Hello, I'm Simone Ross, CEO of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce.

We partnered with PBS12 to bring stories of women in the workforce to a new platform.

These stories are real.

They're raw.

They show both the victories and the challenges women in the workforce are living.

The statistics are clear.

For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women are.

Also women make only 29% of C-suite positions in the U.S. as compared to men.

These numbers are from the 2024 Women in Work report.

Along with the challenges, we're seeing signs of change as well.

In Colorado, we are closing the pay gap three times faster than others here in the U.S..

So how do we keep moving forward?

Well, by learning from one another and sharing our experiences.

And that's how Humanize Women in the workforce was born over the past four months.

We interviewed 12 different women, all in different industries and different places in their careers.

They come from different communities, too.

It's my privilege to share these amazing women with you right now.

in this episode we hear from Barbara Brooks, Representative Brittany Pettersen and Yazmin Castillo.

First up, pro age activist and speaker Barbara Brooks.

I'm Barbara Brooks, 58.

Proud of that chapter number, by the way.

I'm originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

A graduate of Colorado State University.

And I also like to say, I'm proud to say that I was born in Orleans, France.

That's the only French you're going to get from me.

Two military parents, mom, dad and also my brother were, all military.

And so they retired here, as Houstonians in Colorado Springs, in my, my preschool years.

So I'm a coloradan, but born abroad.

I started my career as a director of marketing of shopping centers all across the United States.

Park Meadows Retail Resort being the last place that I was at as director of marketing.

And so my career has taken me from marketing and public relations, to in 2011, losing that, wonderful position and becoming an accidental entrepreneur.

So over the last few years, prior to where I do now, which is completely different, I was a market.

I had a marketing and, and public relations agency with my business partner, Guadalupe Hurt, who I met when I was at Park Meadows.

So fast forward to today.

Since 2018, when I myself, at 51 at the time, could not find a job, I decided to take an idea off the shelf and create a company focused on elevating women over a certain age.

now I'm a pro speaker when you bring all generations together, of which there are five in some workplaces or four in most, that's, of course, Z millennial, Gen X and boomers, and then traditionalists are above that.

That would be my mom.

my side way of eradicating ageism is to keep us all in the workplace.

this age group of 40, 50, 60 plus is powerful in so many ways The defining moment in my new career.

of being a pro age speaker and advocate was I couldn't get a job.

I was 51, only operative word, only 51, and I couldn't get a job.

And that was that.

2018. prior to me turning 50, the glorious number of 50, I was able to get 90% of the positions that I would apply for.

And somehow the world has said that humans over 50 are no longer valid.

No longer do we need your services, Ageism is the last accepted ism in America today.

We can make fun of it, look at it, go to hallmark, pick up a card.

Black balloons.

I used to laugh at them, I quit, my friends gave me black balloons and we laughed on my 40th.

it's not acceptable.

It is an ism that is affecting so many.

And so now today, you have women, particularly over 40, who are driving the economy through their small businesses I believe the number is in the mid 40s.

I think it's 45 to 44% of small businesses in Colorado are owned by women.

And then nationally, it says that women over 40 are starting more businesses.

And so when we're talking about what was the change, for me it was ageism.

So I did something about it.

I decided I'm going to help other women.

And so that's where second act women came about.

we host career events.

Events to elevate our mental health.

that if we can't get a job and we are caretaking for our kids, for our parents, for ourselves, and a lot of times we're not putting that oxygen mask on first if we're not able to do that because we can't hold have a job in the workplace, that's detrimental.

And I myself.

Have experienced the caregiving side.

And if I can see one thing.

How blessed I am that where I am today, even in this new career and where I have been since 14, working and the human that I am today is a testament to the more than I am here in Portland.

Who in 2023 had a stroke and we had to sell our childhood home of 50 years.

but there's hope.

I do this because there's still women who needs to be advocated for.

And here's the thing.

1 in 3 people in America today guess how old they are?

