Conversations with the CTGCA Team: Volunteer Scout Ennette Morton
CTGCA Volunteer Scout Ennette Morton tells us about her transition into political movements, how research into women’s leadership led her to connect with Mary Hughes, and much more.
This interview has been edited for brevity. We interviewed members from our team to learn about their roots in the gender equality movement. To learn more about our Interview Series and read other pieces like this, please click here.
When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always knew I wanted to be some kind of image consultant. When I was little, I didn’t know what you would call it, but I ended up being a publicist. So I was able to do all of the things I like to do- write, help people put things together, and help them look their best to communicate and tell stories.
Were your dreams at all modified because of limited opportunities for your gender, race, abilities, sexuality, religion, etc.?
Definitely. The second part of my dream was to be a publicist in Hollywood because I always liked the way the newscasters were helping to tell stories and put things together. So I went to work in Hollywood and worked on projects like 21 Jump Street, Reading Rainbow with LeVar Burton, and a number of Winnie the Pooh Disney shows.
As I was working in Hollywood, I saw how women were sidelined and gaslighted, and I started considering what else I could use my talent for and how I could help change this situation for the better. I knew that there had to be something I could do with my skills to tell stories, specifically for women and people of color, and that’s when I got involved in government and the political world.
What drew you to political work? What inspired you to continue?
It was the Clinton campaign and seeing Hillary Clinton with Bill and all of the things that they went through. They excited the younger generation at that time, and made me wonder what else I could do to help women become part of the conversation. I realized working as a public information Officer (PIO) requires the same skill set as working in entertainment, and I knew I could help elevate the messages that local communities needed help with and lend my talents to nonprofits. So I started with the city of Riverside as a PIO in the early 2000s.
How did your community and family influence your passions?
My family is the foundation of everything that I do. Growing up, my dad was in the Air Force, so I traveled around a lot. When I was younger, I had to be bused to a school. I lived in parts of Georgia that weren’t welcoming for African American people at all. My family never sugar coated anything. They always explained what was happening and why, and helped me use my own mind to be a strong person and not let others influence me.
My parents were very involved. My mom was part of a group that did some of the sit-ins at the lunch counters when she lived on the East coast, so she was always involved, to the extent that she could be. Once my dad was in the Air Force, it changed a little bit because of the rules of being in the military, but wherever we were living, we always knew what the current issues were so that we would be able to vote and participate.
When my parents lived in Virginia, they couldn’t go everywhere. Segregation was in full force, so they were impacted by the civil rights movement completely. Because that’s the era they grew up in, they taught me that you always have to stand up for yourself and your rights, and you have to speak out for other people, especially those who don’t have a voice or the ability to.
How have you sustained momentum in your passion?
A lot of times, I found myself as the only one, or one of the first to do a lot of different things. When I get super scared, that’s when I know I’m on the right path, because I’m about to grow into something or make an impact. If I feel comfortable, that means I’m not doing enough.
The other passion I had was education. And I truly believe that education is the key to everything. My curiosity around women’s leadership really started with questions like, why aren’t there more women leaders? Where are the black women leaders? What makes a leader successful? Combining that curiosity with education led me to the research that I do now. When I started doing this, there wasn’t a lot of information out there about women, political leaders, or women’s leadership period. That’s how I discovered Close the Gap, actually.
My dissertation was on the leadership traits and characteristics of California women who became political leaders. Because there was very little information on women in politics, I found a report that came out from Rutgers University, and Mary Hughes was one of the co-authors. I tracked her down, and as I was researching her, I found the 2012 Project (Editor’s note: the precursor effort to Close the Gap), and said, I’d love to be part of this and get more information for my dissertation. And that’s how I got involved.
One of the things I love about Close the Gap is how it shows women that they have to ignore all those negative stereotypes that are placed on them by society. You have to ask a woman to run multiple times. They want to help, but a lot of times, they don’t think they’re qualified, don’t have the time, or don’t see themselves as this competitive person. Close the Gap shows women that this is part of the process, and that they’ve been doing this work already.
What has been your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest achievements have been one, becoming a mom, and being a mom for my daughter, whom I love dearly. And the other one is earning my doctorate and being able to focus on women’s leadership and women’s political leadership. That was something I always wanted to achieve, and it led me to the roads that I’m on on now.
My mom and my grandmother have been my greatest mentors. And then people like Mary Hughes, who was one of my earliest mentors in the political world. I thought I knew politics, but when I met Mary she explained how to do things that were very different to how I knew them.
What do you enjoy about the work you do with Close the Gap California?
I love seeing women transform, especially when they have that “aha moment”- “Oh, I can do this, and this is how it’s done.” My earliest and proudest success is when I got to chat with (now Assemblymember) Wendy Carrillo after her Congressional race. She didn’t win, but she did really, really well and went on to win a seat in the Legislature. Seeing women launch their campaigns and then go on to win, and have a huge impact in their communities is what I love, and what keeps me doing what I do.
What gives you hope for California’s future?
That women are starting to see their purpose, and to see that they can and are making a difference. We have some extraordinary women who are stepping up and leading the way and inspiring a whole new generation, while influencing the rest of the country. It’s amazing to see… from Kamala Harris, the highest peak of power, to Nancy Pelosi, to the newest Assemblymembers and Senators…all are stepping into their roles. Women are seeing themselves in those roles every day. It’s powerful.
The State Legislature has just two Black women remaining. From your perspective, what is it going to take to get more Black women into state office?
A few things-
- Money, and the ability to help them fundraise.
- Support systems for women of color. You have some amazing women who, if they have a strong support system, could really grow into those roles. But it’s hard if you have to raise your family, not just in one place, but in two. If you’re going to the State Assembly or State Senate, you have to have a really strong support system, and sadly, there aren’t enough of those systems available so that people can see themselves beyond their circumstances, and take them on.
- Helping the younger generation become part of a pipeline. Highlighting stories like Holly Mitchell’s, Sydney Kamlager’s, Kamala Harris’s and their backgrounds, so that the younger generation can see themselves doing these things earlier. You can’t see what you can become when you don’t see yourself represented.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Get involved sooner. Don’t be afraid of being afraid. It took me a little while to understand that being afraid is what you’re supposed to be because that means you’re trying to achieve something huge.
Close the Gap California is committed to building on progressive women’s historic momentum by recruiting them statewide and achieving equality in California by 2028. Join us!
About Close the Gap California
Close the Gap California (CTGCA) is a statewide campaign launched in 2013 to close the gender gap in the California Legislature by 2028. By recruiting accomplished, progressive women in targeted districts and preparing them to launch competitive campaigns, CTGCA is changing the face of the Legislature one cycle at a time.
One in every four women in the Legislature is a CTGCA Recruit. Our Recruits are committed to reproductive justice, quality public education, and combatting poverty, and nine of 10 serving today are women of color.
