Dear members and friends of the GW Bipartisan Women’s Supper Club (BWSC),
Four years ago, a group of George Washington University students and friends came together after one of the most divisive elections in our nation’s recent history. Almost every GW student can probably tell you what you were doing the night Donald Trump became the 45th president of the United States. In our Foggy Bottom neighborhood, the founders of GW BWSC will tell you they had never seen more division between friends and organizations on campus than in the weeks and months following the 2016 election. Unsatisfied and disturbed by the disunity on campus, a group of women decided to initiate a strong bipartisan space on campus. Only six months later, the GW Bipartisan Women’s Supper Club was officially chartered and led by Brigid Godfrey and Juliette Erath. The creation and philosophy of the club was inspired by the United States Senate Bipartisan Women’s Supper Club, an informal group of female Senators from both sides of the aisle who take time to gather, enjoy a meal (often homemade recipes from their families) and discuss what’s going on in and outside the office. It’s not uncommon for these Senators to throw one another baby showers, as they did for Senator Tammy Duckworth from Illinois, or to celebrate other personal milestones. Most importantly, these Senators see one another as individuals who care for the future of our nation, but differ on how they approach that goal. Over the past four years, we’ve worked to model our organization based off of the example of these women. The GW Bipartisan Women’s Supper Club imitates the dinner structure that the women in the Senate crafted, coming together three to ten times a semester to share catered meals while engaging in policy discussion or hosting a female political speaker. Like the women in the Senate, our organization is composed of Democrats, Republicans, Independents and Third Party voters with a variety of opinions on public policy and administration. Even our executive board infrastructure was crafted to ensure the leadership of both ideologies, with a Right Wing and a Left Wing Co-Chair and Public Relations Chairs. The remaining positions are held by women of varying party identities. Four years later, the GW Bipartisan Women’s Supper Club continues to be an active organization on campus with a mission more important than ever: promoting bipartisanship and women’s participation in politics both on campus and across the nation. Our country continues to be more divided than ever, despite engaging in discussions on a variety of apolitical morals and values, necessitating a stronger call of bipartisanship on the local and national levels. We’re facing a global pandemic of historical proportions, yet our Congress is caught in gridlock on its legislative responses. Though the idea of bipartisanship has been expressed as necessary by politicians for years, it seems it’s almost the exception, not the rule, for parties to willingly work together towards a solution on almost every issue area. In recent years, some support of bipartisanship has waned due to it being seen as “weak” or being a “traitor” to the party as seen by members' reactions to efforts such as John McCain’s support for the Democrat-crafted Affordable Care Act, Mitt Romney voting for the impeachment of fellow Republican President Trump and Senator Cory Booker reaching out to fellow Senator Ted Cruz for dinner. Since our first event in September 2017, we have worked to organize events, speakers and social activities focused on combating these negative perceptions of bipartisanship. From gun control to prison reform to health care, we’ve discussed and debated issues as women who care for each other, are knowledgeable about the issues and, most importantly, are willing to listen and learn from other opinions. As your Left and Right Co-Chairs for the 2020-2021 year, we recognize that the role of this club and what it represents is crucial in these weeks leading up to the November 3rd election. We are committed to actively crafting and maintaining a strong bipartisan space on our campus for GW’s political women to gather, dine and learn from another. We look forward to welcoming back our membership to the Fall 2020 semester with a variety of events including diversity training, accomplished speaker events and fellowship nights. If you would like to join our group of women, we invite you to apply to be a member by September 18th, 2020 and join us at an upcoming event soon! Bipartisan love, Grace Tulley and Nicole Wright GW Bipartisan Women’s Supper Club Co-Chairs 2020-2021
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GWBWSC had semester full of exciting events! We welcomed our new members in September with one of our favorite events: New Member Night! Our new members had the opportunity to meet each other as well as the GWBWSC E-board. Members also got the opportunity to win free BWSC shirts and enjoy a delicious Chipotle dinner! In October we were honored to host Courtney Butcher, a senior staffer for Congresswoman Virginia Foxx of Virginia. After informing our members of the variety of experiences she had leading to her current job, Butcher encouraged women to speak up for themselves in male-dominated fields like politics. She encouraged members to reach high for their career goals and to keep working hard for them, even when it's difficult. We were grateful for her wisdom and her time in the midst of the midterm election season! This semester also contained an important election cycle that our members were proud to be a part of. This midterm election had one of the biggest voter turn outs in American history and over 120 women were elected into the House of Representatives and Senate. GWBWSC was able to help members of the GW community register to vote in this historic election through a voting drive in October. Our members had the opportunity to improve their resumes and learn important skills for applying to internships and jobs in a workshop led by Marie Draper, Recruitment Director at Teach For America. We know our members are going to make a great impact in their chosen fields! GWBWSC also got to partner with some great organizations on campus this semester. In late November, we partnered with No Labels and Ignite GW for a bipartisan discussion about censorship. Our Right-Wing Vice Chair, Kyla Percival, represented us on a panel as our members had respectful table discussions about this important issue. We also had the opportunity to partner with other female empowerment organizations on campus in a Cookie Cram fundraiser! We loved seeing many members attend to learn and fundraise for all of these organizations (while enjoying some delicious treats!) Although the fall semester was exciting, we are looking forward to an even greater Spring semester! We hope to see you at our events this Spring! (If you're interested in being a part of GWBWSC this Spring, fill out a short application today!)
