Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson offered a letter of support for the IWL Gala ahead of the Institute for Women’s Leadership’s second annual event tonight at 5 p.m. in the AMU Monaghan Ballrooms. Read the letter in its entirety:
To the staff and attendees of the Institute for Women’s Leadership 2nd Annual Gala:
On the eve of International Women’s Day, I write to offer my support for Marquette University’s Institute for Women’s Leadership (I.W.L) on the occasion of their second annual gala this evening on Marquette’s campus.
Milwaukee needs leaders who support and elevate women in the workplace and in the community. To show my commitment to Milwaukee’s women and families, I was proud to sign into law our city’s first paid parental leave policy one year ago. This historic policy offers six weeks of paid parental leave to all new parents who are eligible, full-time, City of Milwaukee employees. More recently, I appointed my administration’s first LGBTQ+ Liaison because of my priority that all Milwaukee citizens feel safe and protected from violence and discrimination because of who they are. As a father of two daughters, I share I.W.L.’s commitment to elevating and standing with those who are doing the urgent work of building a more equitable future for all Milwaukee women.
The gala’s focus on “Leaders for Courageous Sisterhood” honors the courageous work of Milwaukee women who lead in so many different areas of their lives, including in their workplaces, communities, and homes, to help our city to thrive. I can think of no better person who embodies this courageous work than the gala’s featured speaker, Dr. Thelma Sias. She has spent her career as a fierce advocate for equity and justice for Milwaukee’s women and people of color. I admire her courage and her track record of creating more just and inclusive workplaces for all. Dr. Sias is a Milwaukee trailblazer in our shared story, who is leading the way to a brighter future.
Marquette’s I.W.L. seeks to engage, inspire, and transform Milwaukee. They perform and support cutting-edge research that will help us all to address the urgent problems affecting women in Milwaukee’s workplaces and communities. I commend them on the work they have done so far and look forward to their continued success. I share their commitment to building robust, sustainable partnerships in our city between community partners and researchers who are ready to work together to make the promise of Milwaukee a reality for all.
Sincerely,
Cavalier Johnson
Mayor
