Sponsored Content: A celebration of 250 years of Women in American Leadership in the place where America was founded

This summer, the United States of America will commemorate 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Yet even as the nation declared that “we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal,” women in America in 1776 were excluded from that promise. But despite not holding the same rights or power as men, women refused to be written out of the story of our nation’s history. They spoke up, organized, advocated — and led. 

Women’s Public Leadership Network is proud to stand on the shoulders of those pioneers. As part of this historic milestone, we are honored to celebrate 250 years of women shaping American leadership at our 2026 National Summit this summer in Philadelphia, the birthplace of our country. From the founding era to today, women have helped define our nation’s path — and our Summit will both honor that legacy and advance it.

Power wasn’t given to women; they had to fight for it. At the founding of our nation, women were viewed as subordinate to men. They could not vote, control their own finances, or own property. Still, they knew that the promise of “We the People” included women. So they challenged the legal, political, and economic limits imposed upon them. Early suffragists laid the foundation for a true vision of equality, and that work grew into a movement that culminated in the passage of the 19th Amendment, recognizing women’s right to vote, in 1920.

But progress didn’t happen overnight — it unfolded across generations. Women pushed boundaries whenever and wherever they could. In 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Coffin Mott, Martha Coffin Wright, Mary Ann McClintock, and Jane Hunt officially kicked off the women’s suffrage movement in America by organizing and holding the first women’s rights convention. In 1916, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress. Soon after, Alice Paul led the Silent Sentinels to protest for their right to vote outside the White House. 

Even after the passage of the 19th Amendment, barriers persisted. Women continued to advocate and fight for their rights through legislation and legal challenges, including the Magnuson Act of 1943, key Supreme Court cases in 1948, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, with an extension in 1975. Each step forward was the result of persistence, courage, and collective action.

Such women brought national attention to the cause. Because of their efforts, doors once closed to women began to open. Institutions evolved. Decision-making tables added chairs. And later generations of women continued to demand — and eventually began to receive — a greater role in shaping our country’s future.

Women’s Public Leadership Network continues that tradition today. Our 2026 National Summit will bring together women leaders from across the country in Philadelphia, where the very idea of the United States first took root. Together, we will celebrate 250 years of women’s leadership and build the roadmap for the next century of leadership.

This year’s Summit will be held at the historic Union League of Philadelphia, a fitting setting for both reflection and action. Founded in 1862 to support the Union during the Civil War, the Union League has long served as a gathering place for civic leadership and national dialogue. This year also marks a significant milestone for the institution: the 40th anniversary of women’s membership. Once reflective of the exclusions of its time, the Union League today demonstrates how to grow to better reflect the ideals of our nation. Hosting our Summit in this space underscores a powerful truth: Leadership in America is ever-evolving.

Indeed, our nation’s founders strove toward “a more perfect Union” because they understood that progress is ongoing. While the past 250 years have brought extraordinary advances for women, much of that progress is relatively recent — and the work is far from finished. The next chapter of American leadership is still being written.

Our Summit is both a celebration of how far we’ve come and a catalyst for what lies ahead. We invite you to join us this summer at the Union League for our 2026 National Summit to honor the women who paved the way and to inspire the next era of women in leadership!

Larissa Martinez is the founder and president of Women’s Public Leadership Network.