50. and the US, UK and Australia in that order are all at the forefront of helping to of of working to eradicate ageism.

It's gotten better.

But the fight will continue.

We need for the world to understand our value.

We need to be hired.

my future is brighter than ever before, and so are the women who are 40, 50, 60 plus and I'm fighting for that.

If there's one thing I can tell anybody who's watching this, who needs to hear it?

And they are over 40, 50, 60 plus.

You can don't let anybody.

And this is the biggest cliche, but at 58, I finally get it.

Don't let anybody tell you you were less than.

Don't let anybody tell you you're too old.

Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do what the thing is you want to do.

You want to do do it.

And I will tell you, you will have a community behind you, not just by community of second act women, but if you surround yourself around the right people, you will have women who are there with you, lifting you up.

Because today in my world and I'm a Gen Xer, there is no crabs in a barrel pulling each other down.

Heck no, we are there.

Women in particular.

We are there for each other more than I've ever seen in my entire life, you will have others who are there to lift you up because you are worth more than you ever know, not even in the experience.

The wisdom, what you bring to the table on the job, but also what you bring in life.

You have reared kids or not.

You have done things or not because it's choice.

But you have to remember that you can and you will.

And we will all watch you, and we will lift you and be there for you.

You can do it.

thank you so much Barbara.

For more about Barbara, go to second act women.com.

Next we have Representative Brittany Pettersen who is working in Congress while expecting her second child.

my name is Brittany Pettersen.

I represent Colorado's seventh congressional district.

So it's the suburbs in Jefferson County, Broomfield, and then it goes all the way throughout rural Colorado.

So six counties through the southwest I'm the, first woman to represent Colorado's seventh congressional district, which is kind of wild when you think about, you know, how far behind we are, as women.

And so many of these spaces.

But also, you know, we've made a lot of progress.

I'm one of three women in Congress who have a toddler age kid.

Now I'm pregnant, and I'm the think the 13th voting member who, has had a baby while serving.

you know, these life experiences that are very important because you're going through it just like other families are.

You know how difficult it is to find accessible and affordable childcare.

You know, the waitlists, the lack of options.

It's more expensive than college.

you know, there's not a lot of help out there for families.

And so those experiences that are happening now for people that are, you know, need to be a priority at the federal level.

Having somebody that's going through that right now is really important because, you know, so many of the people in Congress have a, incredibly outdated perspective.

you know, there's a lot of systemic barriers that we face as women, to actually being in these leadership positions.

these spaces were not made for us.

And, you know, when I was in the legislature and, and pregnant and I had a baby during session, and I was the first person to be on leave.

And that's where we found that there was actually a law in place that prohibited extended periods of time of being gone, unless it was a chronic illness, because they had never even contemplated, a woman having to give birth and being away for an extended period of time.

And so, you know, leadership had it had to categorize my absence as a chronic illness so that I could still be paid while on leave, taking care of my newborn baby.

I'm also very much judged as a woman with young kids for actually being in Congress.

And so the way that people, you know, always ask, well, how do you do it with, with a family or, assume that because I had a kid, I was not going to run for Congress anymore.

You know, just the differences with how people see me and my role versus any of my male colleagues.

They don't get asked those questions.

They're not questioning why, why they're doing their jobs, because they have kids at home.

And so there is just such a double standard.

we actually had to bring legislation to change the law.

So it was reflective of our pay leave policies in Colorado, and that you had, you know, up to three months that you could be gone while you were still paid as a legislator.

I could choose to be gone and still be paid.

But your voice is not.

Your constituents aren't represented for the time that you're gone.

And so I've been trying to work alongside my leadership on proxy voting and having those same standards in place for.

It's not about pay.

It's about making sure that with unique circumstances and, you know, having those parameters for parental leave, that if you're a new parent, that you have that time away and you can still have your vote counted.

I'm in a very difficult situation right now because we don't have any proxy voting in place.

There's a point at which I'm not going to be able to fly.

