Ann Richards - My Idol
Ann Richards is my idol + 45th Governor of Texas. Shortly before I moved to the Capitol of Texas in 1993 Ann Richards had become the Governor. It is a big deal when any Woman reaches a Position Of Power, it is an enormously BIG DEAL when a Woman takes the most Powerful Seat in a Red State that has long been run by men.
She was as big as life, she had big hair, and she had big opinions. All of those made for an excellent Governor and an ideal role model for a young woman growing up in Texas with Strong Opinions.
I love to quote Ann from the Democratic National Convention “After all, Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels.” I always add- as women we have to work Harder and Smarter than our Male counterparts and tack on a couple hours each day to show up looking like this (I point from my head to toe). Hillary Clinton spoke openly about the disparity between women and men’s efforts to be ready for work: "I’ve never gotten used to how much effort it takes just to be a woman in the public eye," she wrote. "I once calculated how many hours I spent having my hair and makeup done during the campaign. It came to about 600 hours, or 25 days. I was so shocked, I checked the math twice."
But here is the really cool part of what Ann Richards has done for me: when I am overwhelmed and feel like I am out of place and on the brink of failure I picture Ann Richards walking down Congress Avenue, the day of her Inauguration, waving in front of the Paramount Theater in a beautiful white coat and brown gloves.
Her grin is Strong and Full Of Joy.
I bet (because I know the feeling) she had mixed emotions that day. Sheer Joy and a whole lot of Oh Shit. “She ran as a liberal in conservative Texas” and she knew she had a battle in front of her. She knew if she were a man it would be less of a battle. But as Women that choose to play in the “man’s world” and take their seats, take their power, and be a voice for all Women, Men & Children ……..
Well, women like that are bred to #PressOn no matter the discomfort… until the discomfort becomes the fuel that Women like us Thrive On.
~DeLea
Some of the Ann Richards Quotes that she was famous for:
I'm not afraid to shake up the system, and the government needs more shaking up than any other system I know.
• I have very strong feelings about how you lead your life. You always look ahead, you never look back.
• The here and now is all we have, and if we play it right it's all we'll need.
• I have always had the feeling I could do anything and my dad told me I could. I was in college before I found out he might be wrong.
• They blame the low income women for ruining the country because they are staying home with their children and not going out to work. They blame the middle income women for ruining the country because they go out to work and do not stay home to take care of their children.
• I feel very strongly that change is good because it stirs up the system.
• I did not want my tombstone to read, 'She kept a really clean house.' I think I'd like them to remember me by saying, 'She opened government to everyone.'
• I've always said that in politics, your enemies can't hurt you, but your friends will kill you.
• Teaching was the hardest work I had ever done, and it remains the hardest work I have done to date.
• Let me tell you, sisters, seeing dried egg on a plate in the morning is a lot dirtier than anything I've had to deal with in politics.
• Power is what calls the shots, and power is a white male game.
• If you think taking care of yourself is selfish, change your mind. If you don't, you're simply ducking your responsibilities.
I have a real soft spot in my heart for librarians and people who care about books.
• You can put lipstick and earrings on a hog and call it Monique, but it's still a pig.
• Women elected Bill Clinton this time. He acknowledges it, the country acknowledges it, and the columnists acknowledge it, and when you have that kind of political clout, you can effect change and do it well. And I'm real proud to have been a part of that.
• I get a lot of cracks about my hair, mostly from men who don't have any.
• Let me tell you that I am the only child of a very rough-talking father. So don't be embarrassed about your language. I've either heard it or I can top it.
• The public does not like you to mislead or represent yourself to be something you're not. And the other thing that the public really does like is the self-examination to say, you know, I'm not perfect. I'm just like you. They don't ask their public officials to be perfect. They just ask them to be smart, truthful, honest, and show a modicum of good sense.
• I believe in recovery, and I believe that as a role model I have the responsibility to let young people know that you can make a mistake and come back from it.
• There is a lot more to life than just struggling to make money.
• I thought I knew Texas pretty well, but I had no notion of its size until I campaigned it.
• Women, it was painfully clear, weren't going to be allowed to use their brains and I certainly wanted to use mine.
• [I've] been tested by fire and the fire lost.
• I hope all the WASP present and past will fly high on wings of our pride in their service ... you have my profound gratitude for the legacy you have given to us and the legacy you pass on to young women today. [about the Women Airforce Service Pilots]
• I believe Mama would have liked to have had more children, but times were hard and I was the only one. Daddy had the fear -- maybe that fear is indigenous to the Depression generation -- that he wouldn't be able to afford all the things he wanted to give me, and he wanted to give me everything he'd never had. So they never had another child.
• Poor George, he can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth. [1988 keynote address, Democratic National Convention]
• I am delighted to be here with you this evening because after listening to George Bush all these years, I figured you needed to know what a real Texas accent sounds like. [1988 keynote address, Democratic National Convention]