DC Mayor Muriel Bowser Takes a Stand for Climate Change!
Today, March 15th 2017, female mayors and female business leaders from cities across the globe committed to using their influence to tackle climate change and deliver on the ambition of the Paris Agreement. They met at the inaugural Women4Climate conference in New York City. Although Washington D.C.’s mayor Muriel Bowser was unable to make the event due to snowstorm Stella, Smart Girls had the honor to sit down with the mayor and ask her a few questions.
SG: What’s the best advice you have received or given?
Growing up, my parents raised me to have high expectations for myself and the people around me. Throughout life, I’ve always held myself accountable for the things I say I’ll do and for the things I want to do, and that has really helped me reach a lot of my goals. As Mayor, Washingtonians are depending on me to make things happen, to move the city forward. And, of course, I can’t do all of that by myself — I need a great team, and that’s what I have put together. The people I work with understand our responsibility, and they know that I expect all of us to give our best every single day for the people of Washington, DC. High expectations matter — you won’t reach your goals simply by having high expectations, but without them, it makes it a lot harder to reach your full potential.
SG: What do you hope girls take from your work?
I hope girls see that women and girls can be strong leaders. Of the 100 largest cities in the U.S., only 19 of those cities have woman mayors. We need to change that. Women and girls have so many talents, and as individuals, we have our own unique perspectives. When we share those talents and perspectives with the world — when we use them to lead — everyone benefits. I hope that women and girls see that when we work together, we can make an impactful difference in the world. As a member of C40’s Women4Climate Initiative, I have been thrilled to see so many young women from business, NGOs and politics that are determined to change the world by taking action on climate change — this has made me exceedingly optimistic about the future.
SG: Why is the environment important to you?
Think of how much progress we have made throughout human history. In just my lifetime, I have seen my own city and the world change so much. Knowing that and witnessing that makes me excited for the future — it really makes me believe that our options and abilities are limitless.
In cities, we are in a great position to fight climate change and protect the environment — we are able to innovate quickly and put in place policies that can have a huge impact on millions of people. Then, we are able to share what we’re doing with other cities, and collectively, that can have a really big impact on our planet. I have found idea sharing to be most effective when working closely with other cities across the world. As a member of C40 Cities, I have seen fellow mayors from 90 member cities identify creative solutions to address the issue of climate change. For example, just this month, on March 15, the Women4Climate conference convened powerful women from across the world highlighting the critical role of women and women leaders in the fight against climate change and air pollution. Our planet is a beautiful place, and we need to make sure that we are taking care of it for future generations to enjoy.
SG: How did you get started in politics?
I was raised with the expectation that I would give back to Washington, DC. I used to go to community meetings with my father, and I would sit in the back doing my homework, listening to my neighbors discuss how they could make life better for other people. As I got older and tried out different jobs, this ingrained expectation and this idea of helping other people really helped guide me and helped me find my way. Eventually, I ran to be an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, which in Washington, DC is an elected leader for a small part of the city. From that experience, I was hooked. After that, I ran to be a Councilmember and then, eventually, to be Mayor.
SG: What is your favorite book?
I love The Audacity of Hope by former President Barack Obama. I read this book when I was running for mayor, and it really inspired me — it reminded me of my responsibilities as a leader of my city, and that part of that responsibility is inspiring people to feel hopeful about the future and about the potential of our city. In government, we are constantly looking at how we can do things better, and without a sense of hope and without a belief that we can do better, we won’t make the changes that people are depending on us to make.
SG: What is a hardship that you have learned from the most?
When I was running for Mayor, some people questioned whether I was old enough or whether I had enough experience. I knew that I could do it, though. I ran for Mayor because I knew that I could make a positive difference in the lives of Washingtonians, and today, that is what I am doing. As Mayor, I still deal with criticism all the time, and I listen to it, but I don’t let it deter me from making tough decisions. I am thoughtful, I am passionate about helping people, and there will always be someone who disagrees with me. I’m ok with that.
Learn more about the Women4Climate conference on their Facebook page!
