Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life

The 2016 presidential election brought women’s issues into the spotlight and facilitated a national conversation we have not seen in previous years. From the possibility of electing America’s first female president to the role of issues like the gender wage gap, paid maternity leave, and the misogynistic rhetoric and sexual harassment accusations of the man we ultimately voted into office. Given Tuesday’s results, I sat down with two prominent women leaders on campus, Maddy Moore and Alexis Larios, to discuss this election’s implications as we strive to move towards solidarity.

Last week, Tyler Bridge wrote a reflection on his hometown of Hamilton, Ohio and the dignity of work. We decided to do a follow-up piece to further explore the themes of Catholic Social Thought (CST)—most notably the principle of subsidiarity, the call to community and participation, and care for God’s creation—in regards to the revitalization of this Rust Belt town. Here’s an excerpt from our conversation.