LEADing the way

Following the Presidential election, a lot of women were angry and disappointed with the results. But rather than simply complain, one group decided to do something about it.

“It started with the intent of just a few women getting together, our first meeting we had over 100 attendees,” LEAD organizer Susan Kroger said.

Susan Kroger is one of the founders of a new, non-partisan group of women in South Dakota called, LEAD. That stands for Leaders Engaged and Determined.

Kroger, along with many other women, was upset that Donald Trump had won the presidential election.  She was hoping to see the country’s first woman president elected. When Hillary Clinton lost, Kroger decided to rally others together on social media.

“At first it was really about women coming together to talk about their concerns, their fears, their hopes for the future, since then it really evolved into how do I become involved in the political process as an individual,” Kroger said.

See the feature on KELO

Video courtesy of KELO

GOTR is a 10-week after school program that emphasizes social and emotional development in a physically active environment. Throughout the program the girls learn to stand up for themselves and each other, to look for positive qualities in themselves and others, and to set goals and strive to reach them along the way. The season culminates in a 5k, a major city-wide celebration where girls from all over the region get to run, walk, skip, dance, or hop across the finish line to cap off 10 weeks of hard work.

ABOUT LEAD SOUTH DAKOTA

LEAD South Dakota is a registered 501c(4) nonprofit.  LEAD (Leaders Engaged And Determined) is a grassroots organization aimed at bringing awareness to issues facing South Dakota, the United States, and abroad. LEAD exists to foster a community of individuals who empower and encourage women to be actively involved in all stages of the political process in order to effect positive change for women and families in South Dakota.

LEAD is not affiliated with any political party or organization. We are welcoming and inclusive of all people, regardless of race, age, religion, ethnicity, national origin, color, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, or citizenship.