This year, I encourage all to actively think and evolve into the strong and powerful woman that you can be. It is as simple as a mental change, and ladies, I invite you to ask yourself “What would Tammy Baldwin do?” or, “What would Mary Lansdchinger do?”
Wisconsin is home to many women that you could emulate. Women who are changing the course of history, and who also happen to be from our own backyard.
Tammy Baldwin
You might already be familiar with Tammy Baldwin. What you might not know is that she is the first openly gay member of the U.S. Senate.
Baldwin chose to focus on issues like healthcare that are more representative of the people’s needs. Not only is she a smart, resilient and passionate politician, but she also encourages other women to be involved in politics and well-informed citizens.
Mary Laschinger
Former UW-Eau Claire Blugold Mary Laschinger is one of Wisconsin’s leading female CEOs, sitting as chief executive officer of a logistics company called Veritiv.
This born-and-raised Wisconsinite had an immense amount of willpower to go from living on a dairy farm all her life to owning the largest packaging and distributions company in the U.S.. Her bravery shows women that leaving your comfort zone and taking risks is the only way to succeed. Progress isn’t made when you’re staying the same and remaining comfortable.
Greta Van Susteren
If there is one person we can count on to show us that you should never settle, it’s our very own Madison alumni, Greta Van Susteren.
In 2016, Van Susteren was listed as one of Forbes’ “Most Powerful Women” for the sixth time. Although she retired from being a ground-breaking news anchor and commentator, she has since written a book and released her own mobile app.
Van Susteren’s ambition is much of what we need in 2019. With the new year comes innumerable opportunities for women around the world. We cannot, however, wait around for something to happen — we must take control of our own lives.
Throughout the year, I invite you to carry and embody this quote from Van Susteren with you: “I’m an Independent type. No one tells me what to do.”
Marissa Mayer
Marissa Mayer not only conquered Mount Kilimanjaro in 2009, but she also recently became the CEO of a sinking ship: Yahoo!. Mayer unfortunately became Yahoo!’s last CEO, showing us that sometimes in life, you reach impasses and obstacles.
She also demonstrates that difficulties are merely temporary, and they should never stop you. This Wausau, Wisconsin native recently launched a tech incubator business, Lumi Labs.
It’s important to remember that everything will not always go the way we want, and that the beauty of life lies in its imperfections. In 2019, remind yourselves that overcoming challenges is part of succeeding.
Gwen Moore
Representing Milwaukee as a member of Congress, Gwen Moore is widely recognized for her confidence and tough character. Moore has battled through the troubles of her past and risen up to fight for what she believes in.
She was a strong supporter of the Violence Against Women Act, as she herself was a victim of date rape sexual molestation as a child. Despite her horrific experiences, she never let it stop her from doing what she loved. She turned her struggles into her strengths and used her political platform to create change.
By looking up to these women who defied the odds and ignored statistics, it encourages all women to take more risks. This year, embrace and embody Moore’s courage, Baldwin’s selflessness, Mayer’s relentless determination, Van Susteren’s independence and Laschinger’s ambition. Most of all, use your struggles, successes, failures and accomplishments to empower you and live for what you believe in
Empowering women starts with loving and believing in yourself like these women did, so in 2019, learn from these strong women, take risks, accomplish your dreams and don’t underestimate your own strength.
