Women in Power: Move Over Kings, these LA Queens are Taking Over

^{(Sen. Holly Mitchell in 2014, source: Flickr)}

Looks like the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, once nicknamed the “five little kings”, will need a new nickname…

Because for the first time since its inception over 150 years ago, the LA County Board of Supervisors now consists of all women! Its latest member, Senator Holly Mitchell, recently won the board’s 2nd District race against LA City Councilman Herb Wesson by a huge margin.

Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro, a professor of Gender Studies at USC, said that she, “can’t think of another example in the entire United States where you will have five women having control of the largest county budget in the entire country.” (Source: LA Times)

So the next time someone says that women aren’t good with money… just tell them that these incredible women are in charge of the county’s $35-billion budget. Yes, you read that correctly: B-I-L-L-I-O-N. And that’s not all! They also look after the largest jail system in the country and one of the largest public health infrastructures. 

On winning her seat, Senator Holly Mitchell said, “My campaign was based on creating a more equitable, inclusive, and prosperous LA County. I am proud of the integrity with which we built our movement. This was truly a community-driven campaign, powered by hundreds of volunteers from a coalition of grassroots organizations, labor unions, Democratic clubs, and residents.” (Source: Black Enterprise)

With seeing more CEO diversity, like Jane Fraser as a key woman on Wall Street, and more women in high office, like Kamala Harris as our first Madame Vice President, this is a huge year for women in power. The all-ladies LA County Board of Supervisors feels like the cherry on top, and is proof that things are changing for the better and breaking the glass ceiling is truly possible.

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I’m so passionate about not only seeing women taking control of their finances, but seeing more women in positions of power. Did you know that according to research conducted by Womenable, female-owned businesses saw a growth of up to 72.3% between 1997-2014? (Source: Forbes) And as of 2019, women-owned businesses represented 42% of all businesses in the U.S. (Source: Businesswire) All roads point to the capability of women being remarkable leaders and financial powerhouses, which can inspire many of us to dream a little bigger and to take action.

If you take away anything from this news about the all-female LA County Board of Supervisors, make sure it’s this: our hard work is paying off. An equal world is truly possible. I hope you stand a little taller and share your unique brilliance every single day so that you can transform your life, your finances, and maybe even change the world.