Moms, gals, girl friends, women, divas, Aunties, pet Moms, it doesn't matter what you call us - we're the ones with the cash and the power.
According to this outstanding article in the WSJ, sent to me by local PR prfoessional, D-D Flannery, "Women control more than half of the nation's wealth, and they're increasingly channeling more of their money into philanthropy..."
It's often a surprise to people that there are affluent women in the U.S. and that they're selective in where they spend their money. We're not talking "spend" as in buying a Prada handbag, or designer shoes, or a new condo in Manhattan. We're talking "spend" are in - what areas are we designating as worthy of time and money? Our time and our money.
The answer is in that article's title, "Women are Storming Charities."
"We're not giving this money to our husbands' alma maters, we're giving it to the women and girls who will create solutions in their communities," according to Chris Grumm, Women's Funding Network president and chief executive, quoted in the article.
Let's not get into the fact that women lag men in salaries, no equal pay for equal work, here. And let's not get into the fact that women are still not truly represented in politics or executive positions or even on the op-ed page...as they should be.
Let's focus - on where the $$ in the U.S. is going, and who's putting it there. It's women. Mind you... it's not just "women of note," as the WSJ article implies. It's women everywhere. It's the Moms, Aunties, sisters, cousins, girl friends, and more. Because, collectively, THOSE women outspend all the "women of note." Collectively, women in this country control the household spending. We control the outdoor spending. We control the spending on cars and computers. And, we're the primary pet parent.
We do it because we're focused on providing the best for our family. And because the men in our lives are willing to off-load that responsibility. The better to attend to their hobbies or sports or golf. Whatever.
You need go no further than Blogher to see the power of a few dedicated women. This fantastic women's blog network accomplishes more in one day, than a herd of others could do in months. The approximately 2500 women bloggers command attention and create on-going conversations, every day. They represent beauty, business, entertainment, health, life, mommy, money, news, sex, and technology - and they do it from a woman's viewpoint.
Girl friend, this is straight talk. Me to you. You to everyone you know. Everyone you know to everyone she knows. Women have stood up to be counted. We've raises our voices to be heard. Now, it's time to create the action that gets results.
Action at home, in our businesses, at the office, online, and offline. For those of you who watched the Preakness last Saturday - were you as thrilled as I was at Rachel Alexandra's win? The filly showed the colts she was their equal, in every measure. Aren't WE every bit a measure of her determination and strength and power and focus? And, isn't it time to show the world what we can do?
Girl friend to girl friend - there is no stopping us! Who's with me?
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