Description

Specifically in New Hampshire, women represent only 37% of current NH House and Senate members.

Today's guest, Crystal Paradis, is on a mission to change that by supporting policies that support women and girls in offering skill-based training and community for campaigning for political office and getting involved on state and local levels. 

Even if you're not local to NH, you can glean truths and practices from this episode that can be applied no matter where you live as well as learn more about the resources in your own area.

In this conversation with Crystal, we get into: 

• What the NH Women’s Foundation does and offers 
• What kind of opportunities there are for women to get involved politically on state and local level 
• What it takes to prepare to run for office and win
• What's changing in the political landscape for women and girls 
• Where there's room for growth and improvement statewide and nationwide
• How we can get involved and take action as women business owners and leaders now
• And More! 

Crystal's Full Bio:

Crystal Paradis is Director of Strategic Communications and Community Engagement for the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, where she shapes the Foundation’s messaging and engagement efforts around the strategic priorities of Voice, Money, and Power.

Crystal’s previous experience includes founding and running Feminist Oasis (a social enterprise exploring intersectional feminist values in action); organizing large community events (Portsmouth PRIDE, TEDxPortsmouth); advocating around reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ issues, substance use awareness, gun violence prevention and poverty; working on political campaigns from municipal to presidential; and engaging community through her writing, from local newsletters to op-eds. Her previous career in design and digital marketing agencies inform her copywriting and digital marketing approach.

In 2015, she was named one of 10 to Watch by Catapult & Seacoast Media Group, and in 2019, she was named NH’s Young Progressive of the Year by the NH Young Democrats. A former Somersworth City Councilor, she is an active volunteer with a number of nonprofits, including SOS Recovery Community Organization.

In her free time, she enjoys feminist birdwatching and working on her 3-acre homestead (especially work that involves the tractor), where she lives with her partner and three dogs.

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Women's Funding Network 

News Sources Mentioned: 

The 19th News 

The New Hampshire Bulletin

NHPR

Links to Connect with the Host (Emily Aborn): 

www.emilyaborn.com

www.shebuiltthis.org

emily@emilyaborn.com

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She Built This Facebook Group