Katie Orenstein

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2008

Katie Orenstein

The Op-Ed Project

http://www.theopedproject.org/

New York, New York, United States

Community Improvement & Economic Development

The Bold Idea:

Projecting new diverse voices into national conversation by providing channels for women experts to be published in the op-ed pages of top newspapers, online sites, and other key forums of public debate.

The op-ed pages of our nation's newspapers are overwhelmingly dominated—80 percent or more—by men. Because op-ed is a feeder of other media, the lack of women on these pages perpetuates and exacerbates the under-representation of women in larger ways. For example, on Sunday morning political television talk shows, 84 percent of guests are male. It is not a great leap to note that 85 percent of Hollywood producers, 85-90 percent of radio producers, and 84 percent of Congress members are male. In short, public debate all but excludes half the population.

The Op-Ed Project will diversify public debate by expanding the pool of women who are accessing (and accessible to) the editors who need them. Statistically, men submit op-eds with far greater frequency than women. Working with dozens of nonprofits, universities, and think tanks, the organization will target and train women experts across the nation to write and submit op-eds at top print and online venues.

Katie Orenstein pitching at Echoing Green Selection Weekend (May 2, 2008)

Biography:

An author and journalist, Catherine Orenstein has written for the op-ed pages of The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Miami Herald, and her commentary has been nationally syndicated. A graduate of Harvard (BA) and Columbia (MA), she is a fellow at The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership, a women’s think tank.

Moment of Obligation: What experiences led to the desire to start your own organization?
In 2005 a debate broke out on the nation’s op-ed pages about why women are so underrepresented. Some accused the media of sexism; others claimed women don’t like to argue. As a journalist and op-ed contributor myself, I knew there was another reason: women don’t submit op-eds with anywhere near the frequency that men do. I thought: we need to get more talented women to submit op-eds. What if we targeted and trained a bunch of really smart women and helped them access the editors? I kept talking to people about this, saying, this is a great idea, somebody should do this, until finally it occurred to me—maybe I should do it.

Gall to Think Big: What has given you the ability to dream big and take on deeply entrenched social and difficult problems? (Such as experiences, skills, events, etc.)
What has driven me to think of The Op-Ed Project in big terms is the experience of seeing its impact on a few people, and imagining that writ large. A twenty-two year-old woman published an op-ed, got into journalism school, and now works for NPR. She said the op-ed changed her life. Another woman wrote an op-ed on the financial crisis, became an expert cited in newspapers, and now has a TV deal–where she advises millions of Americans trapped in the mortgage mess. Seeing these kinds of things made me think about the potential value of the project, if it could bring similar results to a large number of people–at which point, it no longer seemed like a nice idea, but a social responsibility.

New and Untested: What's innovative about your new idea for social change?
The Op-Ed Project offers an alternative to quotas and artificial, patronizing approaches to increasing women’s representation. Rather than demanding that editors balance gender (perhaps at the expense of publishing the best op-eds), The Op-Ed Project presumes we are all equally smart, talented, and valuable—and will be equally represented in public debate if given the opportunity.

The Op-Ed Project’s aim is not just to improve diversity in public debate, but to create a sea change in our nation’s conversation. We see more and more women submitting op-eds and referring other women—creating a multiplier effect that will expand the pool of visible female talent.

Seeing Possibilities: What are the most important qualities to be a successful social entrepreneur?
Vision. Commitment. Good advisors. The ability to see your knowledge and experience in terms of its potential value to others, and communicate that value effectively.

Which musical artists/albums get you going and keep you inspired?
Boukman Experience (Dangerous Crossroads), Led Zeppelin (In Through The Out Door).

What books do you recommend (pleasure, work and anything in between)?
Mountains Beyond Mountains (Tracy Kidder), The Dew Breaker (Edwidge Danticat).

Which websites do you visit often (work and/or personal)?

• google.com
• facebook.com
• huffingtonpost.com
• theopedproject.org
• wikipedia.org
• nytimes.com
• salon.com

What advice or quote do you keep close to your heart as a social change leader?
“You don't lead by pointing a finger and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.” - Ken Kesey

“I have learned that the best way to lift one's self up is to help someone else.” - Booker T. Washington

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world: indeed it's the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead

“Take it to the hoop, and you’re gonna connect.” - Joe Loya