While the 2024 election may not be seen as a historic victory for all women, there were still many significant achievements made by women this election season. From increasing diversity in government to fearlessly speaking out for women’s rights, here are some of the most notable accomplishments women made throughout the 2024 campaign.
1. Pamela Goodwine: The First Black Woman on the Kentucky Supreme Court
Judge Pamela R. Goodwine began her career practicing law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1994. Judge Goodwine became the first black woman to be appointed and elected to the bench in Fayette County, Kentucky in 1999. Since then, she has become a district judge, and subsequently a circuit court judge. Judge Goodwine was recognized as the “Trial Judge of the Year” in 2012 and even won Kentucky’s Women Making History Award in 2018. Now, Judge Goodwine is taking another major step as the first black woman on the Kentucky Supreme Court. And I think it’s fair to say, she totally earned it.
2. Digital Activism: How Female Celebrities/Influencers Got Involved
Many prominent female figures used their platforms to speak out for women’s rights in this election. Singer Olivia Rodrigo launched Fund 4 Good, “a global initiative committed to building an equitable and just future for all women, girls, and people seeking reproductive health freedom.” Rodrigo donated a portion of all ticket sales for her GUTS world tour to Fund 4 Good, sparking conversations about raising awareness for reproductive rights around the globe. Another singer whose political impact was felt all around the nation this election was Taylor Swift. In an Instagram post that accumulated over 11.4 million likes, Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and spoke out about her support for a woman’s right to bodily autonomy. Swift also exposed misinformation about the election, particularly about the use of AI, in this post. The last digital activist I want to highlight is influencer Alexandra Cooper, who had a major accomplishment getting Kamala Harris on her podcast, Call Her Daddy. On this episode of Cooper’s podcast, which is cited as the most listened-to podcast by women on Spotify, Cooper discussed women’s abortion rights in the United States with Harris. Regardless of our individual political beliefs, I think it is safe to say that these are all major achievements in the realm of digital activism.
3. Sarah McBride: First Transgender Member of the U.S. Congress
Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride won her state’s only seat in the House of Representatives in the 2024 election. This makes McBride the first openly transgender woman elected to Congress in our nation’s history. Before she was elected into Congress, McBride worked as an advocate across Delaware. As a state senator, McBride “passed legislation expanding access to health care, requiring mental health and media literacy education in public schools, promoting green technologies, preventing lead poisoning in youth, and protecting workers and families.” McBride was also awarded the prestigious Order of the First State award for her work and advocacy. McBride has proven that she is truly a change-maker, and many people are excited to see the things that she will do next.
4. Women on College Campuses: Encouraging Voter Participation
Colleges across the nation organized drives to make voting more accessible to college students, as well as encourage students to go out and vote for the issues that they care about. Spelman College, a historically Black, women’s college in Atlanta, Georgia, is a great example of mobilization by college women, to college women. The National Alumnae Association of Spelman College (NAASC) organized the Get Out the Vote (GOTV) campaign to try to “amplify the voices” of Spelman women. In a video addressing the purpose of the GOTV campaign, President of NAASC Adrienne Willis discusses how voter turnout for black women in Atlanta was not more than 40% during the last elections. The video goes on to encourage voter participation amongst Spelman women and explore resources on how women can get involved.
5. Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester: First Two Black Women to Serve in the Senate Simultaneously
From 2021 to 2023, the U.S. Senate did not have a single black woman in a position of power. However, just a couple of years later, Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of DelawareĀ made history on election night as the first two black women to serve simultaneously in the U.S. Senate. Blunt Rochester has made changes for Delaware including lowering health care costs for seniors, fixing roads and bridges, and expanding internet service and access to clean air and water. Some of Alsobrooks’ accomplishments include a 50% decline in crime during her tenure as a law enforcement officer, and establishing “a first-of-its-kind unit to investigate and prosecute police and official misconduct.” Both of these women have undoubtedly worked hard to get to where they are today, and their successes provide a great start to expanding diversity in government.
6. Kamala Harris: An Impactful Campaign
Although Vice President Kamala Harris did not win the 2024 presidential election, it felt incomplete to exclude her from this list of female accomplishments. Regardless of political affiliation, it is undeniable that Harris and her team had a profound effect on individuals across the nation.
Bailey Brake, a junior at the University of Connecticut studying political science, human rights, and public policy, described Harris’ campaign as a feeling of hope and excitement. “Obviously, seeing someone in a position of power who looks like you is so impactful, and also the fact that it was a woman was super impactful too,” Brake said. “So, I think it really impacted my perception of what is possible for politics and what could be. And obviously, even though she did lose, I still feel like there is a possibility for a woman president one day. I’m just not sure when that day is.”
During election season, Brake mobilized voters by writing an article promoting voting and how to actually vote. After the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, Brake said she is channeling her feelings into a reminder that you have to keep working for change and working to make your rights count. Brake named Harris as one of the political leaders she aspires to be like in the future, and said that one day, she too wants to run for office. These women and what they have achieved highly deserve this recognition, and I cannot wait to see what else they can do in the years to come.