Click here to read the original publication in TIME Magazine
It’s no secret that women struggle to receive the recognition they deserve. This lack of acknowledgment is not just a matter of fairness; it has practical implications for policy and societal attitudes. Women continue to face significant pay gaps, underrepresentation in leadership roles, and societal biases that undermine their contributions and potential.
We are witnessing an ancient habit taking on a new form in the new era Republican attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris as a “DEI candidate” for the Presidency of the United States of America. Harris has climbed to the second highest office of the land following 20 years of public service, having ascended from a district attorney to attorney general of California to United States Senator and now Vice President. Harris’s rise to one of the highest offices in the land is emblematic of both progress and the persistent challenges women face. As the first female, first Black, and first South Asian Vice President, Harris represents the breaking of multiple barriers. Yet her journey and the criticisms she faces often reflect the same biases and resistance that women encounter across various sectors.
Harris has often been the subject of critiques that reduce her achievements to mere outcomes of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, rather than recognizing her qualifications and contributions. This narrative is not only misleading but also diminishes the value of DEI initiatives that are crucial for creating a more equitable society.
Affirmative action and DEI are not about lowering standards; they are about leveling the playing field. These policies acknowledge that systemic barriers have historically excluded capable individuals from opportunities solely based on their gender, race, or socioeconomic status. By ensuring a diverse and inclusive environment, we tap into the full potential of our population, driving innovation, creativity, and economic growth.
What do these attacks on Harris say to the millions of women and their supporters across the country who are leading their communities and creating economic opportunity? If Harris’s achievements can be dismissed, what about theirs?
To answer that question, it is helpful to understand history, and as an entrepreneur, I believe it helps to focus on economic history. (I come to these views having served as an official and unofficial advisor to both Democratic and Republican administrations.) When Kamala Harris was eight years old, her mother would not have been able to open a bank account, obtain a credit card, or secure a loan without a male co-signer. Her mother, and likewise, your mother, too. No women could at the time. And this was in 1972, not 1872. This reality starkly illustrated the systemic barriers women faced in achieving financial independence and security. Despite these constraints, women have been instrumental in shaping and sustaining the American economy, and yet, their contributions often remain under-appreciated and under-acknowledged.
With the legal barriers to financial independence starting to fall in the 1970s, women began to enter the workforce in greater numbers. The rise of women in professional and academic fields was accelerated by affirmative action policies—originally crafted and created I might add to assist African Americans coming out of the Jim Crow and Civil Rights era and later watered down—and DEI initiatives that sought to rectify historical inequalities. These measures helped to create opportunities for women, enabling them to contribute more significantly to the economy.
Today, women are responsible for approximately 25% of the American GDP. That translates into trillions of dollars of annual economic output for the nation. This figure underscores the critical role women play in the nation’s economic engine. From leading Fortune 500 companies to driving innovation in technology, healthcare, and education, women are indispensable to America’s economic vitality.
Women have been the backbone of America’s economic progress in ways that often go unseen and uncelebrated. That is until a woman like Harris emerges and becomes a high-profile target for ignorance. From single mothers juggling multiple jobs to female entrepreneurs creating jobs and driving local economies, women’s economic contributions are vast and varied.
Studies have shown that companies with diverse leadership teams perform better financially. Women’s perspectives and approaches to problem-solving have led to breakthroughs in numerous fields, from STEM to the arts. Moreover, women disproportionately invest in their families and communities, fostering social stability and growth. Fact is, without women, there would be no men (think about that one, for a moment). And that’s in addition to their economic, scientific and broad societal contributions as noted here.
America would undoubtedly be an also-ran nation without the contributions of women. It is time to recognize and celebrate the pivotal role women have played and continue to play in building and sustaining our nation. Vice President Kamala Harris’s story is a powerful reminder of both how far we have come and the distance yet to travel.
Acknowledging women’s contributions is not just about giving credit where it is due; it is about creating policies and a culture that fully support and empower women. By doing so, we ensure a more just, equitable, and prosperous future for all Americans. It is high time we recognize that women saved America once, and they continue to be its driving force.
Click here to read the original publication in TIME Magazine