wisconsin, in Chicago, and across the country—time and again, it has catalyzed Gen Z to mobilize. A majority strongly believe they have the right to make decisions about their health and their bodies, and they believe deeply in reproductive justice. IGNITE will continue to advocate for policies that support reproductive justice in America."

As an organization dedicated to empowering young women to pursue political office, IGNITE is deeply concerned about the recent expulsion of Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson, two young Black state reps, from the Tennessee legislature, after they participated in a protest over gun control. The move sets a dangerous anti-democratic precedent for removing young people of color from political office and deterring others from aspiring to hold these seats of power. It is unacceptable for lawmakers to silence the voices of their constituents, especially those who are marginalized and underrepresented in our political system.

Whichever way you voted, there’s some good news for women in American politics. In a year when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against women’s control over their own bodies, overturning Roe v. Wade, voters in the 2022 midterm elections sent a record number of women to the next Congress. It happened on both sides of the aisle. American voters also elected a record number of women Governors.

Kevin McCarthy survived a 15-round ordeal of repeated votes to win the speaker's seat. All I can think about is there's no way we'd give him such grace to lose so often if he were a woman-identifying or non-binary person. And that has big implications for how we raise the next generation and how gender continues to influence how we view leadership.

Yesterday was July 14, which means everyone on both sides of the pond should be thinking about Emmeline Pankhurst.  For my fellow Americans, I would be pleasantly...