Amplifying Women's Voices: Expanding Leadership and Civic Power with Beth Peterson of Vote Run Lead

What if the most qualified person for office is you, and you just don't know it yet? This week on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast, Kyra sits down with Beth Peterson, Senior State Director for Vote Run Lead in Minnesota, for a real and powerful conversation about women, leadership, and what it truly means to step into your civic power. This is also a special episode: Glow Up, Gyrl is proud to be back for its second year as part of Podcasthon, a global initiative where thousands of podcasters come together to spotlight nonprofits doing meaningful work in the world. Beth is a mother of four, a former elected city councilor, a founding board member of the Rural and American Indigenous Leadership organization, and someone who wakes up every day committed to making sure more women are in the rooms where decisions get made. In this episode: ✨ How Beth's frustration with local government led her to run for city council and win ✨ The mission of Vote Run Lead and the gap it exists to fill ✨ Why women's representation is both a justice issue and an economic one ✨ The barriers women face stepping into leadership, and how lived experience is the qualification, not a barrier ✨ The mindset shift from "I'm not ready" to "I don't have to do this alone" ✨ How to connect with Vote Run Lead and take your very first step Whether you're thinking about running, want to support women in your community, or just need a reminder of why your voice matters right now, this conversation is for you. Learn more about Vote Run Lead: voterunlead.org Training and resources: vrlhq.org Follow Vote Run Lead: @voterunlead Stay connected to Glow Up, Gyrl: Website: glowupgyrl.com | Email: hello@glowupgyrl.com Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn: @glowupgyrl | Facebook: @glowupgyrlatl Timestamps 0:00 - Welcome to Glow Up, Gyrl 0:32 - What is Podcasthon? (Why this episode is special) 1:48 - Introducing today's guest: Beth Peterson of Vote Run Lead 3:04 - Beth joins the show 3:27 - Beth's background: How she got into public service 4:07 - From frustrated young mom to elected city councilor 5:56 - The barriers women face stepping into leadership 9:32 - Meeting women where they are: safety, confidence, and community 10:07 - Why women must not just vote, but RUN 13:18 - Women's leadership is an economic issue, not just a political one 16:24 - "Run As You Are": How Vote Run Lead finds and supports women 18:25 - The mindset shifts every woman leader needs 19:39 - What Podcasthon means to Vote Run Lead 21:07 - Programs, training, and how to get involved 24:45 - Beth's 3 key takeaways for every woman watching 26:15 - Kyra's closing reflections + call to action 31:52 - Outro: Rate, review, and stay connected Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices