A Bolder Way Forward
National and statewide studies continue to show that women and girls in Utah are not thriving in critical areas. Year after year, Utah continues to have high levels of domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and gender-based discrimination, while also ranking as the worst state for women’s equality and having low levels of women’s leadership representation in nearly all domains, including politics and business. Although the needle has moved slightly in a few areas, with its current trajectory it will take three or four decades to make notable progress. It is time for Utah to embrace A Bolder Way Forward (BWF). When we lift Utah girls and women, we lift all Utahns!
For a more in-depth overview of the BWF, watch the 15-minute video presentation below and then review this 2-page framework document [Spanish]. The Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP), housed in the Jon M. Huntsman School at Utah State University (designated as a 501(c)(3)), is the backbone organization of this movement. Hence, the primary support and coordination for BWF is the UWLP, with Dr. Susan R. Madsen, a faculty member, as the Founding Director.
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Framework
The primary aim of A Bolder Way Forward is to help more Utah girls, women, and families thrive. Utah women and girls thrive when all aspects of their safety, security, health, and wellbeing are met, allowing them to explore and pursue educational, professional, civic, leadership, and other opportunities according to their interests, and to feel abundant levels of support and a sense of belonging as they do so. We can conceptualize how this vehicle will move up a paved road using the metaphor of a wheel. This includes 18 areas of focus (spokes), which fall into five broader categories. Each spoke, a key area where change needs to occur, is a movement with a coalition that functions to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. BWF components are illustrated in the graphic below, and individual spoke webpages share introductions, leadership, bold vision and goals, thriving statements, partners, and ways to get involved. Additionally, the rim of the wheel represents four overarching issues (sexism, identity, culture, and male allyship) that permeate across and influence each spoke (see Impact Teams for more details).
Partnership Handouts Resources
Components
Spokes
There are 18 BWF areas of focus (spokes), in five categories: education, community engagement, safety and security, health and wellbeing, and workplace.
Impact Teams
There are issues that permeate across each spoke that need attention. The four "rim" topics include sexism, male allyship, culture, and identity.
County Coalitions
Co-leads in each county engage leadership teams to spread the work in their county and strategize to help girls and women in their county better thrive.
Key Committees
Key Committees convene quarterly to brainstorm ideas, suggest approaches, and offer strategies that can help the BWF be successful.
Partners
BWF partners comprise community organizations who are committed to making Utah a place where more girls and women can thrive in any setting.
Champions
Champions are dedicated to serving the community and committed to strengthening the impact of girls & women in Utah.
Investors
All donations help build momentum for A Bolder Way Forward. We thank the organizations and individuals who have contributed to this initiative.
Data Visualizations
These BWF dashboards show spoke goals, current metrics, and will track progress toward the intended outcomes within the 7-year movement.
Conclusion
Utah must do better to ensure everyone thrives. Melinda Gates once stated, “If you want to lift up humanity, empower women. It is the most comprehensive, pervasive, high-leverage investment you can make in human beings.” Our vision is not to lift girls and women at the expense of boys and men—that is the scarcity mentality. Instead, we believe that there is enough for everyone through cooperation and collaboration: the abundance mentality. When we strengthen the impact of Utah girls and women, we can strengthen everyone!