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‘I consider it a win’: Jennifer Siebel Newsom on California’s women’s board law



Is there a solution to the controversial state of American politics? Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California’s first partner, thinks so, but it requires more women to lead.

“Triple answer: focus on our common humanity; engaging more women in leadership, especially mothers and women of color; and then obviously, we have to appeal to those who are profiting to divide us,” Newsom said in Fortune’s The Most Powerful Women Summit in Laguna Niguel, California, last week.

Gender equality is a priority for Newsom, an award-winning filmmaker and wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom. “One of the initiatives we took was SB 826, and made sure this bill was implemented in a way that benefits women and represents California women,” she said. California’s landmark law requires the representation of women on the boards of companies headquartered in the state.

“In 2018, when SB 826 was first signed, what we found was that 15.5% of public company board seats were held by women,” Newsom said. Today, 33% of public company board seats in California are held by women, she said. However, there is still much work to be done. “Latinos represent 20% of the population of California and less than 2% of the board seats of public companies,” she said.

Along with the progress that Newsom has noted, there are also some obstacles. Conservative legal group Jud Justice Watch challenged the law. And in May, Superior Court Judge Maureen Duffy-Lewis ruled the law was in violation right to equal treatment.

“Another judge make a law Newsom said. “But regardless, people have moved in the direction of recognizing the value of women’s leadership roles.”

“In general, do you consider it a win, no matter what happens legally?” Fortune’s Michal Lev-Ram asked Newsom.

“I consider it a win,” she said. “There are many benefits to women in leadership roles.” Other states are trying to take initiatives similar to California’s SB 826, Newsom said. “But it’s important that we take the lead in California on these issues,” she said.

California has also positioned itself as a safe haven for women from states that ban abortion. Newsom said the state has invested more than $200 million in reproductive health. “Part of our reproductive health package is to make sure that we don’t criminalize women who miscarry alongside abortion and that we don’t criminalize providers who are actually trying to protect protect women, whether in-state or out-of-state,” she said.

“They can’t profit from exploiting our children anymore

Newsom is also focusing on teen mental health. “The increase in depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, that’s happened, but the pandemic, obviously, just pulled the curtain on that,” she said.

Newsom’s organization, California Partner Project, is examining how new content and delivery technologies are affecting the mental health of adolescents. The goal is to clarify and communicate warning signs and media and technology best practices.

The California’s Age-appropriate Design Code Act was signed into law by Governor Newsom in September. The bill requires online platforms to proactively assess whether their product or service design, including algorithms and advertising, could pose a threat dangerous for minors or not.

“We are trying to slowly wake companies up to the fact that they can no longer profit from our child exploitation,” said Firstsom Partner Newsom.

Realize your strength

Newsom will testify against Harvey Weinstein in a second trial in Los Angeles. She did not comment on the incident. But Newsom shared her views on realizing her power.

“I think I first discovered my power when making documentaries Missed the presentation, Newsom said. We premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and sold [the documentary] to Oprah Winfrey Network 2011. I remember standing in front of an audience at Sundance; it was just a waiting room and the audience was sold out. “

One audience member asked, “So what did you discover while making this film? “” Newsom recalled. “And I said, I’ve found my voice.”

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