RANKING 25^th IN THE NATION FOR WOMEN IN POLITICS,

FLORIDA’S WOMEN TAKE THE LEAD AT FIRST-EVER FL GO RUN

September 25^th – 27^th in Orlando

Orlando– Beginning Friday, September 25th over 100 diverse women from across Florida will take the next step in their leadership by attending The White House Project’s award-winning Go Run political training program for women.  Democrats, Republicans, and Independents; black, white, Latina, Asian, and Native American, will come together for three days of intensive training that will propel them into the local, statewide, and national political arena.

The goal of The White House Project’s Florida Go Run—a multi-day workshop led by state and national experts—is to create a permanent, nonpartisan pipeline to women’s political leadership throughout the state.  Across the U.S., the innovative Go Run program has been instrumental in propelling a diverse group of women into positions of political leadership, having trained over 8,000 women since its creation in 2004.

"Women remain Florida’s greatest untapped natural resource,” said Marie C. Wilson, President of The White House Project.  “When women sit fully at the tables of power, we create stronger governments, from the school board to the city council to the senate, and compelling solutions to our nation’s most pressing problems.”

Among the diverse women who will attend next week’s training are:

·         Heather Beaven, current candidate for Congress, Palm Coast: "Sharing experiences and expertise with each other makes us stronger. Successful women should make it their mission to grow new female leadership. The White House Project does that for female public servants, and I couldn't be more proud to be a part of it."

·         Michelle Fernandez, Windermere: “As a Hispanic woman, I believe there is a lack of diversity in public service.  For many Hispanic women there is simply not enough encouragement to purse leadership roles in politics.  It is crucial for this attitude to change; young Hispanic women need to see role models in politics encouraging them to participate and paving the way.”

·         Joy Solomon, political activist and community volunteer, Boynton Beach: “In recent years, I have come to recognize the important positive contributions women are making in positions of political leadership.  I have decided to focus my experience and skills on ensuring that talented and smart women get a chance to make a difference in our communities and country. With the professional training of Florida Go Run I hope to advance my own leadership skills and to inspire other women to do the same.”

·         Martha Ayerdis, Human Resources Director, Miami: "The participation of Latinas in Florida Go Run will provide us with an amazing opportunity to learn new strategies in order to develop a process aimed at achieving political leadership in our society. It is time for a change and Latinas are determined to influence and inspire other women in their community to be part of that success."

·         Sandra Urquiza, political coordinator, Naples: “Across diverse cultures, women are regarded as the nuclei of the very families that are the base of their societies. Women have the aptitude, skills, strength, and intelligence to endure difficult circumstances, overcome challenging situations, and accomplish any task at hand. The White House Project honors women's strength and gives us tools to become leaders within leading roles, taking us to become role models throughout all echelons of society.”

These participants will join an impressive group of alumnae who have gone on to break barriers in the political arena across the U.S.  Through its regional offices across the country, The White House Project trains some of the most underrepresented women in our political system: 41% of its alumnae are women of color; 46% earn less than $30,000 a year; and 50% are under the age of 35.

Florida Go Run will feature Founder and President of The White House Project Marie C. Wilson; U.S. Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Suzanne Kosmas; State Senator Arthenia Joyner (invited); State Representative Kelly Skidmore (invited); and other prominent women leaders from across the state.

Florida Go Run will take place at The Sheraton Orlando Downtown Hotel from September 25^th – 27^th, and was made possible with the support of the Florida Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, the Dickler Foundation, and the University of Central Florida.

The White House Project, a national, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization, works to advance a richly diverse, critical mass of women into leadership. For more information, please visit: http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org.