Nevada Women’s Summit Embraces CPA’s Economic Agenda Model

Christine Hernandez, recent Director of CPA’s Southwest Regional Policy Forum who now directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region Four gave the keynote address at the Nevada Women’s Agenda statewide Women’s Summit 2000. Hernandez is a former Texas state legislator. The Summit focused on CPA’s model of moving "America’s Economic Agenda." More than 300 women legislators, community leaders and policy advocates were brought together from across the state on March 18th to talk about issues and strategies in the areas of economic self-sufficiency, entrepreneurship, health and security, and family and work. CPA also co-sponsored a special session with women legislators on the impact of women’s leadership and future opportunities for moving a women-led agenda. Thirty-seven percent of the legislators in Nevada are women, ranking it second highest it the country. America’s Economic Agenda: Women’s Voices for Solutions, reflects the ideas and work of more than 100 women leaders participating in the April 1997 Women’s Economic Leadership Summit cosponsored by CPA and the White House. The report’s four major pillars reflect the major challenges policymakers and others face: Economic Self Sufficiency — Helping women achieve economic self-sufficiency through, among other things, equal pay, pensions and benefits; Entrepreneurship — Opening doors to entrepreneurship for women by increasing the pool of available credit and financing and increasing opportunities in procurement and contracting; Health Care and Security — Ensuring affordable, quality health care and security for women; Work and Family — Easing the struggle women face between family and work with flexible, affordable resources to support families with child care and elder care and family-friendly workplaces with flexible work options.