Ladies Who Launch

Recalling My First Vote: Nichelle Stephens

Nichelle is a member of the New York City Incubator.

Voting is rite of passage for every eighteen year old in America that is often neglected. You may remember your first kiss or first car,  but your first vote may not be very memorable. Voting is something I could never take for granted because of my parents. My parents marched the streets of Birmingham, Alabama when they were teenagers.  They told me that voting is important because it is one way to voice your concerns over the government.   My parents also taught me that voting is power and there's no reason to not vote. I remember being excited to be able to vote in November 1992. It was my first chance to vote for the President of the United States. I felt like such an adult walking into the elementary school which was my district's polling place to cast my ballot. My name was listed on the voting registrar and I signed my name right next to it. The election day volunteer handed me a ballot and directed me to the voting booth which resembled a dressing room in an old-fashioned department store with a heavy curtain.  I walked in, took a deep a breath and voted.
As I returned my completed ballot, a volunteer gave me a sticker that said, "I voted today". I felt so proud! 

How to be a Lady Who Leads: VOTE!

Nancy Mindes is a NY Incubator member who found her focus after the 2004 elections by joining Ladies Who Launch and doing the incubator. She is a professional coach who works with Audacious Ladies. http://www.NancyMindes.com  

So you want to be a lady who leads?

Make sure you vote. Did you know that 70% of single moms in the previous election cycle said they weren’t going to vote. It’s like giving your power away.

What does it mean to vote? For some it means taking time out of an already busy schedule to go stand on line to vote for the “lesser of two evils” before running off to get on with work, chores, errands and the inevitable to-do list.

Others just forget the whole thing, even though it is a civic duty to get thee to a voting booth because they believe that they have “ no say in the matter”.

This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Voting, however is not just an activity for the first Tuesday in November, it is an activity that asks that you care deeply about what happens to our children, our society and the world at large and get in the game, for without having your voice be heard there is not one chance that issues ladies who launch, women, girls or dames care about will ever actually be addressed.

As we come down the homestretch to election day, it is really a bit late to be speaking about what issues we want candidates to address this cycle. However, it is not too late to seek out and help out those candidates who are addressing the issues you care about most. As Ellen Malcom of Emily’s List http://www.emilyslist.org says, “When women vote, women win.”

I Can’t Vote So Please Will You?

Freya Williams is a member of the New York Incubator.

Yesterday I fell in love with my daughter. I mean, I was already pretty nuts about her. But as I was walking through Greenwich Village in the sunshine chatting to eight week old baby Dot in her stroller, I realized I was just giddy, completely walking on air.

I don’t know why yesterday in particular. Maybe because after two months on a one way street, we’re suddenly in a reciprocal relationship. Now, when I smile and kiss her little face, she breaks into huge gummy grins and shrieks with excitement. She stares at me so hard that sometimes it’s a bit freaky.  Not to mention she is the most gorgeous baby ever (ok so I’m biased, but independent observers have confirmed this – I regularly get stopped on the street).

So how is this relevant to voting? Because, at the risk of sounding clichéd and all ‘we are the world’, this tiny person is what would influence my vote. I’m sure having a child helps focus priorities for many women. So now, there are two big issues for me. First: the environment. My granny says, "If you haven’t got your health you haven’t got anything" and it’s the same thing with the environment: if we don’t get environmental damage under control, all other issues will soon become irrelevant. I’d like to see a candidate go out on a limb, Gore-style, with a commitment to this issue, not pussy-foot around it because focus groups said it wasn’t sufficiently motivating (so make it motivating! You think anyone cared about Iraq till the GOP made them?). I can’t believe it’s still getting Newsweek covers as the new trendy thing. Guys, it’s life and death and we all need to get on board!