And so having that flexibility before you give birth, and having your vote counted is, is part of what we need to be working towards in Congress.

we've been going back and forth on if we were going to have a baby in Washington, DC and I'm not to take my toddler out of school to be in an apartment in Washington because of votes that they might need me for, I'm still trying to navigate it, but there are no accommodations, for me being able to take care of my newborn and heal and recover myself, you know, giving birth is comparable to, in a very invasive surgery.

I mean, you go through a lot, you have to have time off, and you should still be able to have your constituents and your voice represented.

when I think about, Pat Schroeder, you know, the first woman to be elected to Congress from Colorado, when she was on armed services, they didn't even have a chair for her.

She had to share a chair with her male colleague.

They didn't have a bathroom for women until, Speaker Boehner was there.

I mean, that was not that long ago.

ideally is that we change these systems, we're seeing these barriers and that we can kind of forge the way so that it's easier for the people who are coming behind us.

my grandma, such a strong woman who I always asked me where I was going to go to school, you know, just really tried to instill the importance of an education.

my mom struggled with an opioid addiction, started out with a prescription drugs that led to heroin.

So you can imagine, you know, what my childhood look like?

Looked like.

And I think it's the strong women in my life that stepped in and kind of filled in those voids My biggest triumph is not going down the path of, you know, what I saw growing up and overcoming my circumstances.

And I'm grateful for that every day.

But in my career, I'm constantly underestimated, even still, I'm 42 now, so it's better than it was when I was first elected.

You know, everybody, assumed I was Representative Pettersen's aide.

When I go to meetings with lobbyists, they would talk to my aide, who was male.

Instead of me, who was the representative?

I mean, even as an elected official that they're choosing to talk to my, the male who was working for me and not me as the, elected official, So I think it's, you know, how effective I was at in my role working across the aisle, building those relationships, actually getting some really big things done, Taking my experience with my mom and really, changing the system so that people like her aren't left behind and aren't given a chance to to actually live in recovery and thrive.

So those were some of my biggest accomplishments in the legislature.

In Congress, I think it's, like I said, now, being 42 and being a member of Congress, I feel like I don't deal with the, being underestimated as much.

But, you know, it's it's still always there.

you know, even in campaigns against me, the ads that are take you know, a stereotype of being a dumb blond, whether that's I mean, all throughout my career, from the very beginning, so overcoming those stereotypes and, and showing up as the, professional that I am, nobody is going to ever tell you that it's your turn.

know, I faced so much backlash for even thinking that I should run from the, you know, from, the very beginning to running for Congress, I ended up winning by almost ten points in one of the most competitive races in the state.

in a race where, you know, I was a guaranteed loss because of being underestimated.

And when I stepped up to run for Congress, definitely upset a lot of people, who thought that it was not my turn.

it is about, stepping into these roles doing it for the right reasons, doing the work necessary to make it across the finish line and remembering, but you have to push that aside because, nobody's going to clear a path for you.

you know, a lot of women don't support other women.

And that's a huge issue.

And one of the greatest things about being in this Congress, our leadership.

You know, Catherine Clark, who is our whip, she is so supportive, not just me as mom and, but trying to create paths and opportunities for women.

what we can do to to see that in each other, to lift each other up, to ask each other to step up, to be there knowing that, you know, you're going to face significant obstacles because you can guarantee that there are five men already lined up thinking that they should be in that role.

And to have the courage to step up, but also the support system to get you there Thank you, Representative Pettersen.

And congratulations on the birth of your new baby boy.

In our final interview, we hear from Yazmin Castillo, development coordinator with Girls Inc. of Metro Denver.

My name is Yazmin Castillo, and I am a first generation American.

currently I work on the development team at Girls Inc. of Metro Denver.

I've been in this role for about, going on two years, but I've been involved with the organization for, I think, almost ten years.

when I first moved to Denver and 2015, I started, as a volunteer with girls Inc.

I've always been involved, with youth and and mentoring programs.

And so I wanted to find that here in Denver and especially with young girls.

