"My mother is my role model. And since I am a woman, I can model my life and my character based on her example." - Briana Payton is a Truman Scholar studying Sociology at Princeton University. Briana attended the Truman Foundation's 4oth Anniversary Party at Gracie Mansion earlier this month.
Danielle Schäfer
"I hope there is a difference between what Donald Trump says and what he does. I hope he was just talking. Women should be strong and not accept this as a loss. Do your thing and don't let him stop you. I was just traveling in Iceland and the women there protested the 14% wage gap by walking out of their jobs 14% early. Then the next day they took to the streets with pots and pans. Don't give up." - Danielle Schäfer
Lea Adams
"We have to stay positive, keep moving forward and keep trying. The issue that bothers me the most is that women don't get paid the same as men. It is based on a stereotype that women don't perform in their job as well as men. But that just isn't true." - Lea Adams
Marlene Reisman
"I worked as a Human Resources executive at a company that had mostly male employees. Because I am understanding, the men felt comfortable coming to discuss with me their work issues. Being understanding helped me succeed in this role. I think if I hadn't been a woman, I would not have had as much career success." - Marlene Reisman is a retired human resources executive.
Randi Zuckerberg
"When I worked at Facebook, I was often the only woman in the room. I would set up meetings via email and when I showed up in person I could tell that people were visibly disappointed when they realized "Randi" was a woman, not a man. This experience gave me the empathy, motivation and passion to launch Zuckerberg Media so that I can produce shows and books about smart, tech savvy girls." - Randi Zuckerberg just launched the show Dot on Sprout and the book Missy President.
Aisha Barnes
"I got a golf scholarship to Hampton University. I'm lucky I'm a woman because it would have been much more competitive to get a golf scholarship if I were a man. I still have my golf clubs with my name on them, they're sitting in my kitchen" - Aisha Barnes was a zombie princess on Halloween.
Rachel Smith
"I worked as a waitress for a long time. Male customers expect you to be lovely, adorable, delightful and they like it when you are sassy because they interpret sassy as flirtatious. Sassy can bring in big tips." - Rachel Smith is a content strategist at PLASTARC.
Jamie Lee
"I was having cocktails with a group of women and one commented about how she hated her job and that she was underpaid. A friend answered, "If you are good at what you do, you can always ask for more. There's always more in the budget." That was the comment that made me want to teach women about negotiating." - Jamie Lee is a consultant with She Negotiates.
Nicole Lowry
"I've done a lot of things that women don't typically do. I made a conscious choice not to have children. In my twenties I raced stallions in the dessert with an Egyptian man. In 2008 I became one of 200 women who have summited Mount Everest. All these adventures, and all these decisions have shaped me and my idea of what it is to be a woman." - Nicole Lowry.
Dannie Getz
" I was sitting in a business meeting, during which I shared my honest opinions. Afterwards the women who were also in the meeting asked why I had to say things so harshly. That I wasn't being nice. I answered, " Isn't it more respectful to give my honest opinion and not sugar coat it?" If a man speaks his mind, even if he used the same exact words as I did - he would not be told he wasn't being nice." - Dannie Hetz Founder + CEO of TOPRO.
Sweta Vikram
"When my mother died, my response was to heal the world. I started to connect the dots in my life and took up the matriarchal role of being the nurturer. I often wish my mother was around to see my transformation. My husband says, "What makes you think she isn't?" - Sweta Vikram is a writer and wellness entrepreneur. Her 11th book, just released this week, Saris and Single Malt is now available for purchase.
Lindsey Bochacki
"I don’t think that being a woman has affected my life either positively or negatively." - Lindsey Bochacki
Ty-Isha Harris
"I was passed over for a job because I was a woman. The hiring manager told me that he thought an African American woman couldn't be intelligent enough. He said that women aren't analytical or intellectual and that they tend to be unreasonable. That women tend to be too emotional to make difficult choices. The hiring manager was African American and he hired a man. Then a few months later he called me back because the man he hired failed miserably. He offered me the job and I turned it down." - Ty-Isha Harris is a clinical manager for a dental practice and is the New Jersey Chapter President of Mothers In Charge.
Evelyn Brown
" My existence as a woman changes my perspective. I am very passionate about injustice and empowerment. As a woman and as a woman of color - my life and my passions have been shaped by being a woman." - Evaline Brown
Dr. Evelyn K. Thomas
"When I was getting my PhD I got a lot of support from female colleagues. I'm a mathematician and when I would go to conferences there would be a supportive group of women there. If I weren't a woman, I wouldn't have had that kind of support." - Dr. Evelyn K. Thomas
Brandi Guess
"I worked at a nursing home when I was in High School and I earned $5.25 an hour. Once I became a mother I had to quit my job because paying for childcare cost more than what I was earning at work." - Brandi Guess is protesting outside the DNC convention with the group Uptous Caravan.
Kate Hansen
"The longer I work in politics , well really the older I get, I understand how it feels to be chronically underestimated. And I say that knowing I come from a place of privilege. There are so many undocumented women in this country busting their asses in the shadows every day. I know there are a huge number of additional barriers for them, for women of color, for many others being unseen and underestimated." - Kate Hansen works for the Global Strategy Group.
Allison Dellicarri
"Female athletes are praised for their bodies while male athletes are praised for their athleticism. I did a research paper in college about Title 9 and discovered that it helped women's programs but it didn't hurt men's programs the way many claim it did. There are girls who play football in High School but rarely do they have the opportunity to play football in college. Today only 2% of sports broadcasting is dedicated to women's sports." - Allison Dellicarri is a student at Marist College and an accomplished runner on their track and field team.
Olinka Foster
"After graduating from the University of New Mexico with a Biology degree, I applied for a soil science job in Farmington,NM. I was warned that the man who ran the lab, the Chemist, was difficult to work with. If he approved me, I had the job. He was a much older man, Danish and wore a pissed off expression. He was a brilliant scientist, and he approved me and went on to teach me how to soil testing by hand rather than with instruments. We also both loved photography and one day I said, "There's a Diane Arbus show in Los Angeles - I wish I could see it." And he said, "Then go."I said there was no way I could go. I have to work and I didn't want to travel that far alone. He said, "Don't be one of those people that never sees or does anything in your life because you're afraid. Life is short - just go. I'll pay for the train ticket and clear your schedule." I took the train by myself from Farmington to LA, it was a great trip. He was the first person I told that I wanted to go to nursing school. And he told me at one point that he approved me being hired because I was nice to look at. Maybe it was a sexist reason for hiring me, but working for him changed my life." - Olinka Foster is a Clinical Research Associate with Veterans Affairs and a BSN/RN.
Juliet Halvorson-Taylor
"I ran for President in a mock trial at my high school. The opposition ran an attack ad about my high pitched voice. My feminine voice was somehow deemed not strong enough. There are things that are strong and powerful that are feminine - I don't have to change or be more masculine to be strong. The sexism that I've encountered isn't blatant, it is internalized." - Juliet Halvorson-Taylor graduated high school this Spring and is taking a gap year to work as a field organizer for the Hillary Clinton campaign.