August 26th is Women’s Equality Day, the 103rd anniversary of women’s suffrage in the U.S. First introduced as a motion in 1971 and formally adopted in 1973, this is a day which celebrates and honors the women’s suffrage movement and acknowledges the hurdles that women have had to overcome in their stride towards equality and progress.

This year's theme for Women's Equality Day is #EmbraceEquity — as part of our 2021–26 Strategic Plan, WTS International prioritizes equity, access, and opportunity in everything we do.  As women who are proud to work for an organization that supports and empowers other women, not just in transportation, but in all industries and facets of life, the WTS International Staff is excited to commemorate this day here at WTSI for our chapters and members.

To celebrate how far we've come and acknowledge the work that still needs to be done, members of the WTS International Staff were asked a series of questions on the impact and importance of gender equality in their own professional and personal lives and the significance of equal rights for women in the workplace.

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What do you think is the most significant barrier women face today in the fight for equity and empowerment?

Renita Gross (RG), Director, Meetings & Events: "Not being heard! Especially women of color. You can have diversity in the workplace, but what does that really mean [to employers]?"

Lindsay Shelton-Gross (LSG), Vice President, External Relations & Strategic Initiatives: "Years ago, a friend of mine and her best friend/business partner established a thesis called Shine Theory, [which] basically asks, 'Wouldn’t we be better as collaborators than as competitors?' The answer is almost always yes. This is why the core value and mission of an organization like WTS still speaks to me. It is not always easy. There are challenging conversations to be had and decisions to be made. There are growing pains. But the true, basic, intrinsic belief I still have is that we are better as a collective."

Kia Davis (KD), Director, Membership & Chapter Relations: "Ageism – women are not taken seriously when they enter [the workforce] for being viewed as too young. [they're] not taken seriously [at the] mid-career level as men attempt to take over the boardroom. And they're not taken seriously when they reach a certain level of experience because they are seen as too old." 

 

What institutional and societal changes need to be made for women to be empowered?

Varsha Ravichandran (VR), Associate, Marketing & Communication: "We all know that the foundation of a house needs to be fixed first in order for the house to stand strong – the same goes for the changes that need to be made within the corporate institution that have been (and continue to be) ingrained in society from childhood onwards. Obviously, we need to value women's lives and accomplishments in general, and this breaks off into other subsections of what exactly we need to respect in the workplace when it comes to women: sexual harassment, derogatory remarks, unequal opportunities for advancement, and the wage gap, just to name a few." 

RG: "Institutional and societal changes needed for women empowerment include diversity in the workplace, communication, awareness and sensitivity, and gender equality." 

 

Although there has been much progress made with regard to women’s rights, recent developments, such as the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminate a woman’s right to choose has made us all aware of the strides that have yet to be accomplished. In these tough times, mental health is heavily impacted, and statistics show that 1 in 5 women in the U.S. experienced a mental health condition in the past year. What do you do that helps you stay strong in the face of adversity? What fills your cup? What makes you a strong woman?

RG: "The ability to pause, regroup, and comprehend the situations around me and not giving up make me a strong woman. My goal is to continue to fill my cup with successes. And successes are not just goals that you have accomplished, but accomplishments of others because of me."

Ebony Venson (EV), Manager, Communications & Programming: "I find strength in balancing my work with doing activities that bring me joy. It is critical to spend time doing things that relieve stress both physically and mentally. I’m a big fan of connecting with nature and art to help me disconnect from the constant stress of the world and refill my cup. I feel the strongest when I am aware of my need for rest and am brave enough to take a step back and prioritize myself and my needs." 

 

What are ways in which you believe men can be good allies? What do you feel we, as women, need to do to engage and inspire more male advocates?

LSG: "Until WTS, I have always worked in male-dominated industries. First, I try to surround myself with good male friends and allies, or ones with potential. Second, we have to start calling people out on their behavior. I am much less lenient about what I once would have perceived as mild joking."

VR: "I think we start with two things: pushing men to do better in all facets of their lives when it comes to respecting women, and ensuring that we make space for and magnify the voices of the men who DO want to see women advance."

 

Why do we need more women in leadership?

Carolyn Stagger-Cokley (CSC), Senior Administrator, Executive Office, Board, & Operations: "To tell the stories. There is an old adage that says, 'History is written by the victors.' If women are not in leadership, any leadership, not only will the important history and stories be told only by men in leadership, but the crucial needs and requisites for women to successfully grow their worth and uplift their families go unmet. If the story of the young mother with a disability who depends on her public transportation bus with a lift to pick up her family from day care ends at 6:00 when she needs it until 7:00, or does not have a lift, is never told her need goes unmet. Women in leadership roles tell the stories of their own survival and listen to the stories of others reality which leads to universal improvements that benefit the entire community." 

 

Share a women’s empowerment moment that inspired you.

EV: "I am forever inspired by the energy I felt attending the Women’s March on Washington in both 2017 and 2019. I was equally shocked and thrilled by the number of people who came out in support of the rights of women. Sharing in the passion and pride that filled those streets, and my lungs, as I cheered with the crowd is something that I will continue to carry in my heart, especially as I work with women to create a more equitable and inclusive industry." 

KD: "The U.S. Women's soccer team fighting for equal pay." 

 

How can people who aren’t as involved in the fight for equity and access for women become more involved in their own communities or workplaces?

CSC: "Whatever the fight, it boils down to answering the question, 'What’s in it for me?' If you are asking people to become involved in a 'fight,' they have to understand how it benefits them, their family, their workplace and their community. They have to have a vested interest and directing the narrative allows for more and better engagement which leads to involvement in the fight. A 65-year-old soon to be retired man can be convinced to join the fight for pay equity or reproductive rights when he realizes that the benefit will impact his working daughter and granddaughters. A 20-something-year-old woman can be convinced to join the fight to reduce prescription drug costs when she realizes that it will impact the health and welfare of her grandmother who has just been diagnosed with diabetes. Once invested, people will bring their personal experiences, needs and villages to the fight and the conversation expands and become more inclusive." 

 

What advice do you have for women who want to work in a male-dominated field?

KD: "Obtain a mentor that can show you the ropes on how to navigate your way in the industry and provide tips on how to overcome obstacles." 

 

What do you do that helps you stay strong in the face of adversity? What fills your cup? What makes you a strong woman? 

EV: "I find strength in balancing my work with doing activities that bring me joy. It is critical to spend time doing things that relieve stress both physically and mentally. I’m a big fan of connecting with nature and art to help me disconnect from the constant stress of the world and refill my cup. I feel the strongest when I am aware of my need for rest and am brave enough to take a step back and prioritize myself and my needs." 

VR: "Although I'm lucky enough to work for WTSI, an organization that cares about women and minorities in the workforce, I still need my own time to unwind and 'detox' from the world around me, even if just for a few hours. I strongly believe in the saying, 'You can't pour from an empty cup.' I'm a strong advocate for therapy, self-help (in any healthy form – there's definitely no age limit to enjoy coloring books), and ensuring that you love yourself more than literally anyone else. Being a strong woman for others means being strong for yourself, too."