Remarks
Interagency Women’s History Month Event
Washington , DC
Thursday, March 27, 2008

Introduction

• Thank you, Dr. Hadary,
• Thanks to the Interagency Leadership Council and the Federal Women Program Managers
• Thanks also to the U.S. Postal Service, and the National Transportation Safety Board for sponsoring this event.

• Earlier this month, in celebration of Women’s History Month, President Bush issued a proclamation. It says:

“America has been transformed by strong women whose contributions shaped the history of our country.  Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, and she inspired generations of women to follow their dreams.  Physicist Chien-Shiung Wu helped advance our knowledge and understanding of the world through her achievements in atomic research.  Harriet Tubman fought racial injustice and opened doors for more Americans to participate fully in our society. Today, women are continuing this legacy of leadership as entrepreneurs, doctors, teachers, scientists, lawyers, artists, and public officials.”

• As Director of the Women’s Bureau, it is my highest honor to work with a most remarkable woman, and a great American, the Honorable Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.

• Something that is very near and dear to me is the fact that Secretary Chao has invited so many women into senior policy positions at the Department of Labor. She has had as many as 50% women in PAS positions.

• American women of all backgrounds continue to overcome barriers and break new ground. Today:
  
  1. Women are 46% of the labor force.
  2. Women earn 58% of bachelor’s degrees.
  3. Women are 51% of all managers and professional employees.
     
• Since our beginnings, our Nation has been blessed with great American women who have transformed and enriched our society. I have found that all great women have a noble, high vision; faith in themselves; and an endless desire to pursue their dreams.

Horse Story

• My mother, who died 20 years ago, would be so proud to know that her little girl born in the horse year could have attained so much. In fact, she waited 2 weeks before announcing my birth, and by doing this, she could then say I was born in the year of the goat – a tame domestic animal that men would prefer. My mother loved me so much that she changed my animal sign to make sure I would find a good husband!

Where is the Beef?

• I’ve always believed that gender equity starts at home.  When I was growing up in Korea, beef soup was a very popular and special dish that every family enjoyed.  More often than not, I noticed that I did not have beef in my portion of the soup.  Mine was full of vegetables, with no beef.  All the beef was in my brothers’ soup.   (HERE I AM, A HEALTHY VEGETARIAN, PERHAPS I WILL LIVE LONGER THAN THEY DO.)  But I have become very conscious about that missing beef, and ever since I have been asking, “WHERE IS THE BEEF?”

The Women’s Bureau

• After I was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 9, 2001 and walked into the Women’s Bureau, I asked:
  
  1. Are we relevant to the 21 st Century economy?
  2. How do we measure our success?
     
• It has been a truly amazing journey. The Women’s Bureau is now a place for:
  
  1. Best ideas and innovative programs –
  2. Technology-drivenonline learning and training programs
  3. 600 dedicated volunteer mentors and 300 value-added partners and supporting organizations.
  4. Results/outcome driven, and replications and capacity-building

WB Programs

• The Women’s Bureau promotes 21 st Century solutions to improve the status of working women and their families, so they can achieve Better Jobs! Better Earnings! andBetter Living!

BETTER JOBS!

• GEM-SET
  
  1. High-tech jobs are driving the US economy. The Women’s Bureau is very big on technology initiatives.
  2. GEM-SET : an e-mentoring project encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, engineering and technology – girls in the pipeline.
  3. The University of Illinois at Chicago was our national contractor and now continues GEM-SET with public/private funding.

BETTER EARNINGS!

• Wi$e Up
  
  1. A financial security and retirement savings project for Generations X and Y women. Be sure to stick around as our Regional Administrator Lucia Bruce and Deborah Hamon-Pugh, President and Editor-in-Chief of the Healthy Caregiver magazine conduct a Wi$e Up work shop a little later this morning.
  2. Just under half (47%) of wage and salaried women participated in a pension and retirementplan as of March 2005.
  3. On average, women retiring at age 65 can expect to live another 20 years, compared to 17 years for men.
  4. The goal of Wi$e Up is for participants to either reduce their debt or increase their savings and/or investments.
  5. Texas A&M University is our national contractor.

BETTER LIVING!

