As a self-proclaimed media maven, speaker and visionary for women and social justice, Elisa Parker has co-founded several organizations to support women, including the award-winning multimedia program “See Jane Do,” the women’s conference Passion into Action, Indivisible Women, 50 Women Can Change the World in Media & Entertainment, and 100 Women Change Hollywood. Elisa defines her passion as “co-creating a coalition through sisterhood and inclusivity.” There’s a magic that happens when women come together from industries and environments where they seem invisible and powerless. The women in these groups feel the support of the sisterhood and say things like, “I feel like I can take off my shield and that I’m in a safe place where I can say what I think.”
Elisa always knew that she would be a creator and advocate for others in a social justice capacity, and that she would use the power of storytelling to do it. In elementary school, when the movie, “Nine to Five” came out, she copied the words from the opening song and handed them out to all of her classmates. It was the first step of many to support women using their voices.
The Birth of See Jane Do and Elisa’s Motto, “Don’t Be A Dick. Be a Jane.”
When Elisa moved from the Bay Area, where she worked in the corporate world, to a rural neighborhood in California, she realized that she had left all that our society values in terms of money and position. She had to define her own value in a different way. See Jane Do was born from her social justice roots, to provide a platform for her two young daughters and other women to speak out.
See Jane Do is a grant-funded multi-media platform that features “everyday women doing extraordinary things” using the power of story to create positive change. Broadcast weekly on KVMR and 50/50 Hollywood, Elisa has interviewed amazing women ranging from Lily Tomlin to Gloria Steinem. The platform partners with others to further amplify initiatives, such as The Women’s March, The Representation Project and many others.
50 Women Can Change the World in Media and Entertainment
After becoming a Leadership Ambassador with Take the Lead, Elisa partnered with Tabby Biddle to create gender parity through 50 Women Can Change the World in Media and Entertainment. She said that even though we hear there aren’t any women directors, producers and writers, that simply isn’t true. There are a lot of women in media and entertainment, they just aren’t recognized and can’t get funding in an industry she described as a toxic masculine environment. By creating the cohort of diverse women from all aspects of media and entertainment, the 50 Women Can initiative engaged their collective power by bringing them together and providing tools to access their power to become leaders in this vast industry. Elisa says it’s extremely important since media and entertainment is a reflection of our society and affects how we see ourselves and teach our children to see themselves. Dr. Nancy adds that it’s impossible to learn how to do something if you can’t see someone else doing it.
Learn More about The Magic of Women Coming Together
Listen to the interview to hear Elisa’s stories about how women working together are getting more opportunities by sharing resources and helping each other by working together. Also listen to See Jane Do and check out other resources on the website—lots of wisdom and advice from everyday women doing extraordinary things. Elisa urges anyone who needs a connection to reach out to contact her on her website or on Facebook.
Order Dr. Nancy’s new book – Available Everywhere January 8, 2019
Elisa called Dr. Nancy’s new book “a game changer.” Find out why and order your copy (and gifts for your friends) of In This Together: How Successful Women Support Each Other In Work and Life–thoughts, advice, and stories from 40 successful women across a variety of careers—from authors to actresses, CEOs and professors—encouraging women to support each other in the workplace and in life. Learn about action plans on how all women can work together to break free from the binds of gender inequality.