As part of our “Women on Wednesdays” series, please join American University's Women & Politics Institute and the School of Communication for a special screening of Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter, followed by a panel discussion with co-producers/co-directors AU Alumna Christy Carpenter WCL/’95 and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Abby Ginzberg, Washington Post Political Columnist Karen Tumulty, and Zakiya Thomas, President and CEO of the ERA Coalition and the Fund for Women's Equality. WPI Executive Director Betsy Fischer Martin will moderate the discussion.

Pioneering Texan journalist and influential feminist leader Liz Carpenter takes center stage in this documentary co-directed by her daughter Christy Carpenter and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Abby Ginzberg. Over her 89 years, Liz Carpenter was often front and center where history was unfolding, leaving her own indelible mark on some of the most vivid moments and movements that shaped the twentieth century. Journalist, vice-presidential advisor, White House official, author, humorist, political activist, and feminist leader—hers is the story of blazing professional trails while pushing forward an agenda for women’s rights, political engagement, and the environment that remains highly relevant today. This documentary film tells Liz’s story using archival film and still images, interviews from those who knew her, journalists who covered the history as it was made, and scholars who study this remarkable past. VIEW TRAILER

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Gender on the Ballot is a nonpartisan project of AU’s Women & Politics Institute that examines and contextualizes gender dynamics in American politics. Originally co-founded by WPI and the Barbara Lee Family Foundation in 2019, Gender on the Ballot contributes to the dialogue on gender and politics through accessible content from experts and practitioners.

As the 2024 election comes into focus, Gender on the Ballot and the BSG explores the issues shaping women voters and their political opinions leading up to the 2024 election.

As Americans begin to cast their votes, our new study shows Vice President Kamala Harris enjoying strong support among women voters. Her favorability has jumped +12 points since last year and she holds a +15 point advantage with women over former President Trump (54%-39%) entering the final month of the campaign. Furthermore, Harris is favored +18 points among Independent women, (50%-32%). In terms of issues, women voters cite “the economy and inflation” as their top concern, with abortion and immigration as their second and third choices. Across the board, women say they trust Harris more than Trump on these key issues.

To learn more about this new research, check out our Gender on the Ballot website where you will find key takeaways, memo, and our press release.

She Votes 2024: Women's Voices at the Forefront: Discussing findings from our new Gender on the Ballot poll on women’s political engagement, Lindsay Vermeyen, partner at GSG, notes “nearly half of women surveyed say this will be the most important election of their lifetime.” To learn more about this new research, check out our key takeaways, memo, and our press release.

Shaking it Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter: Gender on the Ballot Editor Lucy Gettman explores the life of Liz Carpenter, a “quintessential political Renaissance woman of the 20th century,” whose strongest legacy “emerges from her leadership of organizations and movements to increase the participation and power of women in politics.”

The following core courses will be offered in Fall 2024 for the Women, Policy and Political Leadership (WPPL) Undergraduate and Graduate Certificate Programs. View all WPPL courses here and learn more about the certificate program here.

Check out all event recaps here, or visit our Crowdcast channel here to watch full replays of previous events.

Oct 9: Amanda Hunter, Lindsay Vermeyen, and Betsy Fischer Martin presented findings from our new Gender on the Ballot poll “She Votes: From Issues to Impact,” conducted by BSG, that explored the issues shaping women voters and their political opinions. POLITICO’s National Political Reporter Elena Schneider shared reporting on the campaign. Watch the full replay here

April 10: New York Times best-selling author Liza Mundy discussed her new book, The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA, a “vivid, compelling, and important book” that offers a “riveting new perspective on history, revealing how women at the CIA ushered in the modern intelligence age, and how their silencing made the world more dangerous.” Watch the full replay here

Nov 29: Dr. Diana Carlin and Anita McBride discussed their new textbook, U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies, which examines how “first ladies are uniquely positioned to influence American society, public policy, politics, diplomacy, and life in the White House.” Watch the full replay here

Nov. 1: Katherine Spillar, Exec. Director of the Feminist Majority Foundation and Exec. Editor of Ms. Magazine, discussed the anthology, 50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine That Ignited a Revolution, and the evolution and future of women's rights with WPI Instructor Lucy Gettman. Watch the full replay here

Oct 18: AARP’s Nancy LeaMond and Susan Reinhard discussed critical issues in family caregiving and the pressures facing women of every generation with Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA), congressional co-chairs of the bi-partisan Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus. Watch the full replay here