International Women's Day - 2016
Talofa,
I want to thank the Business & Professional Women of American Samoa for asking me to be here to speak in commemoration of International Women's Day. It is an honor to be here with you all, and I am inspired to see so many men and women come together to address the need for parity between the genders.
Being a Member of Congress, I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about bringing that parity we seek to positions of leadership. As the first female Member of the United States Congress to represent American Samoa, I know firsthand how difficult it can be for women to get their foot in the door of the male dominated political structures of our societies. As you may know, it took me 11 election cycles of running for office before I was elected to represent the people of American Samoa, but I kept at it; and in the end after years of hard work and determination, I find myself here before you today. If there is one piece of advice that I can impart on you all here today, it would be that...KEEP AT IT...Persevere.
As women, our struggle for equal rights and participation in government and community leadership positions is never ending. The women who came before us and paved the way knew this, and so must we. Only by doing this, will we be able to ensure that the ideals and principles that bind us together as women are realized. Our natural instinct to care for our families and be involved in our communities is one of our greatest strengths and we must continue to utilize these innate traits. We must KEEP AT IT.
When I was a young girl, my father, who served as the first Governor of American Samoa and in other leadership positions across the Pacific, would take me along with him whenever he would travel for work. I learned a lot watching my father over the years and am grateful for the leadership skills and desire to serve that he instilled in me. I also learned just how few women there were in leadership positions in Pacific cultures.
I am glad to say that things are changing. From Betty Farrington, who was the first island woman to serve as a delegate to the United States Congress, to today’s leaders like Tulsi Gabbard and Madeleine Bordallo, island women are making their mark in service to their communities. Currently, a record 108 women (20% of the total membership) serve in the 114th Congress as of January 2015, seven more than at the beginning of the 113th Congress. Of the 88 women in the House, 65 are Democrats, including three of the Delegates, and 23 are Republicans, including one Delegate (myself). Of the 20 women in the Senate, 14 are Democrats and six are Republicans. While this is a welcome increase, it is clear to see that the proportion of the women serving in Congress is still extremely disproportionate to that of the general population. Similarly, there are currently only 24 female CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies. That means that less than 5% of them are women. We must KEEP AT IT.
On a side note, I am also proud to say that a record 14 Members of the 114th Congress (2.6% of the total membership and one more than at the beginning of the 113th Congress) are of Asian, South Asian, or Pacific Islander ancestry.
Women are also beginning to reach leadership positions in other nations across the Pacific. In fact, just a few weeks ago, at the behest of the State Department, I was asked to serve as a “mentor” to those women who were seeking office in the Samoa elections. I was encouraged by their desire to “put themselves out there” for the better of their communities, and am proud to say that three of them are now holding office and serving those communities. While this is a very welcome increase, we must KEEP AT IT.
One of the biggest issues for American Samoa and I am going to assume it is similar in the other regions of the Pacific, is that of data collection, or a lack thereof. Data collection is what formulates policy, drives legislation and ultimately appropriations. As women in government, it is doubly important that we know who we are serving, what factors drive their needs and what can be done to resolve the issues that affect those people we represent.
Data collection can also tell us what we as women leaders are doing and how we can better influence policy so that our ideals as women can be realized. Because of its’ importance, I have made getting better data collection from the Pacific territories a top priority of mine and will do all I can in Congress to make sure that it happens. We must KEEP AT IT.
Another issue that we face across the Pacific is the quality of education our young people are receiving. For many years, the island territories have been shortchanged when it comes to education funding for our young people. However, things are beginning to change. I am proud to say that just a few months ago; I was able to negotiate for a new formula to how the territories are funded regarding education. Because of this change our island will see a DRAMATIC increase in education funding beginning in October. The amount will increase 40 percent...from $10 million to over $14 million annually. I am hopeful that this increase in funding will allow our students better resources and more opportunities, and bring them on par with their counterparts in the states.
When it comes to educating our young people, we need a new focus on math and science education. These areas of study are the driving forces for the future of business. As the global economy grows and technology brings our world closer together, we are going to need people who have the knowledge and have developed the skills necessary to compete. Other nations like China and India have already learned this lesson and are currently reaping the rewards of having a workforce that is mathematically and technically skilled. In the United States, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math: Education for Global Leadership (STEM) is helping us achieve this goal. This program facilitates a cohesive national strategy, with new and repurposed funds, to reorganize STEM education programs and increase the impact of federal investments in five areas: Pre K-12 STEM instruction; increasing and sustaining public and youth engagement with STEM; improving the STEM experience of undergraduate students; better serving groups historically underrepresented in STEM fields; and designing graduate education for tomorrow's STEM workforce.
Women in particular have an excellent opportunity to advance with this type of education as those careers that require such skills aren’t necessarily considered to be jobs that are male preferred. The only muscle that counts in these fields is the one between the ears and we obviously have a distinct advantage in that area...We must KEEP AT IT.
Traditionally, Pacific cultures have excluded women from the marketplace. In order to engage more women to get involved in economic initiatives, we must continue to expand those opportunities for women by getting better organized...which is why I am so appreciative of the work that the Business & Professional Women of American Samoa are doing. Your efforts serve as a rallying call for greater participation in the marketplace for women, and a shining example to our young people, both male and female alike.
We need to continue to promote greater awareness of the business opportunities that are available to women across the Pacific, and there needs to be more investment in women who want to form a business, from both the private and public sectors. We must KEEP AT IT.
In closing, I want to once again thank the Business & Professional Women of American Samoa for inviting me to speak to you all today, and I encourage you to take what you have learned while here and share it with those women in your own communities. You are the gatekeepers; those who will further our cause and champion it for the next generation of female leaders. I would also like to applaud you on your personal efforts as business leaders on our beautiful island, and ask simply that you KEEP AT IT!
Fa’afetai tele lava,
Aumua Amata
Member of Congress