Women in our communities face gender inequalities.

In 2018, women in South Dakota earned an average 82.7% of the typical weekly earnings made by their male counterparts, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Women represent half of the US population but more than half the opportunity for growth, according to the US Chamber of Commerce.

Empowering women lifts the entire community.

When women work, economies grow. Studies by USAID show that if an equal number of women as men participated in the global economy, the global GDP would increase by $12 trillion by 2025.

Empowerment comes in all shapes and sizes. Even small actions can have a large impact on others. Through our actions, we can all improve the lives of women and benefit our communities.

Make empowering women a daily habit with these five easy tips:

Mentor
Give back to the community by volunteering your time and advice. Mentoring helps women reach their goals by inspiring and supporting them. Your passion for others could help usher in the next generation of successful women. Find opportunities in your community through programs like EmBe’s Women’s Leadership Program.

Write
Lift others with your words. Send a note, email, or text to the person that’s made a difference in your life. Leave a recommendation for a female colleague on LinkedIn. A note that takes minutes to write can leave a lasting impact on the person you care about.

Donate
Sioux Falls has a variety of organizations dedicated to serving women. Identify one or two that you feel strongly about and make a contribution. You can donate your time, talents or gently used items to make a difference in women’s lives.

Buy from women
Support women-owned businesses with your daily purchases. Choose your products and services from businesses that commit to the development and growth of women. Double your impact by supporting local businesses owned by women.

Celebrate
Honor the everyday accomplishments of the women in your life. Recognize the brilliant ideas of women at your workplace by acknowledging them in meetings. Shine a light on your friend or colleague’s achievements through a note or a celebratory lunch.

Using these practices, along with others, we can improve the lives of women. When women excel, we all succeed.

Here are some of our favorite ways to get involved: