Our civic engagement, political empowerment programs and initiatives
Abortion Rights
The 2022 Dobbs ruling has turned issues of abortion rights and reproductive freedoms on their heads for all people, especially for those who become pregnant. Learn more
Election Survey Project
2022 saw one of the most historic elections in our nation’s history, which included the President’s Party gaining a seat in the Senate, a near even split between both Parties in Congress and women getting elected in increased numbers across the country, including the highest number of female governors ever. Learn more
2024 Community Needs Assessment
With its debut in Spring of 2023, the Department hosted San Francisco’s Inaugural Women’s Policy Summit – SHIFT Happens: Shifting Narratives, Policies and Culture to Create a Gender Equitable Future. Learn more
Goals
The goal of the this programming is to get women, girls and nonbinary people organized, registered to vote, educated on critical issues and actively participating at all levels of government.
This core service area includes the Department’s annual flagship policy summit, SHIFT Happens, as well as a host of trainings, educational workshops and public service campaigns, with the goal of getting women, girls and nonbinary people organized, registered to vote, educated on critical issues and actively participating at all levels of government.
In the lead up to the 2022 midterm elections, DOSW partnered with Ignite National to launch the Ignite-the-Vote San Francisco campaign aimed at getting high school girls and other students registered to vote and inspired to turnout. The Department also worked with She-The-People to produce the limited video series: “Step Into Your Power” that highlighted a selection of women-of-color community and elected leaders to inspire the next generation.
We can’t expect changemakers to appear suddenly without cultivation, development and investment in both outreach and collaboration with those missing voices. The Department aims to support programming that is not only culturally competent, but socially relevant in the lives of everyday San Franciscans.
The importance of creating content that inspires women, girls and nonbinary people to dream big and believe in themselves and to know their own limitless potential cannot be overstated.