August 24, 2018 – On August 26, 1920, United States Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby declared the 19th Amendment as in effect – granting women the right to vote in all U.S. elections. 53 years later, in 1973, Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day” – not only to commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also to raise awareness of continuing efforts toward full equality.
98 years later, in recognition of this important day in our nation’s history, Westchester County Executive George Latimer is highlighting the equality in hiring which his nearly eight-month old administration has practiced.
The County Executive’s office, colloquially known as the “ninth floor”, has twenty-two women working on it – many hold senior staff level positions ranging from Director of Operations to Communications Director to Deputy Director of Economic Development. Additionally, the County boasts fifteen women who have been appointed to Commissioner and Director positions, leading the various departments which are tasked with serving the people of Westchester.
Latimer said: “We celebrate ‘Women’s Equality Day’ every day here in County government – because it is so much more than just a day. In Westchester, we strive to have all voices and viewpoints represented in everything we do. This means we must be cognizant of the challenges faced by certain populations in the past and work to rectify them in the future. Our equality in hiring is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg of what we can accomplish.”
This is an ideal which has been recognized as a vital piece of the Administration since day one. As Latimer even noted in his first State of the County Address in April: “…to celebrate Woman’s history month all the women on my team sat for a photo. Out of the Executive branch team 22 members are women – and 12 are men – 65%. They serve in all different roles – including senior leadership. The photo of these smart and accomplished women was given to me framed as a gift and I have it in my office.”
Westchester County Office for Women Director Robi Schlaff said: “Working with the County Executive, we are proud of our collective efforts to increase the representation of women in all facets of government and its partners. While today provides an opportunity to highlight our efforts – equal representation is a goal we continue to strive for.”