Mary Matiella: The fight for equality continues

Women were granted the right to vote in 1920, protection against workplace discrimination in 1964, and privacy to make their own personal medical decisions in 1973. Now, in 2018, women are fighting for a place in the U.S. Congress; there are a record number of women running for the House of Representatives and the Senate. I am one of those women. I am able to run because I have benefited from the long struggle for women’s rights.

My success was enabled by the women’s movement. My career in federal government started at 16 working at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. I’ve held executive positions in the U.S. Forest Service and the department of Housing and Urban Development and was President Barack Obama’s assistant secretary of the Army for financial management and comptroller (a position equivalent to a four-star general).

This journey was not easy — I experienced sexual harassment, gender and racial discrimination, and workplaces that were less than accommodating to those of us with families. I had to fight hard to make a career. The women’s movement and federal laws enacted to protect women helped me in that fight.

Women’s organizations continue to fight.

For example, the National Organization of Women’s five campaigns are: 1) End the criminalization of trauma, 2) Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, 3) Mobilize for reproductive justice, 4) Advance voting rights, and 5) Protect immigrant rights. Although we’ve made forward progress in strengthening our rights, more is needed.

For example, equal pay for equal work has not been achieved. Overall, women get paid 80 cents on the dollar, Latinas get paid 55 cents, indigenous women even less. The Trump administration has put the brakes on progress with deep budget cuts to the departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, etc. The next person to represent Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District must be ready to fight the Trump administration to make sure that the women’s movement is not undermined.

I’ve spent 11 years as a chief financial officer for federal departments. I know how to make government accountable, transparent, and efficient. I know where the waste in federal spending exists, how to cut the excess, and how to identify and fund high performing programs.

By cutting unnecessary administrative overhead, we can fund programs that improve our quality of life. The next person to represent Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District must ensure the federal budget reflects southern Arizona’s priorities. For this reason, CFO-type experience is critically needed in the U.S. Congress to defend and protect women, children, and the underserved.

The women’s movement helped me to achieve the American dream — my journey took me from the fields, where my parents picked cotton as migrant farmworkers, to the upper echelons of the Pentagon. This country made a conscious effort to create and legislate equal opportunity. Let’s continue to be mindful that people of all gender identities are struggling to succeed.

Let’s continue to celebrate Women’s History Month by embracing our differences and acknowledging our contributions. Let’s actively work at being progressive, creating opportunities and moving forward.