And so I started out as a volunteer, and then throughout the years, just wore many hats from mentor to, lead to, managing the volunteer program, When I first, came to the organization, it was the first time that I vividly remember seeing somebody who looked like me in a CEO and leadership position.

at the time the CEO of Sonia Oliveri, which is a powerhouse of a leader, and she was the first woman in that role.

That I felt represented by.

And it changed things for me.

It's like for the first time I could see myself in leadership.

And I just loved the, the space.

It was empowering and supportive and just being around the girls and the women and an all women, all girl and women centered space.

I mean, we hear it all the time.

Representation matters.

who we see is who we believe, can be.

the opportunities that I thought were like, available to me or possible for me were limited.

And I grew up in a small town.

when I was landscaper and my mom, like, cleaned houses there's this funny comedian that always says, like, being a daughter of immigrants is your parents.

It's like you're a doctor, lawyer, engineer, a failure because those are the careers that you that you know to be as, like, successful.

little do you know that there's so many other possibilities out there.

And so at girls, I think like one of the biggest things is that exploration of what is possible is very intentional in, what what we do, our programing around, from career, exploration, college and everything.

And to make sure intentionally that it is women that look like them.

it's very different when you see somebody who looks like you or speaks like you, or comes from a similar background that makes that click and that connection where it's like, oh, I can do that too.

one of the biggest aspects of being, daughter of immigrants is your work ethic.

And that just innate, like, resourcefulness and, compassion, empathy for, like, navigating in the world.

I think through just like the intersections of my identities, it has given me like, a different perspective for how to.

Just, like, think through challenges.

And I think especially, be compassionate to people's stories.

especially, like women and women of color, the imposter syndrome is real.

Wondering, like that little voice in the back of your head that's continuously like, do I belong here?

And, like, having to remind yourself and standing it that I do belong here.

And I've earned this.

And, I deserve to be here as much as anybody else.

think for me as, as a Latina, getting paid $0.51 to the dollar of a white man is that I have to work twice as hard, to get half as much.

that is also the conversation that needs to happen.

And not just, empowering and like, building confidence within girls and women.

being, like, first generation and going through school and something that I always like, I always continuously had 1 to 2 jobs in order to get through, it always came with, like, something had to be sacrificed, like it was a constant balance of, doing good professionally or like socially, but then also being there for my family.

I'm, like, very focused on my career.

And I'm very happy being focused on my career.

But I know that I want kids in the future.

but I know that, like, if, if I have children now, I kind of have to sacrifice being able to pursue, you know, having the flexibility to be all in, in my career.

and sometimes it's hard to to do that when you have all these societal pressures I think we are starting to see more women who are that it is okay to have, you know, children later in life and focus on your career there are a lot of like professional and amazing women in that are around me now, who that that is what they chose.

And it's really comforting to see that, the other like scary thing for me is like, I as I think about like having kids in the future is the cost of childcare.

I have friends now that have like little ones and they like the cost of childcare is somebody's entire, like, annual salary.

I know when you're talking about, women that, you know, you look up to and I think especially as you progress in your career, is you have to like it is a responsibility to intentionally then, you know, bring people up with you, especially women, especially women of color, bringing them into this, like, unspoken knowledge of, yeah, advocating for pay and negotiating and asking for a promotion And how to how to navigate those conversations, to be that person that brings people up with you?

the sacrifices such as, like, my parents have done to order to get me here, like, this is what I'm doing to, you know, continue that, building a better life for all of us Thank you.

Yazmin.

Since our interview, Yazmin has started a new adventure as Associate Director of Development at MSU Denver.

We wish her the best of luck in her new role.

12 women, 12 voices.

All incredible stories.

We hope you've come away with some new insights and inspiration.

To learn more about the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce.

You can visit our website at cwcc.org to watch all of these stories and learn more about humanize.

You can visit PBS12.org or visit PBS12's YouTube page.

I'm Simone Ross.

Until next time.