The GW Bipartisan Women's Supper Club had an exciting Spring semester! We hosted four different speakers, who each gave valuable advice to our members. Our first speaker, Patrice Onwuka, Senior Policy Analyst at Independent Women's Forum, encouraged members to pursue what they love and gave great networking tips. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, representing Ward 1 of the District of Columbia, encouraged members to consider running for office and informed members about issues in the DC community. Amanda Slout, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute, gave valuable advice from her experience working with the State Department and other positions in the US government as well as tips on crafting quality resumes, cover letters and interview responses. Peggy Grande, personal assistant to former President Ronald Reagan, gave important career and life advice based on her experiences.
Members had the opportunity to explore DC by touring the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the US Capitol. Members also were able to give back to their country by creating notes for service men and women and veterans for Operation Gratitude. We're looking forward to an even more exciting semester next Fall! Chris Giunchigliani has dedicated her life to making my home state of Nevada a better place for all its residents, which is why I’d like to honor her this Women’s History Month. Giunchigliani earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from Avila College in Missouri and then moved to Las Vegas to earn a master’s degree in education. She worked as an educator for over thirty years, eventually becoming president of the Nevada State Education Association. In 1991, Giunchigliani was elected to the Nevada Assembly, and in 2006 she became a Commissioner for Clark County, a position she still holds to this day. Currently, Giunchigliani is running for Governor of Nevada. If elected, she would be the first female chief executive in the state’s one hundred and fifty-year history.
It was during a summer internship that I first began actively following the political career of Giunchigliani– I was tasked with watching County Commission meetings. Giunchigliani stuck out to me as a fierce advocate for her constituents. She carefully weighs both sides of an argument before making a decision. This summer, I had the privilege of hearing Giunchigliani speak at the Vigil Against Hate honoring the life of Heather Heyer. This showed me how truly committed she is to making a Nevada that works for and welcomes everyone. I am excited to continue following her political career and hope that this November another glass ceiling will be broken. The views expressed above are those of GWBWSC member and left-wing Vice Chair Lindsey McGuire. To honor your favorite female political figure, email [email protected] with a brief write-up and picture of your inspiring lady of choice! In honor of both Women’s History Month and her eighty-fifth birthday, today we honor Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A champion of change all throughout her life, countless articles have been written extolling the accomplishments of the Notorious RBG, but many overlook perhaps her greatest contribution to the American judicial system: a strong sense of sincere respect and genuine admiration for those on the opposite side of the ideological divide. Born and raised in Brooklyn, the young Ruth was deeply influenced by her mother, Celia, who instilled within her daughter many of the guiding principles she would embody throughout her legal career. Celia would tragically pass away the day before her daughter’s high school graduation, but the lessons she taught the young Ruth continue to imbue the Supreme Court justice.
