San Francisco, CA—Today San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf,Women’s Foundation of California and San Francisco City AdministratorNaomi Kelly announced the Bay Area Women’s Summit, a landmark event thatwill bring together the most dynamic leaders in government, business,philanthropy, education and others, on Tuesday, June 21^st  atMoscone Center North in San Francisco. The Summit will serve as asignificant platform to engage influential leaders in the Bay Area andbeyond in an action-oriented conversation that advances women’s equity,empowerment and opportunity in the region.

“San Francisco has long been at the forefront ofsocial change and women’s rights, and we know we can, and must, do moreto advance gender equity, particularly women’s economic empowerment,”said Mayor Lee. “The Bay Area Women’s Summit will be an opportunity tobring together influential leaders and the community to discuss policiesand initiatives that will ensure women are participating in and fullybenefiting from our robust economy. The Summit is unique in that it’sfocused on the needs of the middle class, working class and workingpoor, action-oriented, and seeks to engage men in this importantconversation as allies so that women, their families, and our cities canthrive and succeed.”

“This Summit will be an incredible platform forigniting real change for the women of the Bay Area,” said Mayor Schaaf.“Many women in our community are the breadwinners in their families –often in single income households.  Economic mobility, empowerment andfinancial security are paramount for these women. Make no mistake. Theirsuccess is our success. We can’t honestly call this region great wheninequity continues to exist and those among us who have the least cannotthrive. This Summit is about that conversation and about that change.”

Women and men from around the Bay Area willconvene to discuss issues including workplace benefits and policies,working families and childcare, women’s leadership and visibility,entrepreneurship, education, financial literacy, economic security andmany others. The Summit will include keynotes by powerful, nationallyrecognized leaders such as Anne-Marie Slaughter and Ai-Jen Poo as wellas panels, interactive discussions and breakout sessions with a diverserange of speakers including Angela Glover-Blackwell, Josh Levs, LisaJackson, Lori Nishiura MacKenzie, Kimberly Bryant and many others.

“We have achieved remarkable policy victories inCalifornia over the last few years—higher minimum wage, pay equity,subsidized childcare and sick and family leave,” said Women’s Foundationof California CEO Surina Khan. “And we have a lot more to do tostrengthen women's economic wellbeing in our state. We are proud tocollaborate with Mayor Lee, Mayor Schaaf and their cities, which havelong been at the forefront of gender and economic justice issues. TheBay Area Women’s Summit will be a place to come together, to learn and,most important, to develop good, effective policy solutions to thechallenges women are facing in our region.

“Under the leadership and vision of Mayor Leeand Mayor Schaaf, and in partnership with public, private and non-profitstakeholders and inspirational speakers and participants, I am thrilledto be part of this conversation and movement to discuss issues that arepertinent, not only to women, but to men, families and our community,”said City Administrator Kelly. “I look forward to the June 21^st Summit and continuing this important conversation thereafter.”

Mayor Lee and Mayor Schaaf and their partners inthis event are committed to advancing equity, empowerment andopportunity for women in the Bay Area and the Summit will be bothaction-oriented and solution focused. Summit speakers, participants andattendees will have an opportunity to find solutions to some of the mostpressing economic challenges for women and set the agenda for movingthis conversation forward.

For more information and to register, go to: bayareawomen.org.