The Impact of Women Like Kamala Harris on America’s Progress

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It’s common knowledge that women struggle to get the recognition they deserve. This lack of acknowledgment isn’t just about fairness; it has real-world consequences for policies and societal attitudes. Women continue to face significant wage gaps, are underrepresented in leadership positions, and are subject to societal biases that diminish their contributions and potential.

We’re seeing an old habit in a new form in the recent Republican attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris as a “” for the Presidency of the United States of America. Harris has climbed to the second highest office in the country after 20 years of public service, having risen from a district attorney to attorney general of California to United States Senator and . Harris’s ascent to one of the highest positions in the land is a symbol of both progress and the enduring challenges women face. As the first female, first Black, and first South Asian Vice President, Harris represents the . Yet her journey and the criticisms she faces often mirror the same biases and resistance that women encounter in various sectors.

Harris has often been the that reduce her accomplishments to mere outcomes of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, rather than recognizing her qualifications and contributions. This narrative is not only misleading but also undermines the value of DEI initiatives that are essential for building a more equitable society.

Affirmative action and DEI aren’t about lowering standards; they’re about creating a level playing field. These policies acknowledge that systemic barriers have historically excluded capable individuals from opportunities based solely on their gender, race, or socioeconomic status. By ensuring a diverse and inclusive environment, we tap into the full potential of our population, driving innovation, creativity, and .

What do these attacks on Harris say to the millions of women and their supporters across the country who are leading their communities and creating economic opportunity? If Harris’s , what about theirs?

To answer that question, it’s helpful to understand history, and as an entrepreneur, I believe it helps to focus on economic history. (I come to these views having served as an official and unofficial advisor to both Democratic and Republican administrations.) When Kamala Harris was eight years old, her mother would not have been able to , obtain a credit card, or secure a loan without a male co-signer. Her mother, and likewise, your mother, too. No women could at the time. And this was in 1972, not 1872. This reality starkly illustrated the systemic barriers women faced in achieving financial independence and security. Despite these constraints, women have been instrumental in shaping and sustaining the American economy, and yet, their contributions often remain under-appreciated and under-acknowledged.

With the legal barriers to financial independence starting to fall in the 1970s, women began to enter the workforce in greater numbers. The rise of women in professional and academic fields was accelerated by affirmative action policiesoriginally crafted and created I might add to assist African Americans coming out of the Jim Crow and Civil Rights era and later watered downand DEI initiatives that sought to rectify historical inequalities. These measures helped to create opportunities for women, enabling them to contribute more significantly to the economy.

Today, women are responsible for approximately 25% of the American GDP. That translates into trillions of dollars of annual economic output for the nation. This figure underscores the critical role women play in the nation’s . From leading Fortune 500 companies to in technology, healthcare, and education, women are indispensable to America’s economic vitality.

Women have been the backbone of America’s economic progress in ways that often go unseen and uncelebrated. That is until a woman like Harris emerges and becomes a high-profile target for ignorance. From single mothers juggling multiple jobs to female entrepreneurs creating jobs and driving local economies, women’s economic contributions are vast and varied.

Studies have shown that companies with diverse leadership teams perform better financially. Women’s perspectives and approaches to problem-solving in numerous fields, from STEM to the arts. Moreover, women disproportionately invest in their families and communities, fostering social stability and growth. Fact is, without women, there would be no men (think about that one, for a moment). And that’s in addition to their economic, scientific and broad societal contributions as noted here.

America would undoubtedly be an also-ran nation without the contributions of women. It is time to recognize and celebrate the pivotal role women have played and continue to play in building and sustaining our nation. Vice President Kamala Harris’s story is a powerful reminder of both and the distance yet to travel.

Acknowledging women’s contributions is not just about giving credit where it is due; it is about creating policies and a culture that fully . By doing so, we ensure a more just, equitable, and prosperous future for all Americans. It is high time we recognize that women saved America once, and they continue to be its driving force.