Ginsburg graduated from Cornell University in 1954. She later enrolled in Harvard Law School while fulfilling her duties as a mother and wife. When her husband, Martin, was diagnosed with testicular cancer, Ruth began attending his classes for him, effectively taking on two full course loads. When Martin received a job in New York, Ruth transferred to Columbia Law School, where she graduated in 1959 tied for first in her class. Ginsburg successfully argued many cases before the United States Supreme Court addressing gender discrimination. Following one such case, Justice William Rehnquist leaned over the bench to ask Ginsburg if she would end her crusade if Susan B. Anthony were put on the dollar bill. Though Ginsburg held her tongue at the time, she later revealed her reply to be that she would “not settle for tokens.” Justice Ginsburg was confirmed to the Supreme Court in 1993. She is the longest-serving Jewish justice in American history. She has penned numerous majority opinions, though she is most notable for her fiery dissents. Justice Ginsburg has weathered considerable convulsions in her personal life during her Supreme Court tenure. Despite two battles with cancer, the death of her beloved husband and a serious heart surgery, Justice Ginsburg has never missed an oral argument day. Every morning, she performs a workout regimen known to be the most intense of all the justices. Her passionate and poignant conduct on the Bench has begotten a behemoth of Ginsburg supporters, and she has managed to pervade the mainstream American consciousness. She is celebrated in a manner more befitting of an entertainment celebrity than a Supreme Court justice. However, despite her hidebound convictions, Justice Ginsburg has maintained affectionate and appreciative relationships with her fellow justices no matter their jurisprudence. Most notable is her incredibly close friendship with the late Justice Antonin Scalia, the leader of the conservative coterie of justices and Justice Ginsburg’s foil in every conceivable way. The two were the best of friends, often spending holidays and attending the opera together. Their relationship was difficult to rationalize, as they could not have differed more in political predilections, yet both asserted that their judicial performance benefited greatly because of their camaraderie. Justice Ginsburg has been a beacon for bipartisanship, though justices of the Court technically eschew partisan bias, throughout her tenure on the Supreme Court. When pressed as to how she manages such a feat in a time of such divisive debates, Justice Ginsburg stated that “[...] reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade. Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you. You can disagree without being disagreeable.” It is for the aforementioned reasons, among countless others, that I consider Justice Ginsburg a major personal and professional inspiration. The views expressed above are those of GWBWSC member and right-wing PR Chair Kyla Percival. To honor your favorite female political figure, email [email protected] with a brief write-up and picture of your inspiring lady of choice! Though we have primarily been lauding legislators, the fact remains that there are countless women who have greatly impacted all facets of government, including foreign policy experts, chief executives, cabinet secretaries and jurists. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor could accurately be placed in the final category, though truthfully her career has defied typical classification. Born in Texas and raised on a cattle farm in Arizona, Justice O’Connor’s upbringing was rough and rural in the best possible ways. She learned to shoot and drive before most children were tying their own shoes, and her abnormal advancements would not end there. She attended Stanford University and eventually Stanford Law School, where she wrote for the Stanford Law Review and briefly dated future Chief Justice William Rehnquist.
O’Connor initially struggled to find employment despite graduating as third in her class. She convinced a county attorney to allow her to share a working space with a secretary while she served as his deputy. O’Connor continued to commit herself to her work and strive for success. In 1965, she became the assistant Attorney General of Arizona. She later was appointed and then elected to the Arizona state legislature, serving as the Senate Majority Leader. After two full terms, O’Connor left her legislative career and began rising through judicial ranks. In 1981, O’Connor was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to become the first woman ever to serve on the United States Supreme Court. She soon carved out a vital niche as the moderate who often cast the decisive vote in particularly discordant cases. She penned the majority opinion in landmark cases such as Hamdi v. Rumsfeld and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. She refused to be regulated to a passive role on the Court, remarking “The power I exert on the Court depends on the power of my arguments, not on my gender.” A moderate conservative who believed in the principle of judicial restraint, Justice O’Connor understood the importance of balance and her constitutional mandate to apply and not alter the law. Justice O’Connor enjoyed cordial relationships with her colleagues on the Supreme Court and was often the voice of reason in their disputes. She could calm Justice Scalia with a single statement, something about which few other humans can truthfully boast. She and Justice Ginsburg wore shirts which said “I’m Sandra, she’s Ruth,” and “I’m Ruth, she’s Sandra,” respectively, a humorous nod to the fact that as the only women on the Court, they would often be called the wrong name by flustered attorneys. Justice O’Connor also provided the Supreme Court with a humane heart it had somewhat lacked prior to her tenure. She felt things intensely, and this was no detriment to her career. When fellow Justice Thurgood Marshall announced his retirement, Justice O’Connor is reported to have thrown her arms around him and cried. She never faltered in her belief in the majesty of the law, and her legacy is reflective of that belief. Justice O’Connor intended to retire from the Highest Court in the Land in 2005, but remained on the Court during the tumult following the passing of Chief Justice Rehnquist. In January 2006, Justice O’Connor’s successor was officially confirmed and her tenure came to an end. She has remained active in the American judiciary system, rendering dozens of opinions and serving on the board of trustees of the National Constitution Center. Women now comprise a third of the Supreme Court, a fact which is only true because of the conduct and commitment of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. The views expressed above are those of GWBWSC member and right-wing PR Chair Kyla Percival. To honor your favorite female political figure, email [email protected] with a brief write-up and picture of your inspiring lady of choice! I’ve always been proud to have Barbara Boxer as my (former) senator and I’m glad to honor her during women’s history month. Senator Boxer was elected as Senator from California in 1992, the year of the woman when a historic six women were elected to the Senate. Since then Boxer has been a champion of environmental and ethical issues as well as playing an active role leading the Democratic party.
