Day 36: Why Women Don't Run

Did you read the article in the Los Angeles Times today about why so few women run for public office? Here's my response to the writer who wrote the article:

Greetings Kate,

Thanks for writing about an issue near and dear to me. As a former candidate for the Los Angeles City Council in 2001 & 2009 (5^th District), I am one of the brave women who did put it all on the line to run for an office I believed I could bring value to. As a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, an active community member, a parent, and a passionate champion of more women in office, I applaud you for covering what our political landscape will sadly look like come 2013.

All the women you spoke with and had comment in your article are friends, colleagues and supporters of mine. I have spent a dozen years involved with and serving as a Board member with the National Women’s Political Caucus, a group committed to recruiting, training and supporting more women to run for office. The obstacles are huge for a candidate running in Los Angeles, money probably being the most challenging. Second, is that women still carry the primary responsibility of their families and are unwilling to jeopardize their family for the grueling scrutiny that accompanies a candidate on the campaign tail. I might also point out, that women don’t always support other women and it’s terribly frustrating.

Several of the women you quoted or write about in your article are in office because the women’s community backed them wholeheartedly, and not because they were female, but because they were the best candidates in their respective races. However, many of them do not stay true to the core values that helped elect them which included a commitment to more women in office. They do not mentor women in their communities to fill the pipeline when they move on, thus leaving a void when a seat becomes available. It is a recurring theme and one that now presents us with the possibility of no women on the LA City Council, a town that prides itself on being inclusive and progressive. Where will my voice be on the council?

NWPC’s mission is 50/50 by 2020, 50% men, 50% women representation in all branches of government by the year 2020. We will not achieve this goal at the rate we are progressing. This being said, I will continue working tirelessly to support women candidates with my energy, experience, money and encouragement that while the road may be brutal, and it is, the outcome of having her voice in the political dialogue, is well worth it.

Thanks again for writing an article that speaks volumes to me.

Day 27: Our Boys Are Back In Town

Yay! The college boy's are home for the summer! My son, Brandon Simon, and gal pal Suzee's son Brandon Bank both returned this week from their respective colleges.

In honor of their completion of two years of college mama bears Suzee & Robyn took the big boys to their favorite meal of sushi!

Check out these beautiful boys. Here's Suzee with my son Brandon... Gorgeous!

If you haven't heard the story over the past twenty years... here goes... Suzee and I gave birth the same day twenty years ago, both to beautiful sons and we both named them Brandon!

Pictured here is me with Brandon Bank... what a handsome young man!

They've been pals ever since and Suzee and I have shared a bond of raising them together. I feel as if her son is like my son and I know the feeling is reciprocated on her part.

We laughed, talked about the time we took them skiing when they were barley three years old, how they have grown, how proud we are of them... it was a moment... our Brandon's out on a date with their Mama's...

Day 20: A Cure for Will

Tonight Brian and I attended the Dealing for Duchenne's fundraiser. This is the third year we have attended and supported the efforts of these diligent parents working to find a cure for a deadly disease that affects their beautiful sons.

Duchenne Muscular Distrophy only affects boys. Not sure why, but only boys. A missing gene contributes to muscles not developing and eventually the body breaking down and ending in death. There is no cure for Duchenne. No cure for a disease that is so ugly.

Amy & Chris Martin are our friends, neighbors, and community members and we love their entire family. We met years ago when their son Derek and our boys Harrison & Spencer all played baseball at Cheviot Hills Park. Those were some fabulous days watching all our boys play great baseball. Now they've all moved on to High School. The Martin's also have a beautiful younger daughter, Natalie, and son Will who has Duchenne.

The Martin's are desperate to find a cure. While it's not much, we believe that attending and giving what we can is our way of showing support for their beautiful family while also hopefully contributing to finding a cure.

If you are wondering whose in that picture with me above... it's Super Bowl Champs, Green Bay Packers football star Clay Matthews and gal pal Lisa Martin.

Clay is a huge supporter of finding a cure for Duchenne and was gracious enough to take pictures with all the fawning women who couldn't wait to get their arms around him! He's quite a hunk both in his physic and in his heart for giving his time to help eradicate Duchenne.

Kudos to him and to Amy & Chris for being such wonderful parents, friends, and fundraisers for a very important cause. To learn more about Duchenne or to make a contribution in honor of Will Martin, please visit www.cureduchenne.org.

Day 19: Friendships & Birthday's

Tonight Brian and I dined with dear friend's Lori & Steve Soll in honor of my big 5-0 birthday. What a lovely evening we shared.

The Soll's have been friends for more than 20 years... we have shared births, deaths, holidays, baseball and everything else life throws you, together!

There have been some beautiful memories made between our families. We have shared heartaches, challenges, illnesses, but in the end tonight was just a glorious celebration of life and health!

Thank you to the Soll's for honoring me and for being such wonderful friends.

Day 18: More Birthday Fun

I was turning 50 and our fabulous family friends' son Tanner was turning 16 so we all decided to celebrate in style together!

Here's me with 16 year old Tanner... best pal of my son's Harrison & Spencer!

Jenny & Steve Savitsky and their children, Tanner & Nicole, Jenny's mom Pam, and Brian, me, Harrison & Spencer cruised in luxury in a limo to a delicious special dinner at Saddle Peak Lodge in the Malibu hills near Calabassas. We sipped champagne while cruising along the beautiful coastline and laughed the entire way!

It's so nice to spend your milestone celebrations with friends you love and doing something really different & fun.

Pictured here are all the lovely Mom's, Pam, Jenny, Me and lovely sister Nicole!

The boy's loved the Lodge and of course were adventuresome and tried game-type meats! We had a great evening celebrating birthday's and friendships!

Day 17: Birthday Friendship

The Birthday celebrations continue... oh my gosh I'm going to be huge with all the luncheons, dinner's and cocktails being showered upon me for my 50th Birthday! Whew!

It's been so fun and I feel so grateful to have such wonderful people in my life that want to shower me with affection (and food & drink!).

Pictured here with me is gal pal Nancy Ross out on one of my Birthday celebrations!

Truly the greatest gift in life, other then your health, is the company you keep. The people you choose to spend your time with, share your lives with, and celebrate milestones together.

It's been one festive event after another and I thank you all for reaching out to me to spend time with me, honor me and celebrate how fabulous 50 can be! I'm feeling so good today!

Day 16: Honoring Cool Women

I've been working hard over the past few days reaching out to our hopeful honorees for the 2012 National Women's Political Caucus Women's Leadership Calendar!

I love this event. It's an opportunity to profile outstanding women leaders in a fun & festive way. We produce an actual calendar and it's a great way to raise money for our organization's Political Action Committee, while also hosting a fabulous signature event.

Save the date now! We have secured Thursday, October 20 for the event and it will be happening at the fabulous The Mark for Events. I hope you will all reserve the night to be with me and honor these women while also feeding our PAC. I'll be announcing who the lucky "calender girls" are as soon as I've confirmed all 12 women... stay tuned!