According to a recent study, women in Denver make nearly $10,000 less a year than their male counterparts. The average wage gap of 82.4 percent puts the Mile High squarely in the middle of the national average with Denver coming in at number 24. As a result, Denver is a prime location for a new concept called It’s Time Network. The national network, which began in San Francisco, creates local advisory councils to evaluate and change policies to support the advancement of women and girls. Then the advisory board puts together a Women’s Well-Being Index to help design projects that aim to improve the city’s most pressing women’s issues.
Denver will be the second pilot city of the program, but the first to host a Gender Equity Summit. The event will occur on May 31 at the Auraria Campus-Tivoli Student Union building. The summit is in partnership with Mayor Hancock’s office, which is fitting since the event aims to “identify priority key issues in Denver, and work together on a common agenda” with the mayor’s office. Tickets are currently sold out but those interested are encouraged to participate in the pilot program by joining the network.
“Denver is the ideal place to pilot the Network City Program because this city already has an inspiring level of women’s leadership and a long history of advancing gender equity. Add this to the recent increase in activism following January’s Women’s Marches, and it’s time for a new level of impact, right now,” said Betsy McKinney, founder and CEO of It’s Time Network.
It’s Time Network hopes to scale the program to 25 cities by 2018.