- Pritzker Fellows
- Former Fellows
- Cecile Richards
Cecile Richards
Co-Founder of Supermajority & former President of Planned Parenthood
Cecile Richards is a national leader for women’s rights and social and economic justice, and a co-founder of Supermajority - a new organization fighting for gender equity. She is the author of New York Times bestseller Make Trouble. As President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund for 12 years, Richards worked to increase affordable access to reproductive health care and to build a healthier and safer world for women and young people. After starting her career as a labor organizer, working with women earning the minimum wage, she went on to start her own grassroots organizations, and later served as Deputy Chief of Staff to House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. In 2011 and 2012, she was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. Richards is a frequent speaker and commentator on politics and progressive issues. She and her husband, Kirk Adams, have three children and live in New York City.
Seminars
“Women on the Front Lines”
More than 100 years after the ratification of the 19th amendment, women are arguably the most vibrant political force in America. In the 2020 elections, women dominated the political primary season and were the overwhelming majority of voters in November. The current Congress has the highest number of women serving in history, and thousands of women in the last four years have raised their hand to run for office.
And yet. The United States still ranks 106th in gender representation, compared with other countries (CFR, 2020). Women earn less than men in the same jobs, and much less for women of color. The pandemic has resulted in women falling back to 1988 levels of workforce participation. And the lack of fundamental supports - affordable childcare, paid family leave, maternity benefits - are making it harder for many women to return to their jobs. Join Cecile Richards for a series of conversations with women on the front lines, where she will explore the political engagement of women in the United States, the change they are working for, and the forecast for what is ahead.
A year after the onset of the pandemic and following a shift in Congressional control and White House leadership, what are women voters thinking? The gender gap, predicted to be historic in November 2020, wasn’t. Join special guest Tresa Undem, partner at Perry/Undem, as we look at breaking post-election data on women voters, issues they care about and why they are voting the way they are. We’ll also talk about the polling profession, who is getting to ask the questions and whether women stand a fighting chance of having their POV in the mix.
Special Guest: Tresa Undem, Co-Founder & Partner at PerryUndem
In this moment on the forefront of politics, who is telling our story? Two years ago, an audacious group of women exploded onto the scene, launching The 19th, 'an independent, non-profit newsroom reporting at the intersection of gender, politics and policy.' Covering everything from pregnancy during the pandemic to the electability myth of who is running and getting elected in office, The 19th is covering news that too often isn't told. We'll be joined by editor-at-large Errin Haines at The 19th - brilliant, opinionated and on top of her game. She'll talk about her own career path, launching this new platform, and how the world is changing (or not) for women in the media.
Special Guest: Errin Haines, Editor-at-Large for The 19th
Women, especially those with kids, have had a tough year - struggling to work and take care of family, often with no open schools or childcare. They've been stuck at home for months, and many only now have the opportunity to return to their job. All research shows that women, women of color, moms, have been hit the hardest during the pandemic. The question is - will we just go back to 'normal?' Or is there a chance to fundamentally reimagine the kind of government and private sector changes that could enable women to work and take care of their families? Reshma Saujani, author and founder of Girls Who Code, has launched the Marshall Plans for Moms, a plan to pay mothers for their unseen and unpaid labor. We'll have the chance to discuss this moment for women and the fight for a revolution in thinking about gender roles in the workplace and society. And we'll have the chance to learn from Reshma about her own career and political path.
Special Guest: Reshma Saujani, Founder & CEO of Girls Who Code, Author of "Brave, Not Perfect," & former Deputy Public Advocate at the Office of the New York City Public Advocate
Just over a quarter of the 117th Congress is female, the most in history. And women now account for 40 percent of the Democratic House caucus, including a record number of women of color. At the same time, President Biden just signed the American Recovery Act, which funds many needs that women have been fighting for - an expanded child tax credit, money for childcare, reopening public schools and more. This week, we’ll be joined by two women on the front lines in Congress, giving us their perspectives on how this change in representation is impacting policy and politics. We’ll have the chance to get an up-to-the-minute read out on the role women in Congress are playing and what they are up against.
Special Guests: U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar (TX-16); U.S. Representative Nikema Williams (GA-05)
The Latinx population now represents nearly 20 percent of America, and their backgrounds, opinions and political engagement is varied and critical to the future. Latinx millennials are half of all eligible voters, and they are running for office and changing the face of government. Paola Ramos, journalist, author and correspondent for Vice, has spent the past two years traveling the country, from the border to rural Midwest America, chronicling the diverse peoples that make up the Latinx community. We will talk about Latinx political engagement, aspirations and what Paola imagines in the years to come.
Special Guest: Paola Ramos, Journalist, Author & Correspondent for Vice
For more than a century, Planned Parenthood has advocated for and provided sexual health information and services in the United States. Some estimates are that 1 in 4 women in the country have utilized Planned Parenthood at some point in their life, and in many areas of the country, Planned Parenthood may be the only provider of affordable, quality reproductive care, including abortion. Yet 100 years later, the fight to expand, and even maintain, access to services and rights rages on. Alexis McGill Johnson is leading at a pivotal moment in our history and will join our class to talk with students about her experience on the front lines of advocating for reproductive freedom.
Special Guest: Alexis McGill Johnson, President of Planned Parenthood
With a closely divided Congress, many issues are litigated at the state level - from voting rights to reproductive health care, and even the reopening of businesses and schools post-pandemic. In addition, highly partisan gerrymandering of districts has created lop-sided legislatures which will become even more so following the census. Texas and Florida are two of the fastest-growing states, with populations that are fairly even politically, but where the legislatures are overwhelmingly Republican. Meet two women who have been on the front lines as social justice warriors in very challenging environments and learn how they have been successful.
Special Guests: State Rep. Anna Eskamani (FL-47) &Wendy Davis, former State Senator (TX-10) & Congressional Candidate (TX-21)
Thirty-six years ago, EMILY’s List was founded to elect pro-choice Democratic women to office. Today, women represent nearly 40 percent of the Democratic caucus in Congress, thousands of women have been trained as candidates, and sister organizations have been created at the state level to support local candidates. Following Donald Trump’s election in 2016, over 46,000 women raised their hands to be trained to run for office.
For the past 11 years, Stephanie Schriock has served as president of EMILY’s List, dramatically expanding its reach and impact. Stephanie lived through the heartbreak of the 2016 election as well as the historic election of Kamala Harris as Vice President. Prior to running the organization, Stephanie managed the successful Senate campaigns of Senator Jon Tester, Montana, and former Senator Al Franken. She recently published Run to Win: Lessons in Leadership for Women Changing the World. Join us to hear from the most experienced person in America about how and why we must elect more women to office.
Special Guest: Stephanie Schriock, former President of EMILY's List