Happy Galentine’s Day to all of the amazing women out there! Feb. 13 is now one of the best days of the year—dedicated to celebrating our female friendships, bosses, mentors, family members and amazing sheroes who have positively impacted our lives. Surprisingly, this holiday has only been around for 15 years. The term “Galentine” was first used in a 2010 episode of Parks and Recreation by the iconic Leslie Knope, a fictional role model to many young women interested in public service and running for office. Now, it’s a full-fledged holiday with its own merch, cards, and traditions (waffles- anyone?)
It’s remarkable that the first official holiday honoring women—without exclusively centering motherhood—entered the mainstream only 15 short years ago. Galentine’s Day’s true spirit is found in the platonic bonds between women- centering female friendships in a culture where that has never been a priority. Parks and Recreation does a fantastic example of showcasing the strong bonds between women at a variety of stages in their lives- some are business owners, some are public servants, some are caretakers, and all have the space and joy to focus exclusively on friendship—if only for a day.
We celebrate the power of community and the importance of women supporting women.
Women deserve to be uplifted and celebrated every day. Our journeys are interconnected, and we must do all we can to uplift each other and share our stories of strength and resilience. This holiday is a time for us to reaffirm our belief in ourselves. Women tend to instinctively nurture the world, often at the expense of our own needs. This week, we affirm the care and support we deserve, both individually and within our circles of love.
Working in the government, public service and nonprofit worlds, like Leslie Knope and the ladies of Parks and Recreation, can be exhausting. Women face unique challenges in those fields, including in-person and cyber harassment, low pay, underrepresentation and inflexibility while being caretakers for their families. It is essential that women in the democracy reform space have a strong community of coworkers, friends and family members who not only empathize with the unique challenges of that work but are equipped to support the women undertaking it in the first place.
This Galentine’s Day, we also reaffirm our commitment to championing women and empowering them to not only join the conversation but to lead it. We understand that when women are at the table, they create meaningful change. Our work continues to explore and research ways to increase women’s representation in positions of power. When more women are in power, we move closer to a more diverse and representative democracy and, ultimately, the world we want to see. On the best day of the year, we celebrate the power of community and the importance of women supporting women. We know that fostering these relationships amplifies women’s voices and accelerates our progress.
In this week’s Weekend Reading, as we celebrate the power of friendship and chosen love, the RepresentWomen staff is highlighting the women who inspire us, our favorite shared activities, and the ways we support each other along this beautiful journey we call life.
U.S. Research Manager Steph Scaglia
A woman that never fails to inspire me is my lovely mama. One activity we both adore is road cycling, and her passion and dedication to the sport, as well as her positive attitude (no matter the weather!) never fail to inspire me. These characteristics show up in her approach to each day and often remind me that life’s a ride—there are climbs, descents, plateaus, views, fog, friends, and importantly, lots of strong women!
Partnerships Director Katie Usalis
I always find it challenging to think of one woman who inspires me because I feel inspired and in awe of every single woman who is out here finding the courage to use her voice, trusting her intuition, and honoring her truth. From Rosa Parks to Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the women I work alongside at RepresentWomen, I admire any woman who is brave enough to face her demons, unlearn her patriarchal, racial and ableist programming, and bring her whole, authentic self to the spaces she occupies. I hope to be brave enough to do the same!
U.S. Research Manager Marvelous Maeze
The woman who inspires me most is my grandma. Her resilience has always amazed me. She faced countless challenges in her life but never lost her sense of humor or her ability to find joy in the little things—like a nice cup of tea! I admire her ability to overcome obstacles with grace, and her quiet determination to keep moving forward, no matter what. From her, I’ve learned the importance of responsibility, culture and tradition, as well as honoring your true self.
To younger women and girls, I hope to pass on the lesson that your strength lies in your authenticity and that empathy and kindness, even in the face of adversity, are the most powerful tools you have.
Digital Media Manager Ria Deshmukh
My mom, aunt and grandmother continue to inspire me. Whether it’s remaining ambitious in your career, modeling kindness and empathy in your daily life, or simply standing for what you believe, I have witnessed every kind of strength there is. I grew up observing their ability to maintain hope and stand tall in the face of adversity, and I am constantly learning and replicating their resilience in my own life.
To younger girls, I want to pass on the most important lesson I learned from my mother: Kindness is strength and is vital to your success. I hope young girls understand that they need their peers and community to thrive, and being kind and respectful to others is the first step towards success.
Communications Manager Arianna Conte
This Galentine’s Day, I want to give a special shoutout to my talented, beautiful, funny, loyal, and thoughtful friends. I am lucky beyond belief to have found a community of fantastic ladies who I truly, in every way, consider my family. To have that kind of unwavering support and trust between a group of (opinionated) individuals is something I am eternally thankful for. For all the times in my life that feel lonely, I know I am never truly alone because of them.
It took me a while to understand that friendships can ebb and flow just like everything else in life, and that’s okay. What’s most important is investing in individuals who uplift you, have your back, make you laugh and appreciate all the different sides of your soul.
Communications Director Ashley Thurston
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the most amazing women in my life. My mom, sisters, aunt, and grandmother inspire me to be my best self. They keep me grounded, encourage me to shine my light and support me when I need it most. The women in my life, both present and ancestral, instill in me the power of womanhood and the sanctity of bold femininity. I’m inspired by their brilliance, beauty, fortitude, connection with the divine, compassion and their joy and zest for life. Their journeys contribute to my own. These incredible women are the ultimate Gals, and I’m so proud to honor them this Galentine’s Day.
Research Director Courtney Lamendola
I deeply admire both of my grandmothers, who have maintained a very close friendship with one another despite their differences (night owl and early bird) and living their entire lives states apart. We sometimes joke in our family that while one is fairly competitive and could happily win round after round of cards against us, the other is just as happy to invent new rules in games to ensure that her opponent always wins. I’ve learned a lot from each of them personally about finding enjoyment in everyday moments and sharing in the joy we create with each other, but together, they’ve taught me that it’s never too late to make a lifelong friend.
Executive Director Cynthia Richie Terrell
While I am inspired by all young women and the creativity, passion, and authenticity they bring to an uncertain and challenging world, I am especially inspired by my two daughters Becca and Anna, and my son’s partner Rosie. Each of these young women are so thoughtful in the choices they make as they navigate this complicated world—they are kind, emotionally intelligent, curious, genuine and fun to be with—and they help make me a better person.
The Power of Self-Love
RepresentWomen’s parting advice this Valentine’s Day is to love yourself more than anything or anyone else. In an era where misogyny is resurging in politics and culture, self-love is an essential act of resistance. In “Prioritizing Yourself: The Power of Self-Love in an Anti-Feminist Era,” digital media manager Ria Deshmukh unpacks the dangerous trend of glamorizing traditional gender roles and the importance of women’s autonomy. Read the full op-ed in Ms. magazine.
That’s all for this week, Happy Galentine’s Day!
