While generations before us might have dreamed of corner offices or working their way up the corporate ladder, more young women today are dreaming of careers on Capitol Hill. Over the years, I havenât been able to help but notice a growing number of young women becoming involved in the public service world. Having developed a true passion for this kind of work myself, the fields of law, government, politics, advocacy, and more now seem increasingly filled with women. According to the Pew Research Center, âamong the 15 city councils examined, the overall share of female representation on the local legislatures increased from 31% in 2016 to 47% in 2024.â This figure clearly represents the progress seen in the public service sphere over the past decade. The question is, what is driving this shift?Â
With such a divided political climate, individuals, such as myself, might feel motivated to pursue positions of leadership and impact their communities in ways that counteract some of the backward steps this administration has taken. Finding a greater purpose through entering the system that has failed so many could be a major factor to this movement. Â
Within my own experience, I have certainly noticed vibrant populations of young women, like myself, attending various civic engagement programs here at the University of Washington (UW). While attending recruitment for Phi Alpha Delta (PAD), a pre-law fraternity, I was excited to see just how many of my peers were female. Entering such an intimidating world as law, it was inspiring to see such diverse representation within the PAD community. When I think about what draws me towards the public service field, I think back to an interview between Kamala Harris and Stephen Colbert on The Late Show. Harris detailed her experience having to defend her decision to become a prosecutor to her family and noted, âOne of the points that I made is, âWhy is it, then, when we think we want to improve a system or change it, that weâre always on the outside on bended knee or trying to break down the door? Shouldnât we also be inside the system?â (The Cut) I have always been of the same belief that if you want to make a real impact within a system, you need to be able to step inside it and shape it from within.
In recent years, we have seen female politicians become cultural icons. In 2021, representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) wore a dress to the Met Gala featuring the phrase âTax the Rich,â leading to a viral sensation. The use of social media during the Harris-Walz 2024 presidential campaign spoke to many members of Gen-Z and utilized current pop culture moments to inspire young Americans to vote. Have these trending online moments contributed to the rise of young women in public service? Possibly. However, I think that this growth is the result of a number of things.Â
Research has shown that âfinding meaning or purpose in a careerâ is becoming more important to younger generations. In the past, the primary goal might have been profit, whereas now we are seeing a movement toward pursuing value-based careers. Representation is also extremely important to many individuals, especially for women within male-dominated fields such as politics, law, and government.Â
As we see more young women choosing purpose over prestige, their leadership reflects something more than just a career trend. They are reimagining leadership itself, turning cynicism into optimism through action. If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that politics are personal, and that’s why it’s so important to merge identity with impact. Building a future for generations to come entails reinstating trust in the institutions that impact our lives every day. This movement should be viewed as not only a career trend but a cultural shift redefining what it means to succeed and serve our communities. Rather than waiting to be asked to lead, I, and many of the powerful young women around me, are stepping up to serve the public.