Mayoral candidate Kim White announced Tuesday her ten-point initiative for combating issues faced by women in Chattanooga, particularly those who are Black and Latina. If elected, White will serve as the first female mayor in the history of our city and is the first to develop strategic policies that address female-specific issues worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"To support women in Chattanooga who are currently working, or those who would like to re-enter the workforce, access to child care, jobs and flexible work schedules are critical," officials said. Ms. White will prioritize the following measures to increase the recruitment and retention of women in the local workforce:
• The city will improve quality and affordable child care, beginning with city government, which will set the example by offering child care to its employees.
• Ms. White will challenge the local business community, especially large employers, to commit to providing child care for their employees with a goal of providing 2,000 more child care seats for working parents in her first term.
• Flexible work schedules are paramount. Ms. White's administration will work with city employees to make sure they have a balanced, flexible schedule to focus on both professional and personal needs including the demands many women face as caregivers for other family members like aging parents.
• As small and medium-sized businesses employ the majority of Chattanoogans, the newly created Office of Small Business Support will work with these businesses on access to resources and capital. This office will prioritize working with women, especially Black and Latina entrepreneurs, who currently own or want to start a business.
• City employees who are pregnant, recovering from childbirth or nursing will be provided workplace accommodations to ensure they, along with their children, have the best possible health outcomes including flexible breaks and scheduling for prenatal medical visits along with private, non-bathroom space to express breast milk.
"With the rate of domestic violence increasing during the pandemic, Ms. White's administration will work to ensure women, along with men who face issues of domestic violence, will have a safe and synchronized effort to receive help," officials said.
The following was announced as part of her plan:
• She will prioritize the coordination and support of the Family Justice Center along with nonprofit partners like the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults and Children’s Advocacy Center to ensure that those experiencing domestic violence and/or sexual abuse have a safe and accessible place to receive services. In addition, her administration will work with these partners to identify any critical needs, such as the current need for more court advocates to accompany survivors through the legal process.
• The community needs more education around domestic violence, sexual abuse, dating violence, child abuse, elder abuse and human trafficking. The Family Justice Center currently has two representatives who speak on these topics, as well as the importance of early intervention, in 10 schools. She will work with partners to provide this education throughout our school system and in the City’s Youth and Family Development Centers.
With a refocused Mayor’s Council for Women, her administration will prioritize women, specifically Black and Latina women, in leadership roles, along with their fair advancement and compensation:
• Ms. White knows what it's like to be the only woman at the table in many situations. She is firmly committed to have one of the most diverse city administrations in history including hiring women, and specifically women of color, in leadership roles. This commitment to diverse, female representation will also apply to the hundreds of individuals the mayor appoints to critical, decision-making boards in the community.
• Hiring and advancement opportunities will be fair, and promotions will be based on performance, not attendance. With a commitment to evaluating and remedying pay disparity, Ms. White will work to swiftly close any gender pay gap in city government. And while compensation is important, she will also review the entire benefit package, including maternity leave, child care subsidies and tuition reimbursement programs to make sure that all women in city government are shown true value for their talent and effort.
• Young women must have the opportunity to see themselves in careers in the city and see other successful women in roles throughout city government. Ms. White's administration will offer internship and mentoring opportunities for high school students partnering with great nonprofits like the Public Education Foundation’s STEP-UP program.