United State of Women Summit

{{Short description|Summit in the United States}}

{{Infobox summit

| summit_name = United State of Women Summit

| other_titles =

| image = United State of Women.png

| caption =

| country = United States

| venues = Walter E. Washington Convention Center

| cities = Washington, D.C.

| date = June 14, 2016

| participants =

| follows =

| precedes =

| website = {{URL|www.theunitedstateofwomen.org}}

}}

The United State of Women Summit was a summit held in Washington, D.C. on June 14, 2016 focused on gender equality in the United States. The summit was hosted by the White House, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Aspen Institute.{{cite web|title=The United State of Women|url=http://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/2016/06/14/USwomenevents|publisher=Aspen Institute|date=June 14, 2016|access-date=June 15, 2016}}

Background

The White House first announced the summit on January 29, 2016, with the theme "Today we change tomorrow."{{cite web|title=FACT SHEET: New Steps to Advance Equal Pay on the Seventh Anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/01/29/fact-sheet-new-steps-advance-equal-pay-seventh-anniversary-lilly|date=January 29, 2016|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|access-date=June 15, 2016}} Originally scheduled for May 23, the summit was postponed to June 14.

On June 7, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the summit on a video, alongside Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Tina Fey, Laverne Cox, Kerry Washington, Shonda Rhimes, Cecile Richards, and Jessica Williams.{{cite web|last=Mettler|first=Katie|title=First lady Michelle Obama teams up with Oprah to host 'United State of Women' summit at White House|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/06/07/first-lady-michelle-obama-teams-up-with-oprah-to-host-united-state-of-women-summit-at-white-house/|work=Washington Post|date=June 7, 2016|access-date=June 15, 2016}}{{cite web|last=Lang|first=Cady|title=Michelle Obama Rounded Up an Amazing Squad for the 'United State Of Women'|url=https://time.com/4359156/michelle-obama-united-state-of-women-video/|work=Time|date=June 6, 2016|access-date=June 15, 2016}}

Agenda

File:Mikaila Ulmer.jpg speaking at the summit in 2016.]]

The summit was dedicated to discussing a number of topics, including economic empowerment, equal pay for equal work, women's health, women's education, violence against women, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement.{{cite web|last=Lapowsky|first=Issie|title=At the White House's United State of Women Summit, A Call for More|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/06/white-houses-united-state-women-summit-call/|work=Wired|date=June 14, 2016|access-date=June 15, 2016}}

Ciiru Waithaka, a Kenya entrepreneur, was lauded by Michelle Obama. She recognised their common ancestry and said "You Go Girl". Obama noted that Waithaka had doubled her production of school furniture thanks to a loan of 10,000 by Goldman Sachs. Obama recognised her as a woman who was helping other women and families to follow her lead.{{Cite web|url=https://www.okayafrica.com/michelle-obama-shouts-kenyan-entrepreneur-ciiru-waithaka-united-state-women-summit/|title=Michelle Obama Shouts Out Kenyan Entrepreneur at the United State Of Women Summit|date=2016-06-15|website=OkayAfrica|language=en|access-date=2020-03-10}}

File:Joe Biden at the United State of Women Summit 2016.jpg at the United State of Women Summit.]]

President Barack Obama, one of the key speakers at the summit, was introduced by child entrepreneur Mikaila Ulmer.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-44860428|title=The 13-year-old who built a best-selling lemonade brand|last=Jeffrey|first=James|date=2018-07-23|work=BBC News|access-date=2020-01-28|language=en-GB}} He discussed feminism, violence committed against women by groups such as ISIL and Boko Haram, and the progress made by his administration in supporting family leave and the minimum wage.{{cite web|last=Rhodan|first=Maya|title=President Obama at Women's Summit: This Is What a Feminist Looks Like|url=https://time.com/4369002/barack-obama-united-state-of-women-summit/|work=Time|date=June 14, 2016|access-date=June 15, 2016}}{{cite web|last=Miller|first=Ryan|title=Message from women's summit: More needs to be done|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/06/14/message-womens-summit-more-needs-done/85902324/|work=USA TODAY|date=June 14, 2016|access-date=June 15, 2016}} Vice President Joe Biden was another key speaker, citing campus sexual assault as a major issue.

Participants

See also

References

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