Lucy Gellman Photo
Deb Sofield. Sharon Day. Bella Abzug. Barbara Jordan. Michelle Bachmann. Shirley Chisholm. Cecile Richards.
Of disparate political ideologies, these women are joined by one quest: their aspiration to be in politics, and to have a stake in the direction in which the United States is going.
Like many other female office-seekers, some of these women have pursued that goal at the Women’s Campaign School at Yale , where Patricia Russo is the executive director. Others have appeared as speakers there. From her first internship — an administrative position for former U.S. Representative Bella Abzug — to her current leadership role at the WCS, she has been propelled by an urge to help women become politically agent.
For two decades the New Haven-based school has helped launch hundreds of women into the world of campaign politics.
Russo appeared on WNHH radio’s “Tom Ficklin Show” to talk about what has driven her as bipartisanship has become increasingly difficult. To listen to the full episode, click on the audio above. You can also find it available for download on Soundcloud, iTunes, or any podcatcher under “WNHH Community Radio.”
The women listed in your introduction did not all attend the Women's Campaign School at Yale.
Which is not to say that there isn't a long list of women who have used their training at the WCS to be involved in politics or achieve elective office.
[L Gellman: Thanks! We never said in the article that they attended the WCS. They are all women Ficklin and Russo invoked during the course of the episode. We should have made that clearer.]