Author: Cynthia Richie Terrell

Cynthia Richie Terrell is the founder and executive director of RepresentWomen and a founding board member of the ReflectUS coalition of non-partisan women’s representation organizations. Terrell is an outspoken advocate for innovative rules and systems reforms to advance women’s representation and leadership in the United States. Terrell and her husband Rob Richie helped to found FairVote—a nonpartisan champion of electoral reforms that give voters greater choice, a stronger voice and a truly representative democracy. Terrell has worked on projects related to women's representation, voting system reform and democracy in the United States and abroad.

Here’s to Setting New Ambitious Goals on Gender Equality: Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation

Generation Equality Forum convened by U.N. Women

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.

This week: The U.N. Generation Equality Forum’s serious commitments being made to advance women’s representation around the globe; Melinda Gates has pledged $2.1 billion toward programs to advance women’s equality over the next five years; barriers for women in politics continue in China; women’s representation in Algeria dropped significantly; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduces the PAID Act, which would require executive branch personnel to track and publish the demographics of political appointees; and more.

How New York’s Ranked-Choice Voting Fared—and Where We Go From Here: Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation

How NYC's Ranked-Choice Voting Fared—and Where We Go From Here: Weekend Reading on Women's Representation

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.

This week: NYC’s ranked-choice voting election saw the highest turnout since 1989; how women are faring in the NYC city council race; top companies for gender parity; strategies for women incumbents to retain their seats; India Walton may become the first woman mayor of Buffalo; and more!

G7 Gender Council Urges Women Must Be “at the Heart” of COVID Recovery: Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation

G7 Gender Council Urges Women Be "at the Heart" of COVID Recovery: Weekend Reading on Women's Representation

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.

This week: women’s representation on corporate boards; how women get selected as candidates and rise to positions of leadership; G7’s Gender Equality Advisory Council has a call to action to promote women’s health; women’s representation increased in Mexico after recent elections; how Argentina again became a leader in Latin America on progressive legislation; increases for women in office in jurisdictions with ranked-choice voting; and more.

A Record Number of Women Are Gaining Traction in NYC Mayoral Race—Thanks to Ranked-Choice Voting

In both donations and polling, a record number of women and women of color are gaining traction in the New York City mayoral race. The presence of ranked-choice voting has helped to minimize typical fears of too many women candidates splitting the vote, and has even helped to address questions of likability and electability that often plague the campaigns of women candidates.

Honoring Women in Politics With Big Ideas—from Lani Guinier to Stacey Abrams: Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation

women representation politics

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.

This week: accusations against Lani Guinier in 1993 were troublingly similar to the smear campaign leveled at Biden’s nominee Kristen Clarke; political openings for Black women in the coming election cycle; Melanie Stansbury, a Democrat, won a landslide victory in New Mexico; gender equality is also a man’s job; LGBTQ reads in honor of Pride Month; and more.

Women Investing in Women and Their Families: Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation

Women Investing in Women: Weekend Reading on Women's Representation

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.

This week: the potential transformational impact of Melinda French Gates’s Pivotal Ventures and other women investors; why being a parent in the U.S. is harder than in other rich countries; how to increase women’s political power in advance of next year’s midterms; the youngest woman (!!!) to qualify for the Olympics in the triathlon; and more.

The Change Women Need: Systemic Reforms Power the Path to Equality

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women's political representation

Sixty-six countries have outpaced the United States in women’s representation—not because their women are more qualified or ambitious, but because they have implemented electoral systems and policies to ensure more level playing fields and greater opportunity in the electoral process.

If the U.S. wants to accelerate greater gender representation and demonstrate it truly values women’s political leadership, we need changes to our political and electoral systems.

AAPIs Are 6% of Population—But 0.9% of Elected Leaders: Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation

AAPI women

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.

This week: Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono talks on race and politics; AAPIs are underrepresented in elected office; ups and downs for Republican women in leadership; ranked-choice voting goes mainstream; how to elect more women to office faster; safeguarding women candidates online; giant strides toward gender balance in Wales; and more.

Women’s Representation: For Asian Americans, Violence Falls Along Gendered Lines

Women's Representation: For Asian Americans, Violence Falls Along Gendered Lines

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation.

This week: 80 percent of Asian Americans say violence against them is increasing; the role of Black women in the first 100 days of the Biden administration; a profile on Dr. Jill Biden; tracking the representation of women of color on public sector boards in California; how gender quotas and proportional voting rules used by The Academy of Motion Pictures ensures a level playing field for women; the role of ranked-choice voting in the New York City primaries; and more.