Senator Feinstein once said, "Women have begun to see that if you go through that doorway, I take everybody through it." As the first woman in every office she held from San Francisco Supervisor to Mayor to Senator, Dianne Feinstein opened the door for generations of women, including me, to serve and lead.
Her legacy is often referenced as the “first woman” as if she happened to be in the right place at the right time, when some people thought, “gee, wouldn’t it be great if there was a woman in this office.” But in reality, she pried that door open with her fierce commitment to service, deep integrity, and considerable resources.
After bringing to light abuses in the treatment of incarcerated women, she received her first public role serving on the state women’s parole board. She won her Supervisor seat by reaching out to groups in San Francisco that, at the time, didn’t have a voice, including gay men.
But Senator Feinstein also normalized pragmatism in leadership – she not only made space in leadership for me as a woman but as a policy wonk. Throughout her career, she rolled up her sleeves and got into the weeds of issues from the DMV to wildfire. She paid attention to the details because she wasn’t satisfied with a political win, she needed to know her legislation would have real impact.
I remember standing in the kitchen one night, helping my mom with the dishes, it must have been shortly around the time of her passage of the assault weapons ban, and my Mom blurted out, “I like Dianne Feinstein, she’s so practical.”
I was only ten when Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer became California’s first women senators. Their presence throughout my formative years normalized women in leadership for me and enabled me to never question whether or not I could run for office.
When she started, there was no path. She didn’t just win an election and be one of the most formidable national Senators. She had to forge her success and effectiveness, one hard step at a time, rising up through the neighborhood, city and later state-wide level.
But she succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. There is no longer only one path for women. Women from policy roles (like myself), school teachers, health care professionals and women from any background, can now step in and run for office and win.
During my Congressional campaign in 2018, I was so grateful when Senator Feinstein endorsed my candidacy for Congress, patted me on the shoulder and said “You go get him! You’re gonna win!”
Senator Feinstein forged that path for me and so many women. She not only opened the door, but so many women followed, that the walls and that glass ceiling they held up, came crashing down.
Join me in sending deep love and gratitude to Senator Feinstein’s family, friends and her beloved team.
-- Jessica
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As the former Deputy Secretary for Forest and Wildland Resilience at the California Natural Resources Agency, Jessica Morse has proven she knows how to get things done for the people of California. Now, she's ready to do the same for California's 3rd District in Congress — but she needs your help.
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Jessica Morse for Congress
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