MEDIA ALERT
CONNECTICUT WOMEN’S HALL OF FAME HOSTS GIRLS DAY AT THE CAPITOL
WHO: The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame (CWHF) will host Girls Day at the Capitol.
In the 2014 general election, fewer than half of women exercised their right to vote in a contest that elected the entire U.S. House of Representatives and a third of the U.S. Senate as well as many state-level officials. Overall voter turnout in the U.S. was estimated at 36.7 percent – the lowest since World War II. Only 21.5 percent of young people ages 18-24 took part in the 2014 election. If decisions are made by those who show up, young women need to take note and understand how to make their voices heard.
WHAT: Girls Day at the Capitol will provide a forum for young women in grades 8-12 to explore the stories of the Connecticut women who fought to secure their right to vote, hear from high-level women in state and federal government, discuss the issues most important to them, and learn about the legislative process and how they can use their own voices to address 21st-century challenges. Participants will leave with a better understanding of their past and its connection to the present as well as inspiration to take an active role in shaping their future.
Through the day’s sessions, participants will explore three possible avenues of civic engagement: voting, grassroots advocacy, and elected office. At the end of the day, participants will pledge to stay informed, use their voices to speak up for change, and – most importantly – vote when they are old enough to do so.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 | 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (schedule and speaker list attached)
WHERE: Old Judiciary Room| Connecticut State Capitol
PHOTO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES
- Interview CWHF executive director Kathryn Gloor about the importance of the program and the role of women in civic engagement.
- Speak with young women participating in the forum and hear how they plan to use their voices moving forward.
- Talk with teachers about why they elected to participate in the program.
- Interview the day’s speakers about the work they do and the need for women’s involvement from a young age.
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