How To Help Today's Young Women Become Tomorrow's Leaders

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This November, a record-breaking number of women are running for office all across the country. In some cases, they’ve picked off long-serving male incumbents; in others, they’ve made history just by winning their primaries.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, 3,379 women won nomination for state legislatures across the country, breaking 2016’s record of 2,649. In U.S. House races, 235 women won nominations, up from 2016’s record of 167. And there are 22 women running as major-party nominees for Senate seats, breaking the 2012 record of 18.

This is all encouraging, especially in the face of a resurgent misogyny in public life — and the growing acknowledgment, thanks in part to the #MeToo movement, that unless the balance of power shifts, women will continue to face harassment, and worse, everywhere from classrooms to boardrooms.

But we aren’t willing to rest until the government is representative of the people, with full gender parity.

That’s where Running Start comes in. The nonpartisan movement helps girls, teens, and young women gain the skills necessary to lead the next generation. Their programming includes week-long retreats for high-school girls, D.C. fellowships for college students aspiring to political office, and mentorship from women with experience in corridors of power.

Running Start is equipping young women to run, win, and lead, and Bumble wants to help.

On November 5th, on the eve of the midterm elections, let’s help ensure that women continue to break records and run for office in droves. Look for the Running Start profile card in the Bumble app, and we’ll make a donation for every match. Sending more women to Washington, D.C. is as simple as swiping.