South of the Border

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas – Let’s talk about the womenfolk today. Starting with Mexico’s new President, Claudia Sheinbaum (b 1962). Yes, back in June 2024 Mexican voters elected their first female president ever. It was a landslide – she received 61% of the vote, despite the fact that she is female, and Jewish. And it wasn’t just a “landslide” – she received more votes than any candidate has ever received in Mexico’s history! She took office October 1, and while this was going on, north of the border American voters were watching Kamala and Donald duking it out over who would move into the White House next. And – twice now – American voters failed to acknowledge a truth Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote about years ago for a little show called South Pacific – “There ain’t nothing like a dame!” And I quote: It’s a waste of time to worry over things that they have not. We’re thankful for the things they got!

Ignore the sexual innuendo there, and focus on the reality. Claudia, by crikey, has got a lot. She has a nice smile, don’t you think? She’s a scientist with an undergraduate degree in physics and PhD in Energy Engineering, pretty smart, I’d say. She’s written two books and over a hundred articles on energy and the environment. As to politics, she was elected Mayor of Tlalpan, Mexico City’s largest borough, running on a platform of improving public services; and then in 2018 she was inaugurated Head of Government for Mexico City (first female ever, first with a Jewish background). This put her in position to work closely with the Federal government and the President. And her influence was electric.

The Family Matters

I decided to look more closely at her family, as I’ve done with all 47 US Presidents. What was it like growing up as a Sheinbaum? Claudia was born in Mexico City June 24, 1962, the second child of chemist Carlos and biologist Annie Pardo Sheinbaum. Carlos’ grandfather emigrated to Mexico from Lithuania in 1928; Annie’s family fled the persecution of Jews in Bulgaria during WWII and settled in Mexico. The Sheinbaums were actively involved in Mexican left wing circles during the 1960s, participating in protests, workers’ movements, and student uprisings. Father Carlos is remembered today as a businessman and chemical engineer and for his contributions to the leather tanning industry in Mexico; Mother Annie received the National Prize for Arts and Sciences in 2023 for her research in biochemistry, lung diseases, and aging studies. Well then.

Claudia’s older brother Julio is a physicist and oceanography researcher; her younger sister Adriana is a teacher in the United States. Claudia has been married and divorced; daughter Marianna, who also has a PhD, works at the National Center for Mexican Studies in Boston; stepson Rodrigo is an artist and filmmaker whose new son elevates Claudia into the ranks of grandmother. And she is in her second marriage now, to Jesús Tarriba, a mathematician and financial risk analyst.

Do you detect a pattern here? Intelligence, involvement, talent, hard work, passion?

100 Days

How are things playing out for Claudia, as “Mexico’s first female president ever”? Nicely, it seems. A crowd of 350,000 gathered in the center of Mexico City January 12 to celebrate her first hundred days as Presidenta. Her historic 80% approval rating, and her “slightly sarcastic” suggestion to Donald to rename the United States “America Mexicana” were keeping her approval rating high even with opposition voters. She made an hour-long speech, outlining achievements so far and future plans. A key point: empowering women.

Claudia has been clear in her support of women, ratifying a constitutional reform entrenching their rights in the constitution. Included in this are objectives to guarantee a woman’s right to a life free of violence, get rid of the gender pay gap, ensure that public policy considers female perspectives, and increase gender parity in government departments.

Something in Common

Forbes magazine puts out a list each year naming 100 of the “World’s Most Powerful Women.” Selections are determined by four main metrics: money, media, impact, and spheres of influence. For 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum was ranked 4^th on that list, with this quote from her inaugural presidential address: “Many of us were told a version of history since we were children, which wanted us to believe that the course of humanity was led only by men. But little by little this vision has been reversed. It is time for women.” And she’s not alone in her quest.

Check out the top ten women on the 2024 Forbes list. I wish I had time to tell you the full story of each of them, but you’ll get the gist.

1.  Ursula von der Leyen (b 1958). Nationality: German; married; 7 children. President of the European Commission since 2019, the first woman to hold that position. The European Union (EU) has 27 member states and a population of over 449 million.
2.  Christine Lagarde (b 1956). Nationality: French; divorced, 2 children. Since 2019, President of the European Central Bank, the main institution responsible for the management of the euro and monetary policy in the Eurozone.
3.  Giorgia Meloni (b 1977). Nationality: Italian; partnered, 1 child. Prime Minister of Italy since 2022, the first woman to hold the office.
4.  Claudia Sheinbaum (b 1962). Nationality: Mexican; married, 2 children. President of Mexico since 2024, the first woman elected to the office.
5.  Mary Barra (b 1961). Nationality: American; married, 2 children. Chair and CEO of General Motors since 2014, the first female CEO of a Big Three automaker.
6.  Abigail Johnson (b 1961). Nationality: American; married, 2 children. Billionaire businesswoman; CEO and president of Fidelity Investments since 2016.
7.  Julie Sweet (b 1966). Nationality: American; married, 2 children. Since 2019 Chair and CEO of Accenture, an information technology services multinational company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland; the first woman to hold that position.
8.  Melinda French Gates (b 1964). Nationality: American; divorced, 3 children. Billionaire and philanthropist, focusing on the needs of women and families.
9.  MacKenzie Scott (b 1970). Nationality: American; divorced, 4 children. Billionaire and philanthropist, co-founder of Amazon. Committed to giving half her wealth to charity.
10. Jane Fraser (b 1967). Nationality: British-American; married, 2 children. CEO of Citigroup Inc since 2021, the first woman to head a major US bank.

Did you notice how many times the world “first” came up? Did you notice that every one of these powerful women is a mom?

There ain’t nothing like a dame.