#wwld?

I can honestly say that Parks and Recreation's Leslie Knope is one of my hero's. I know Leslie is a fictional character but I admire her for her courage and for using politics as a way to make changes within her community. She's inspired me in numerous ways, sometimes I even find it helpful to think WWLD (what would Leslie do)? And her thriving political career is AMAZING to see on the television screen. There are quite a few women working in politics and who are hugely admirable (Kirsten Gillibrand, Hillary Clinton, & Sonia Sotomayor all come to mind) but part of the issue with making politics a viable career choice for women is that women are not always seen in political positions. Not every state has a visible female congress women, mayor, governor, etc. However, television has the means to reach people who haven't been previously exposed to the idea of a women in political office. While watching Leslie interact with her friends, co-workers, and fellow Pawnee residents it's clear she's very accessible. Leslie is approachable and willing to do pretty much anything to make her town of Pawnee better. And let's be honest, that's what people want their political representatives to be like, right? Leslie gives hope to women like me, some who might have not thought about holding a position in the government before, to become involved in politics. To become a voice for yourself. To become a voice for others. And while I love Leslie's crazy shenanigans I mostly love her for being unabashedly herself and for showing that going into politics is an option for women. So... ask yourself, WWLD?