the Painting Activist

I just spent an inspiring first half of my day at the “political skills campaign school” put on by the Metropolitan Louisville Women’s Political Caucus. An array of workshops informed and counseled an ambitious crowd of attendees on the basics of running for office 101.

Our first keynote speaker was the well posed Dr. Leslie R. Wolfe, president of the Center for Women Policy Studies in Washington DC. Dr. Wolfe, like many of today’s speakers and panelists, told her compelling story of overcoming sexism of the 60’s to work her way up to now empower other women in her current role as president of the nonprofit feminist policy research and advocacy organization.

For any woman pondering the thought of running for political office, this seminar was an ideal opportunity to learn from, and network with, participants including:

• Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Mary Noble
• Mayor of Bowling Green, Ky Elaine N. Walker
• David V. Hawpe, VP and editorial director of the Courier-Journal
• Rick Howlett, host of WFPL’s Morning Edition
• Jim Cauley, campaign manager who ran Barack Obama’s successful bid for the US Senate, and current manager for the Beshear-Mongiardo campaign for Kentucky Governor
• Kathryn Groob of The Women’s Network

Congressman John Yarmuth also stepped in at the end to offer words of encouragement to hopefully female political leaders. With the influence of major players in Yarmuth’s life such as his wife, speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi, and several of his work colleagues, he acknowledged the vital role of women in his own life and to society at large.

For anyone interested in finding out more info about the Metropolitan Louisville Women’s Political Caucus, I’m sorry to say that I’m not aware of any website they have up. But if you email me, I’ll be happy to put you in touch with the appropriate person.