Running Start: Bringing Young Women to Politics
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| Formation | 2007 |
|---|---|
| Type | 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization |
| Purpose | Training young women to run for political office |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
CEO & Founder | Susannah Wellford |
| Website | https://runningstart.org/ |
Running Start is a nonprofit organization that trains high school, college and young professional women to develop the confidence, capabilities and connections they need to run for elected office and win. Each year, Running Start hosts about 100 trainings around the country. It has trained over 20,000 women.[1]
Running Start was founded in 2007 by Susannah Wellford.[2]
Wellford had previously cofounded the Women Under Forty Political Action Committee (WUFPAC) in 1999.[3] WUFPAC supports women candidates who are less than forty years old.[4] The nonprofit Running Start grew out of WUFPAC to focus on building the political pipeline by training high school, college-age and young professional women to run for office.[5]
In 2017, WUFPAC struggled internally. Wellford withdrew as President to address the fact that women were not choosing to run. She believed this was because they were not getting enough encouragement, and that they did not have the tools to run successfully. Wellford created Running Start with the hope to introduce politics to young women so they would be able to run when they are older.[6][7][8]
Programs
Running Start introduces young women to the power of politics through training programs. These include a High School Program (formerly the Young Women's Political Leadership Program), a Congressional Fellowship (formerly known as the Star Fellowship and funded by the Walmart Foundation), Elect Her (which was formerly known as Campaign College), and the Young Women to Watch Awards. Past programs included Next Step and Path to Politics.[9]
The High School program introduces high school girls to politics, equips them with the skills necessary for political leadership, and inspires them to become political leaders. Political candidates and elected officials speak to the young women about their experiences running for office, how to get involved on a local level, and why they feel it is important to get more women elected. The High School Program is held every Summer, with over 50 students in attendance.
The Congressional Fellowship program was launched in September 2009. This program brings 7-8 women college students or recent graduates to Washington, DC, during the fall and spring semesters to learn about politics and intern on Capitol Hill for a woman Member of Congress. The Fellows hone their political skills and learn about the legislative process first-hand. Each Friday, the fellows take part in a seminar conducted by Running Start which heightens their internship experience by giving them the skills and contacts they need to become political leaders. Fellows must also interview the Congresswoman they intern with.[10] The Fellows emerge from this semester in DC with a deeper understanding of the need for more women to run for office, and confidence in their own abilities to lead, whether at their schools or on the national stage.
From 2009 - 2010 Elect Her was known as Campaign College. Campaign College was created by Running Start, the Women and Politics Institute at American University,[11] and the American Association of University Women.[12] The program worked with student governments at colleges around the country to train college women on how to run for office. Running Start acquired sole ownership to Elect Her in 2016. Elect Her is a 1-day training to teach women how to run for student government and political office.[13] Since 2009, over 130 campuses have held an Elect Her training, and over 9,500 students have participated. The trainings are facilitated by experts, and elected officials are invited to come speak.
Running Start has been hosting interns in their Washington, DC, office since 2007. Interns are in the office year-round, with 5-10 interns each semester and over the summer. Interns help train 2,500+ women per year, and work on projects such as writing, event planning, nonprofit operations, and more.[14]
The Young Women to Watch Awards is an annual event that honors impressive young women leaders, including Running Start alums.[15] All Running Start alums are invited to compete in “Run With Running Start,” a campaign simulation where the winners secure a spot to the Young Women To Watch Awards. The Awards are hosted in Washington D.C. Each finalist gives a short campaign speech about why they deserve to win, and the winner becomes the next #ILookLikeaPolitician Ambassador. The awards show also features a panel from high level mentors and a networking reception for all in attendance.[16]
#ILookLikeAPolitician is a social media campaign that invites all Running Start program participants and alums to join in and break the stigma surrounding women politicians.[17][18] There have been over 1,000 posts on Instagram using the hashtag.[19]
Through these and other programs, Running Start seeks to educate young women about how they can make a difference in politics by becoming candidates themselves.