Summit Videos

Experience all the 2023 Summit highlights.

The Cheering Section: A Conversation with Two Former Cheerleaders

Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Kimberly Ellis, Director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women

  • Congresswoman Barbara Lee has been representing California’s 12th District (formerly 13th) since 1998. She is the highest ranking African American woman appointed to Democratic Leadership, serving as Co-Chair of the Policy and Steering Committee. She also serves on the Budget Committee and the powerful Appropriations Committee, which oversees all federal government spending.

    Her father was a veteran of two wars and her mother broke many glass ceilings and racial barriers. After grammar school, Congresswoman Lee moved to San Fernando, California and worked with the local NAACP to integrate her high school cheerleading squad.

    As a single mother raising two sons, Congresswoman Lee attended Mills College and received public assistance while building a better life for her family. As president of Mills College’s Black Student Union, she invited Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress, to speak on campus. As a result of this meeting, Congresswoman Lee registered to vote for the first time and worked on Congresswoman Chisholm’s historic presidential campaign, including serving as her delegate at the 1972 Democratic National Convention in Miami, FL.

    Congresswoman Lee received her Masters of Social Work from the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in psychiatric social work. During her graduate work, Congresswoman Lee founded the Community Health Alliance for Neighborhood Growth and Education (CHANGE, Inc.) which provided mental health services to many of the East Bay’s most vulnerable individuals.

    In 1975, Congresswoman Lee joined the staff of Congressman Ron Dellums, where she eventually rose from an intern to chief of staff. During the eleven years she worked for Congressman Dellums, Congresswoman Lee was one of only a few women and persons of color to hold a senior position on Capitol Hill.

    In 1990, Congresswoman Lee was elected to the California State Assembly, where she served until 1996 when she was elected to the State Senate. As a California legislator, Congresswoman Lee authored 67 bills and resolutions that were signed into law by Republican Governor Pete Wilson. This legislation addressed a wide spectrum of issues, including public safety, education, healthcare, and environmental protections. In the legislature, Congresswoman Lee was an early champion of LGBT issues and authored the 1995 California Schools Hate Crimes Reduction Act. As the first African American woman elected to the State Senate from Northern California, Congresswoman Lee created and presided over the California Commission on the Status of African American Males and the California Legislative Black Caucus, while working to defeat the punitive “three strikes law.” Congresswoman Lee also served as a strong advocate for women in the legislature, where she authored and passed the first California Violence Against Women Act and served as a member of the California Commission on the Status of Women.

    In 2001, Congresswoman Lee received national attention as the only Member of Congress to oppose the authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) in the wake of the horrific events on September 11th. The Congresswoman believed this AUMF would become a blank check for endless war. As of 2013, this authorization had been used more than 30 times to engage in military action without Congressional oversight. Congresswoman Lee is working to repeal this blank check and restore Congress’s constitutional oversight to matters of war and peace. She was also an outspoken opponent of the Iraq War.

    Congresswoman Lee has long advocated for legislative action to end poverty. In 2007, she worked with a diverse coalition of Members to create the Out of Poverty Caucus. In 2013, she became chair of the Democratic Whip Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As chair, she leads more than 100 Members of Congress in crafting and advancing legislation to lift millions of American families out of poverty and into the middle class.

    Since her time in the California legislature, Congresswoman Lee has been a fierce advocate for ending HIV and ensuring an AIDS-free generation. Since entering Congress, she has authored or co-authored every major piece of HIV/AIDS legislation including the legislative frameworks for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Congresswoman Lee’s legislation establishing a USAID special advisor for orphans and vulnerable children was enacted into law in 2009. In 2011, Congresswoman Lee formed the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, which she co-chairs.

    Currently, Congresswoman Lee serves on the Budget Committee and the powerful Appropriations Committee, which oversees all federal government spending. She serves on three subcommittees (Ranking Member, State and Foreign Operations; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education; and Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration) of the Appropriations Committee. In January 2021, she became the first African-American to chair the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.

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    Congresswoman Lee is the highest ranking African American woman appointed to Democratic Leadership, serving as Co-Chair of the Policy and Steering Committee. As Co-Chair, Rep. Lee works to ensure that committees reflect the diversity, dynamism, and integrity of the Democratic Caucus. She also works to advance the policies that comprise the Democratic “For the People” agenda. In addition, she currently serves as the Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, and Co-Chair of the Cannabis Caucus. She is the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (111th Congress) and co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (109th & 110th Congresses).