• Flex-Options
  
  1. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2004 over 27 million American workers had flexible work schedules. These workers were 28% of all full-time workers. The Women’s Bureau would like to raise this percentage.
  2. When we conducted focus groups to understand what Generations X and Y women want and need now and in 2020, we found that workplace flexibility is their most important issue going forward.
     
• Our current project is Working Women in Transition (WWIT):
  
  1. If you want to see the changing face of America’s working women, take a look at this program. It has diversity in race and ethnicity; income; education; age; and the target groups of women in transition.
  2. Uses the WB’s expertise in developing and implementing innovative projects that use a combination of “high tech” and “high touch” strategies to assist women in finding employment, increasing their earnings, and/or entering into career education/training opportunities.
  3. Target populations include incarcerated women (Vermont); single mothers (Pennsylvania); recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Arkansas); women recovering from substance abuse (Kentucky); Hurricane Katrina survivors (Louisiana, Georgia, Texas); baby boomers changing careers (Ohio); Asian American women who want to start or expand their own businesses (Illinois); and Native American and rural women (South Dakota).
     
• Looking back, there are so many compelling stories:

• Incarcerated women in Vermont participating in our WWIT project that trains women in construction skills. Jobs in the construction trades pay more than minimum wage, so they can support themselves and their families when they are released and hopefully will not come back to prison again. This program is all about giving them a 2 nd chance. I was surprised to see that women leaders from Africa and Asia are actually looking at this program as a model. This month, we’re very happy to learn that the Vermont Department of Labor has secured $600,000 to continue the program.

• Theresa Sutton, a Staff Sargent in the US Army deployed in Iraq, who completed Wi$e Up as a distance learning class. In her 19 years in the military, she had never saved anything, but thanks to Wi$e Up she now has a 401(k) where she is saving 10% of her monthly base pay.

• Going forward, we have:
  
  1. Flex in the City , May in Houston;
  2. Wi$e Up Wall Street Initiative , July in New York; and
  3. Native Trail – working with Native American women, preserving their traditions and showcasing their beautiful art and handicrafts so that they will be economically self-sufficient.

Closing

• When I talk about the qualities of outstanding women leaders, I always say, “Do what you like to do. That will give you passion and energy.”

• I was a stay-at-home mom when my boys were young, and I tried to cook fancy meals. I soon learned that cooking was not my strength – I kept breaking dishes and glasses in the kitchen! My husband suggested that I find something to do outside of the kitchen. So I went out and found a job. I joined what are now the 29 million working women who have become part of America’s 2-income families. I am one of 66 million working women. And even though I did not imagine myself working even one day in my life when I was growing up, I soon found I loved it! I discovered my potential.

• When Marin Alsop (Music Director, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra) was 2 years old, her musician parents started her on piano lessons. This was the wrong instrument for her, and she finally convinced her parents and moved on to violin lessons at age 4! After seeing Leonard Bernstein conduct the New YorkPhilharmonic when she was nine 9, her life changed forever. All she wanted to do after that was conduct! She is now the first woman to conduct a major symphony orchestra.

• When Ruth DeGolia (25 years old and Co-Founder and Executive Director of Mercado Global), who spoke at our event on March 5th, began her work with women’s co-ops in Guatemala, she was a student at Yale University. She learned that many of the women had seen their husbands killed during Guatemala’s civil war. They could not support themselves and their children because there were no markets in Guatemala for their beautiful handicrafts. It was at this moment that Ruth felt that she was being “called” to help the women market their goods in the U.S. She answered the call and put her passion and energy into linking the women to the U.S. market. She is truly doing what she loves to do, and because of her vision and devotion, the women are now earning their own money and can buy meat and shoes for their children and send them to school.

• Andrea Wong received her Bachelor of Science degree from MIT (in electrical engineering) and an MBA from Stanford. Her professional success story began when she discovered her true calling by asking herself, “What makes me want to get up in the morning?” Her answer was: food, travel, and entertainment! She beat the pavement in New York City looking for an entry-level job and finally got an internship at NBC. She fell in love with the creative side of television and went on to become a Vice President at ABC, bringing to the network shows such as “Dance with the Stars” and “Extreme Makeover Home Edition.” She is now the President and CEO of Lifetime Entertainment Services, the leader in women’s television and one of the top-rated cable TV networks!

• I hope you are all doing what you like to do! I love my job and the opportunity it gives me to serve the community and the nation.