We need to engage in forward-thinking dialogue instead of making politics a grudge match. --Sharon Nelson

Residual bitterness from this long, aggressive presidential race could easily divide the United States into rancorous political groups. Despite that, the National Women’s Political Caucus(1) has made its mission to bring women together across party lines to work toward a brighter future for over 4 decades. Continuing this long tradition, the NWPC New York City chapter is hosting Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein and more than 300 other trailblazing women leaders in their 2016 New York State Conference for Civically Engaged Women.

According to Ariana Ayu, who is speaking at the event, “We know for a fact that 300 purpose-driven women can change history-- they did it in 1971 when 320 women gathered to form the National Women’s Political Caucus [including Gloria Steinem, Shirley Chisholm, Bella Abzug, and Betty Friedan], and in 1848 when 300 women held the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls [including Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott(2)], which helped push women’s right to vote into the national agenda."

"I am delighted to be one of the keynote speakers at the New York State Conference for Civically Engaged Women, sponsored by the National Political Women's Caucus of New York City," said Jill Stein. "Politically engaged women are a powerful force, not just on issues specifically germane to women's rights, but on the issues of peace, climate, class and racism. I look forward to joining with the conference organizers and participants to start the important work of lifting up women to be leaders in their communities as we all work collectively for the greater good."

Women are vastly underrepresented in political office; only 46 women have ever served in the US Senate, according to Center for American Women and Politics, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University(3). Until this year’s election, Jill Stein held the record for the most votes ever received by a woman candidate for President of the United States in the general election (2012). While Hillary Clinton’s appointment as the Democratic presidential nominee and her historic win of the popular vote were clear signs that the world has changed since women achieved the right to vote in 1920, the gender divide in politics is still troubling to many.

This convention aims to change that—or at the very least, address it.

“We need to engage in forward-thinking dialogue instead of making politics a grudge match,” says Sharon Nelson, NWPC NYC chapter president. Nelson and her team want to bring the message of civic engagement and responsibility to all women, regardless of age, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

“If we’re truly to be a government ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people,’ we cannot sit idly by and expect our will to be done. We must stand together, talk to those who are different from us, and act,” says Ayu. “Not participating is a choice—an apathetic, hopeless choice—but a choice nonetheless.”

Notable attendees include: Liz Abzug, Founder/ Executive Director of Bella Abzug Leadership Institute; Ester Fuchs, Director of the Urban and Social Policy Program at Columbia University; Hon. Darcel Clark, Bronx County District Attorney; Rebecca Seawright, Assemblywoman for NY’s 76th Disctrict; Loida Nicolas Lewis, Chair and CEO of TLC Beatrice, LLC; Joanne Yespen, Mayor of Saratoga Springs; Miko Branch, Co-founder/ CEO of Miss Jessie’s, author, “Miss Jessie’s: Creating a Successful Business from Scratch---Naturally”; Dame Shellie Hunt, CEO/ Founder Women of Global Change; Dr. John Flateau, Commissioner of NYC Board of Elections; Gale brewer, Manhattan Borough President; and Ariana Ayu, America’s Mojo Maven, CEO of Ayutopia International, activist, and author, “The Magic of Mojo: The Creative Power Behind Success.”

Collaborative partners co-hosting this event with NWPC NYC include: Bella Abzug Leadership Institute, National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Ayutopia International, The Women of Global Change, and Vote Run Lead.

A limited number of convention tickets are still available. For more information, please visit: http://bit.ly/nwpc-nyc16 or http://nwpcny.org

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Women%27s_Political_Caucus

(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seneca_Falls_Convention

(3) http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/women-us-senate-2016