Power Panel: Economic Security

Moving on Up - Mo’ Money Mo’ Freedom: Using Legislation, Financial Tools and Resources and Pilot Programs to Create More Economically Mobile Futures

  • Economic inequities for women have existed for centuries, and deep-seated roots in pervasive sexism and structural social structures are difficult to break.

    In fact, women weren’t allowed to open credit cards in their own name without a male cosigner as recently as 1974. From discrimination to household responsibilities to a lack of exposure to financial tools, today, a variety of roadblocks continue to make it difficult for women, girls and nonbinary people to navigate and partake equally in the financial world. But a better understanding of the challenges and resources available can help facilitate the process.

    Being financially independent is critical to achieving gender equity, and pay transparency laws, coupled with other initiatives like forgiving student loan debt, providing access to capital and high paying jobs, enacting universal healthcare coverage and expanding childcare funding can go a long way toward achieving it.

    This panel will discuss various economic and financial tools and resources available at the local, state and federal levels in California, as well as products and support through private and philanthropic initiatives. With deliberate and thoughtful policy making, we can close income and wealth gaps and advance economic stability, security, mobility and prosperity for women, girls and nonbinary people.

Fireside Chat: Forget the Birds and the Bees, It’s Time for the Money Talk

Kimberly Ellis, Director of the San Francisco Dept. on the Status of Women in Conversation with CEO and Co-Founder of Ellevest, Sallie Krawcheck

  • Did you know that most women are more comfortable talking about their own death than they are discussing money and taking control of their finances?

    That’s because we’ve been socialized to think that talking about money is taboo and that doing so might make us vulnerable, make others feel bad or break some made up communal rule. Coupled with an underlying lack of confidence in our knowledge of financial planning and investing, it’s no wonder women are woefully behind the eight-ball on pretty much all things money-related.

    But if want to achieve gender equality, then we gotta get past our inhibitions and get serious about money. Maya Angelou Said, “When You Know Better, You Do Better.” And today, thanks to the pandemic and the ensuing She-cession and now She-flation, we know a lot better when it comes to the unique financial and economic pressures that women have long been under, and the systemic issues that continue to hold us back from achieving financial freedom and security.

    Filled with golden nuggets and pearls of wisdom galore, if you’re ready to get your coin right and start making smart money moves to secure the bag for generations to come, this is one conversation you don’t want to miss. It’s never too late to start investing, ladies. Time to flex our financial firepower, and in the process, help bring about the world we know is possible!

  • Named “The Last Honest Analyst” by Fortune Magazine, Sallie Krawcheck is one of Wall Street’s most iconic trailblazers with more than 25 years in the financial services industry. This former CEO of financial titans like Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney and Citi Private will help us get up close and personal with this thing called money and explore topics like building wealth, financial planning and impact investing.

    Because when it comes to moving the needle on women’s progress, Sallie believes that financial equality is how we get there:

    “Ellevest exists for the same reason that Women’s History Month exists: because the world wasn't built with women in mind. On all things money, women were given a late start, from having credit cards to climbing the corporate ladder — and hundreds of years later, we’re still trying to close the gender gaps created by history. Like the income gap. And the wealth gap. We can't talk about gender equality without talking about financial equality — because money is not just money. Money is a tool for progress. Money is key to personal freedom. Money is power. Investing is a powerful tool that we can all use, as individuals, to build wealth and help drive the change we want to see in the world.”

Power “Man-el”

Fellas, Time To Pull Up: Male Allies Aiding and Abetting in the Fight for Gender Equality

  • Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of dominance and privilege are primarily held by men, oftentimes extending to a variety of manifestations resulting in exploitation, oppression and control.

    The San Francisco Department on the Status of Women envisions a world free from all forms of violence and oppression that exploit and devalue women, girls and nonbinary people, towards a radical transformation of our society.

    As the primary beneficiaries of this system of inequality, our male allies have a particular role to play in dismantling patriarchy. While fighting to change the systems around us, we must demand that men show up for and participate in this cultural moment - or reveal them as complicit. Deconstructing patriarchy in our minds, our relationships, and our communities will benefit everyone, including and especially men.

    This intimate, honest, and at times provocative conversation with its all-male panel will explore topics including toxic masculinity, strategies to shift cultural narratives around societal roles, gender equitable frameworks in the business and private sectors and recent legislation around pay transparency, corporate board membership and the pink tax, all aimed at addressing the social, political and economic inequities that women, girls and nonbinary people currently face.

