On Thursday, June 3 Run Women Run & Ladies Who Launch Hosted      Read Mary Hughes' Powerpoint presentation on     The 2012 Project

The 2012 Project is a national, nonpartisan campaign to expand the number of talented women running for legislative office. Our focus is women over 45 from fields that are largely underrepresented within policy-making bodies -- health, science and technology, finance, energy and environment, international relations, and small business -- connecting them to the women’s political community, its campaign trainings, fundraising networks, leadership programs and Party and caucus leaders. The 2012 Project is a project of the Center for American Women and Politics, a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

On Thursday, May 13, Run Women Run's Under 40 Committee hosted Cocktails & Politics, an informal networking event of cocktails and conversation with Councilwomen Marti Emerald of San Diego and Olga Diaz of Escondido. There was a great turnout of women and men and an excellent spirit among the group. San Diego City Councilmember Todd Gloria introduced the speakers.

On March 18, 2010, Run Women Run and California List hosted the Premiere 2010 California Women Candidate Forum. Bettina Duval, founder of CALIFORNIA LIST, moderated the event, which featured the following candidates:

• Janice Hahn - Los Angeles City Council member, running for California Lieutenant Governor
• Kamala Harris - San Francisco District Attorney, running for Attorney General
• Mary Salas - State Assemblywoman, running for State Senate District 40
• Crystal Crawford - Past Mayor of Del Mar, running for State Assembly District 74
• Toni Atkins - Former San Diego City Council Member, running for State Assembly District 76
• Pearl Quinones - Sweetwater School Board Member, running for State Assembly District 79

Crystal Crawford and Kamala Harris

The candidates shared their "stories" with our audience of roughly 100 women and men.  They described their background and what makes them qualified candidates.  They also expressed their passion for the issues that have driven them to run for public office.

Toni Atkins, Pearl Quinones, and Mary Salas emphasized the dire need for improving access to quality education in California. Kamala Harris emphasized the need to be "smart on crime," by not only punishing criminals, but also affirmatively preventing crime. Janice Hahn highlighted her successful efforts to create jobs and fight against air pollution at the Port of Los Angeles, which she cited as relevant experience for the post of Lieutenant Governor. Crystal Crawford described her frustrations with the continuing budget crises, and said she "wants to put the shine back on our golden state."

Additional candidates who addressed attendees of the forum, which Run  Women Run co-sponsored with CALIFORNIA LIST, included: Francine Busby, candidate for U.S. Congress, 50th District; Tracy Emblem, candidate for U.S. Congress, 50th District; Shelia Jackson, candidate for County Supervisor; Pearl Quinones, candidate for Assembly District 79; and Jill Galvez, canddiate for Chula Vista City Council. Run Women Run co-sponsored this forum with CALIFORNIA LIST.

All Past Programs

Run Women Run started out making a significant impact on San Diego's political scene in 2008 and the impact continues:

• In December 2009, Run Women Run celebrated its one-year anniversary at an intimate and exclusive opportunity to socialize and network with San Diego's elected officials and one another.
• In November 2009, we hosted an opportunity to meet and talk with Assembly Member Janice Hahn, who is the only woman running for Lieutenant Governor of California. If elected, she would be the first woman to hold the position.
• In October 2009, RWR co-sponsored a Political Boot Camp with the Lawyers Club and the San Diego County Bar Association, which provided information on the facets of running for political office from campaign fundraising to honing your message. And the Advisory Board met to celebrate accomplishments in 2009 and to hone RWR's goals for 2010.
• In August 2009, Run Women Run held a political happy hour for women under 40 at Confidential. The goal was to actively engage our peers in Run Women Run's mission to inspire, identify, mentor and support qualified pro-choice San Diego women who run for office or seek appointed government positions.
• In July 2009, California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass participated in an informal, intimate Q&A with RWR in which our members were provided the opportunity to ask direct questions to Madame Speaker about the state's challenges.
• In June 2009, Laura Liswood, co-founder of the Council on Women World Leaders, talked about closing the gender gap in business and politics. Liswood spoke candidly about the challenges women world leaders face and their assent to power.
• The March 2009 program, The Landscape: California Women in Public Office, featured former State Senator Dede Alpert, long-time political leader Midge Costanza, Del Mar Mayor Crystal Crawford, Assembly Member Mary Salas, and former Congresswoman Lynn Schenk. They spoke about the history of women in government, the practicalities, the successes and "the dirt." The program was significant enough to be taped for UCSD-TV and aired several times.
• A Candidates' Forum in October 2008, moderated by Congresswoman Susan Davis, featured seven women in hotly contested local races. Each described her position on the issues important in her race, and answered questions. A few weeks later, each participant won her race. Congratulations to:
  
  • Pamela Bensoussan, Chula Vista City Council
  • Olga Diaz, Escondido City Council
  • Marti Emerald, San Diego City Council
  • Sherri Lightner, San Diego City Council
  • Esther Sanchez, Oceanside City Council
  • Carol Skiljan, Encinitas Union School Board
  • Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, National City City Council