Sen. Boxer began her political career close to home on the Marin County Board of Supervisors, serving for six years and the Board's first woman president. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 with the very awesome slogan of “Barbara Boxer Gives a Damn.” She was then elected to sent in 1992 and at one point held the record for the most votes in any U.S. Senate election in history, having received 6.96 million votes in her 2004 re-election. Boxer retired in 2016, and her seat is now filled by Senator Kamala Harris. While Sen. Boxer’s accomplishments are very impressive, what I most admire about Sen. Boxer is her authenticity. After the 2016 election, Boxer led the movement for the re-evaluation of the electoral system and was extremely candid in her motives and opinions. "In my lifetime, I have seen two elections where the winner of the general election did not win the popular vote," Boxer said in a statement. "The Electoral College is an outdated, undemocratic system that does not reflect our modern society, and it needs to change immediately. Every American should be guaranteed that their vote counts." I aspire to be as honest, open and confident with my opinions as Sen. Boxer and I believe any politicians would be proud to have such a long and accomplished career. The views expressed above are those of GWBWSC member Brigid Godfrey. To honor your favorite female political figure, email [email protected] with a brief write-up and picture of your inspiring lady of choice! During Women’s History Month, I always reflect on those women who have inspired me the most in terms of my development as a political woman. The one person that always comes to mind is Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal.
Congresswoman Jayapal was born in Chennai, India and moved to the United States when she was 16 to attend college. Before being elected to office, Congresswoman Jayapal was an activist for the civil liberties of Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians in the wake of 9/11. When she was elected to the Washington State Legislature as its first South Asian American woman ever, Congresswoman Jayapal transformed a space that was traditionally unwelcoming to women of color. Jayapal advocated for progressive causes like gender equity, expanded contraception availability and free community college during her time in the state legislature. She even stood up to those in her party to advocate for transportation pre-apprenticeship programs for women and people of color. Now, as the first Indian-American ever to be elected to the House of Representatives, she continues to challenge oppressive systems of power that have traditionally marginalized women and people of color. She is taking up space that is typically reserved for old, white men. She is advocating for those voices that have been silenced by the United States government while simultaneously challenging the idea of what it means to be an elected official. She is an example to the rest of the country as to what it means to advocate for ALL people, not just those with immense amounts of privilege. As a Washington State resident, I am so proud to say that Congresswoman Jayapal represents my state in the House of Representatives. The views expressed above are those of GWBWSC member and left-wing PR Chair Morgan Caldwell. To honor your favorite female political figure, email [email protected] with a brief write-up and picture of your inspiring lady of choice! In honor of Women’s History Month, I want to recognize the invaluable contribution Ambassador Nikki R. Haley has made to American governance and the world at large. The daughter of Indian immigrants who instilled an unwavering faith in the American Dream within their young daughter, Haley has risen to immense prominence and today serves as the face and voice of the United States to the international community. As the first female and first ethnic minority governor of the great state of South Carolina, Haley created an unrivaled economic environment which led to the creation of jobs in all forty-six counties of the state. Prior to this, Haley had gained notoriety for unseating the longest-serving member of the South Carolina General Assembly and promoting transparency within the infamously unscrupulous legislature. Unafraid to challenge the “good-old-boy” system of the American South, Haley championed the removal of the Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina State House grounds following the Mother Emanuel tragedy. Haley seamlessly navigated her state through numerous natural disasters such as Hurricane Matthew, and she approached tragic events such as the Townville Elementary School shooting with dignity and empathy. Following her appointment as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Haley has dedicated her tenure to the advancement of universal human rights and reforming the institution of the United Nations.
Ambassador Nikki Haley offers a sterling example to which we all should aspire. Unwavering in her convictions and unflinching in her pursuit of what she believes is right, she refuses to be limited by societal expectations and gender roles. She is living proof that the only restrictions which ensnare us are those we impose on ourselves. We would all do well to resolve to employ Haley’s unapologetic optimism and unrelenting zeal for improving our nation. This Women’s History Month, we honor Ambassador Haley and the women like her who have had an indelible impact on our membership, our country and our world. The views expressed above are those of GWBWSC member and right-wing PR Chair Kyla Percival. To honor your favorite female political figure, email [email protected] with a brief write-up and picture of your inspiring lady of choice! We had many events throughout the Fall semester! We were proud to host speakers such as former U.S. Representative Donna Edwards and AEI Senior Fellow Karlyn Bowman. We jointly hosted events such as Pizza & Policy and Education Reform & Networking. We also journeyed to the U.S. Capitol to speak with Nevada Representative Dina Titus in her office, and we took a tour of the Capitol led by interning club members. Feel free to browse pictures from these past events, and get excited for upcoming opportunities!
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