The Value of Local Government and Encouraging Women to Run for Office with Libby Schaaf, Former Mayor of Oakland

Local government is more impactful than most people may realize. Leaders in local government are able to fly high and change the world, but stay grounded enough to be able to see your impact and know the people your decision affect. Libby Schaaf, former mayor of Oakland, California is here today to talk about her time in local government leadership and how we can support and encourage other women to run for office. This week’s episode 61 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the value of local government and encouraging women to run for office! In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Libby Schaaf is sharing the importance of leadership in local government and actionable steps you can take right now to support the women in your life taking on leadership roles!Libby Schaaf served as Mayor of her hometown Oakland, California from 2015 to 2023. Prior to being mayor, she worked as an attorney, a mayoral and legislative aide, public affairs director at the Port of Oakland, and Councilmember. Currently, Libby is the interim Executive Director of Emerge California, the nation's premier organization that recruits, trains, and provides a powerful network to Democratic women who want to run for office.Some of the talking points Julie and Libby go over in this episode include:How to deal with the constant criticism women face in the public eye.The importance of local government and how local politics makes a difference.Why women wait to run for office, and how to change that narrative.How to support the women in your life running for office or making other big waves.For more information and to connect with Emerge, check out their website at emergeamerica.org.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about How Women Inspire at https://www.howwomenlead.com/podcast CONNECT WITH LIBBY SCHAAF:LinkedInTwitterCONNECT WITH JULIE CASTRO ABRAMS:LinkedIn - JulieHow Women LeadHow Women InvestHow Women GiveInstagram - HWLLinkedIn - HWLFacebook - HWL