Presenting the WPC
by Christine Bradley, President
The Nashville Women’s Political Caucus was started in 1973 by a wonderfully active and engaged group of women leaders in an effort to encourage women in the Nashville area to become more politically active. While many in Nashville are familiar with the Nashville Women’s Political Caucus work on Capitol Hill, not many women outside of the metro area are aware of the work of this organization. The advocacy on behalf of all women in Tennessee at the General Assembly is why the Nashville Women’s Political Caucus is undergoing major changes.
On August 18, the Nashville Women’s Political Caucus will unveil a new name, logo and website. This new brand is the result of hard work and dedication by members of the organization advocating for women’s inclusion and involvement at all levels of government and politics. This organization is no longer a regional or city-specific group, and the new name and structure reflects the shift to a statewide focus.
The new Women’s Political Collaborative of Tennessee will continue to strive for full and equal participation of women in government and in the political process. More than that, we will continue to connect women across the state with community leaders and expand our efforts to facilitate conversations and educational opportunities on the issues that are impacting women and families within our community and across our state.
Being politically active doesn’t necessarily mean running for office. The Collaborative encourages participation across the spectrum, from running for office at any level to voting on Election Day and by interacting directly with elected officials or involvement with the political party of choice. The Collaborative encourages women of all ages and experience to find the option that suits them best, with the ultimate goal of educating and encouraging women to speak out on the issues and topics that impact them.
Our current membership is a diverse group of women (and it should be noted we have several men in our membership) of different ages and party affiliations and from different backgrounds, ethnicities and political experience, creating an open environment for discussion and solutions. We have learned that women, whether still in high school or established in their life and career, are looking for a welcoming environment where they can hear diverse speakers and participate in discussions about a wide variety of topics. Through our programs such as Women’s Day on the Hill, Get Out the Vote events, “Get Active” educational opportunities for college students and young professionals and monthly luncheons we provide educational and inclusive ways for women to gain a better understanding of the opportunities that are available to them. Most uniquely, the Collaborative employs a lobbyist at the state level to make our members voices heard every day to elected officials from across Tennessee.
We are excited for what the future holds for the Women’s Political Collaborative of Tennessee. We have a vibrant membership that will continue our established voice on Capitol Hill and we look forward to welcoming more women from across the state. As we make this journey together, branching out across Tennessee, I hope more women and men will consider joining us. Working together to enhance an understanding about issues and to advocate for those same issues requires collaboration and we are excited to embrace that. To join or learn more about the Collaborative visit www.wpctn.com.
Christine is assistant vice chancellor for community and government relations for Vanderbilt University and is also the recipient of the 2011 Nashville ATHENA Award.
On August 18, the Nashville Women’s Political Caucus unveiled a new name, logo and website to emphasize our commitment to women’s inclusion and involvement at all levels of government and politics. Members and friends of the WPC celebrated at Aerial in downtown Nashville.
