Katie Wallace hard at work. ~ Photo by Maja de Silva

By Kristen Strezo, Somerville Commission for Women

I would love for readers to meet the dedicated members of the Somerville Commission for Women. Our longtime member, Katie Wallace, is an excellent place to start.

Wallace, who has lived in Somerville for 24 years, joined the commission in 1998. I took a moment to ask Wallace about her political and personal work here in Somerville and how it looks like moving forward.

Kristen Strezo: What attracted you to become involved in local politics?

Katie Wallace: I’ve been interested in politics since I was a young girl. My mother was involved in The League of Women Voters in Stoneham where I grew up and also served on the School Committee. The nightly news was necessary viewing and we got multiple newspapers delivered to our house. Politics and current events were always a topic at the dinner table. I was writing questions for candidates at candidate forums since I was about 12. After I moved to Somerville, it took me a couple of years to settle in but by 1998 I was volunteering for campaigns and by 2002 I was all-in.

KS: What advice would you give to Somerville residents looking to become more involved in their communities?

KW: Somerville is full of people who want to participate and there are so many opportunities. Whatever issue you are interested in, you can find a community group working actively on that issue. You can serve in a more official way by joining a City of Somerville Commission or a Task Force. Once you have found your community and discover how much you have to offer, consider running for public office or supporting others who do so. Local government affects your daily life from the pothole on your street to the city budget.

KS: In your opinion, how can we get more women get involved in local politics?

KW: Running for local office is a big commitment, especially if you have a full time job and are responsible for childcare. When you run you have to be out talking to voters almost every night and raising the money you need to print campaign literature in your free time. Once elected you have the regular meeting, sub-committee meetings and other public events and it takes up a lot of time.

Women need encouragement to run. To support them we should continually ask them to run and tell them why they would be great at the job. If needed, friends could offer free childcare to cover times when they are campaigning and if elected times when they are in meetings. Women candidates sometimes have a tendency to apologize for taking up the time of constituents. We need to encourage them to keep their voices strong and confident, they have a lot to offer.

If someone is thinking of running I highly recommend they participate in a Mass Alliance Campaign Training workshop or join the EMERGE program. They will learn the tools they need to be successful and be confident in their choices.

KS: According to the National Women’s Political Caucus, women are 52 percent of the population, yet make up 26 percent of Massachusetts’ State Legislature. In your opinion, why do you think women are so underrepresented in politics?

KW: Both women and people of color are under-represented at the State House. We still have never had a female governor elected. Elizabeth Warren is our first female US Senator. While many white male representatives are excellent allies, when seats open up we should actively recruit women and people of color to run and perhaps the group of potential candidates should take a hard look at the field and consider supporting a well qualified and innovative minority candidate.

KS: What makes the SCW special to you?

KW: SCW brings together women from our diverse city to build a community to raise awareness and advocate for women’s issues, needs, and rights. Commissioners develop and collaborate on their own projects with the support of the Commission.

KS: What is your favorite Somerville landmark?

KW: I love our public art, Shepard Fairey murals, community created murals and electrical switch boxes.

KS: What is your favorite Somerville holiday or Christmastime memory?

KW: I love to show off Somerville to guests on the Illumination Tour.

Kristen Strezo is a Commissioner on the City of Somerville’s Commission for Women; however, the views and opinions expressed in this article are entirely her own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the City of Somerville.