Focus on Manatee | Women are leading the way in Manatee County

The act of mailing a perfect greeting card gives me hope I could change someone’s day, even if for a moment. I have especially enjoyed sending cards during the pandemic.

The right stamp makes the all the difference.

When my 19th Amendment stamps arrived last week, I was especially pleased by the reminder of the women’s suffrage movement that will be placed on each envelope I mail through November. It was only 100 years ago when women finally gained the right to vote.

Today women not only choose their leaders in elections, but we are those leaders. We continue to lead by advocating for change. We earn the most senior positions in our professions of choice — in business, nonprofits and government. We support and encourage other women. We co-raise conscious and forward-thinking children. Each of these acts represents a vote for the current and future status of our community.

The chief executives of five of the six largest foundations in our region are women. The Manatee Chamber of Commerce, Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp., Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce, United Way Suncoast and Manatee County Government are led by women. Major local educational institutions —School District of Manatee County, State College of Florida, and University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee — have women at the helm.

A majority of the local nonprofit organizations that provide our community with leadership in social change and advancement in human services, healthcare, the environment, arts and education are led and staffed by women. These leaders face a unique structure of operating and governance that require input from many individuals and groups. Though they are urged to run their organizations “like businesses,” the nonprofit model comes with nuances that require creativity, consensus building, and continuous learning. They are often expected to do the work with compensation levels that do not reflect their educational attainment or business results. We have much to do to change those dynamics.

Women are leading powerful conversations about giving and are often at the forefront of decision-making about giving in their households. Manatee Community Foundation is home to six women’s giving circles, groups of women who come together to combine their financial and intellectual resources to make joint decisions about grantmaking. They do this because they value mutual learning and collaboration to impact their giving.

At this moment, we need women to exercise their role as influencers.

Currently, Manatee County has a 57% response rate to the U.S. Census, among the lowest in our area. Manatee Community Foundation calls on women who care deeply about their communities to take the lead in their homes, social circles, spiritual communities and workplaces by encouraging people to complete the Census by Sept. 30. This simple act of going to 2020census.gov and spending five minutes to answer the questions will shape Manatee County for the next 10 years, ensuring that our community receives funding for roads, bridges, schools, transportation, representatives. We believe women can help get it done.

Today a fraction of women (and men) are voting in elections. Considering the struggles of women who fought to give us this right, it is a difficult reality. As November approaches, remember that your vote is a statement that you matter. Your vote is a statement of your values. Now is the time to prepare with your plan for early voting, voting by mail, or visiting your polling location on election day. Please vote and encourage those in your life to do the same.

Women will continue to advance as decision-makers, influencers, and leaders in the spheres they choose. Voting, being counted in the Census, and educating our representatives about issues that matter are all opportunities to influence changes that are most important to us.

This month, the first female Manatee County commissioner, Pat Glass, passed away at the age of 93. She was treasured for her reputation for getting things done and getting them done with integrity and with compassion. Her model will continue to inspire new generations of women to be actively involved, just as her daughter Mary Glass has led the Manatee Education Foundation.

Many have read and shared the story of Captain Valorie Knight of the Bradenton Police Department, who retired this month after a career of service, first as the first female African American officer and eventually as the first female African American captain. Her 25 years at the department bring to mind the central importance of equity — not just for women but for women of color.

Back to my greeting cards, picking the right sentiment matters to me. But the stamp is what gets it through the mail. I think about the women in our community who lead in all aspects of life. They are essential forces for good in this time full of challenges and opportunities. Their leadership is care for our community, delivered with hope.

Let’s help all of our voices count in this moment. We can.

Susie Bowie is executive director of the Manatee Community Foundation.