Chapter 18: The Mentor Gap: A Barrier to Women in Legislative Leadership

Cindy Simon Rosenthal

The mentor gap: A barrier to women in legislative leadership On Capitol Hill and in statehouses across the country, every political leader has a story illustrating the significance and value of a mentor. For African American women in Washington, D.C., that powerful resource often comes dressed in red and wearing the sorority pin of Delta Sigma Theta (Coller, 2009). Being a Delta opens doors to political and social opportunities, helps new arrivals to D.C. in connecting to influential people, and fosters emotional support when challenges arise. The Deltas claim a virtual “who's who” of accomplished black women political leaders including former Representatives Shirley Chisholm (D-NY), Barbara Jordan (D-TX), Carrie Meek (D-FL), and Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH); former Senator Carol Moseley Braun (D-IL); Clinton Labor Secretary Alexis Herman; and a host of black congressional female staffers. The network of Deltas embodies the essence and benefits of mentoring. In the words of ...

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