Power Panel: Health & Safety

Safety Doesn’t Happen by Accident. It’s Planned. So let’s plan it! Time to Center Safety Planning for Women, Girls and Nonbinary People.

  • Admittedly, the U.S. has made considerable strides over the last 50 years when it comes to addressing the physical violence and abuse many women experience at the hands of spouses, partners, acquaintances and strangers. Indeed, many reforms have been instituted since the 1970s, and the movement to end violence against women now includes local, state and federal governments, the criminal justice system and other agencies that have all increased protections. But despite the progress, continued threats to women’s safety persist, severely impact their health, economic security, civic engagement and political empowerment and overall well-being.

    From physical safety and streetlighting to leadership positions to representation in public statues, the path to creating a society where safety and sustainability for women, girls and nonbinary people are the norm requires a fundamental reorganization of power, value and moral attention in public.

    For the first time ever, many of the top law enforcement posts in the greater San Francisco Bay Area are held by women of color. This panel will include Police Chiefs, District Attorneys and Sheriffs who are all on the frontlines of safety while leading predominately male command staff in the process. And whether we know it or not, caring for and centering the safety of women, girls and nonbinary people is still a revolutionary act, even here in progressive California. What are some of the best practices and legislative policies we need to pass (or enforce!) to create radically safe communities for half the world’s population?

Chat Caffe: Afternoon Coffee with Actress Connie Nielsen - A Real-Life Wonder Woman

Kimberly Ellis, Director of the San Francisco Dept. on the Status of Women in Conversation with Connie Nielsen, Actress, Activist and Philanthropist

  • From her role as Hippolyta in DC Comics and Warner Brothers’ Wonder Woman, WWII and Justice League, to the critically acclaimed Brothers, One Hour Photo and Demon Lover, to the Academy Award winning Gladiator, Danish-born actor, producer and writer Connie Nielsen‘s starring roles and achievements span the gamut of cinematic art and film.

    The recipient of Best Actress Awards from The San Sebastian Film Festival, The Danish “Bodil” Awards, and The Empire Awards, Connie’s recent projects include producing and starring in Sundance/Channel Four’s current smash hit series, Close To Me, as well as The Dreamer, a biopic based on the life of Danish Writer, Karen Blixen.

    A Nelson Mandela Changemaker Awardee, in 2010, Nielsen co-founded Human Needs Project (HNP) and currently serves as the organization’s President and CEO. The recipient of the 2015 Aspen Big Idea Award, and an initiative of HNP, the Kibera Town Center is a social enterprise that serves residents with dignified services and access to jobs and education, transforming tens of thousands of lives through more than 2 million transactions since opening.

    In between film projects and HNP, Connie spends her free time fighting for racial and gender justice through various civic and political initiatives and starring in her most important role, that of mom to ​Sebastian, Bryce, Myles, Lane and Yema​​. Recently, Connie welcomed the next generation of super-hero justice warriors: beautiful twin grandbaby girls Yohadan and Bershabe.

    This light-hearted and fun afternoon soirée with one of Hollywood’s most prolific doers of good will be filled with levity, laughter and love.

    And when it’s all over, forget the autographs, we’re opting for matching Wonder Woman tattoos instead.

    Wonder Women unite!

Power Panel: Civic Engagement & Political Empowerment

X-Factor: From Peace and Justice to Elections and Equality, the Path to Victory Runs Through Women

  • Electoral outcomes in the last four campaign cycles have proven one thing: when single women, people of color and young folks (collectively known as the New American Majority) turn out to vote, they pack one heck of a punch, can move mountains and create a lot of sway. This demographic is not only a powerful and growing voting bloc, it has also proven to be the margin of victory by either not showing up on election day or by taking the voting booths by storm.

    Women voters in particular have been the driving force behind the new American Majority, with approximately 68% of eligible women voting in the past Presidential election alone. But as a group, are we being as strategic as possible when it comes to flexing our electoral muscle to create the policy and legislative changes needed?

    As women, girls and nonbinary people continue to be disproportionately impacted by and struggle to recover from the pandemic, this panel will discuss specific legislation already in the works to address structural gender inequities, as well as ways we’re working to leverage our individual and collective efforts to organize, make our voices heard and elect leaders at all levels that will represent our values and help create a more equitable future for all of us.