Our column dives into the challenges women face when running for office and the groundbreaking solutions that The Ascend Fund and our partners are pioneering through innovation and collaboration.

February 28, 2023
An Off-Year for the Election of Women to Mississippi Legislature
In the state currently ranked 48th in the nation for women’s representation, fewer women are running for the Mississippi Legislature this year, making it unlikely that the number of women in elected office will increase substantially.

January 26, 2022
Resolutions on Representation: Lessons learned from 2022 that we can carry forward in 2023
The 2022 midterm election was a staunch reminder that progress towards gender parity in politics is neither linear nor guaranteed, and that we need to keep working to remove systemic barriers so women can achieve 50% representation, in all 50 states, by 2050.

August 25, 2022
From military service to public service: increasing the number of women veterans in elected office
It’s been almost 75 years since women were recognized as permanent members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Despite being the fastest growing demographic of the veteran population, the challenges women service members, women veterans, and their families face are often pushed to the side.

April 27, 2022
Want to close the gender wage gap? Elect more women to state legislatures.
Women have been fighting for equal pay since entering the workforce en masse during WWII. One of the most notable pieces of legislation passed on the issue of equal pay was the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which prohibited wage discrimination on account of sex.

February 22, 2022
It’s Past Time to Elect Black Women to Governor Offices
This year poses a unique opportunity to achieve a long-overdue first, electing the first Black woman governor in the United States. In November there will be 36 governorships on the ballot, including all of the nine offices currently held by women.

November 5, 2021
2021 Election Analysis: Nominal Progress for Women
In 2020, all eyes were on the White House and Kamala Harris’ historic election as the first woman and woman of color to serve as vice president. In contrast, 2021 was an “off-year,” meaning there were only a few federal or state races which, typically take place in even numbered years.

October 19, 2021
Partners in Parity: How 13 Organizations in Michigan, Mississippi & Washington are Paving the Way
To rapidly accelerate the pace of change toward gender parity in state legislatures, pivotal policymaking bodies, The Ascend Fund is making targeted, transformational investments in 13 state and local organizations in Michigan, Mississippi, and Washington.

August 17, 2021
Ten Podcasts That Elevate Women's Voices in Politics
Women in politics are making history across the country as they continue to break down barriers and increase representation in government. While there are now more women serving in office than ever before, we’re still far from true gender parity.

June 15, 2021
Mississippi - Parity Takes Persistence
Achieving gender parity in politics will take persistence in states like Mississippi. Mississippi consistently ranks in the bottom 10 states nationwide for women’s representation and women have never held more than 20% of the state legislative seats.

May 18, 2021
For the Love of Democracy, Pay Attention to Women of Color
Women make up more than half of the population in the U.S., yet account for only about a quarter of Congress and just 31% of state legislators. To put it into perspective, if women were to be represented equitably, they would make up half of Congress and all state legislatures.

January 25th, 2021
2020 Election Report – State Legislatures
In 2021, a historic 143 women will serve in Congress. Billions of dollars are spent each cycle to elect the 535 members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House, federal elected officials receive a disproportionate amount of attention from voters and the media alike. However, there are far more state legislators – 7,383 – than members of Congress, and as Congress becomes more polarized and thus less productive, the role and influence of state legislatures is growing.