Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) honored late Democratic colleague Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), saying she broke barriers for all women.
“When you break a barrier, you don’t break a barrier for just people in your party. You’re breaking it for all women,” Blackburn said when asked about Feinstein’s legacy during The Hill’s “Powerful Women over 50” event.
Thursday’s event invited several “powerful women over 50” to share their life experiences and career advice for women of all ages. The event gave the women a chance to highlight the fact that just because they are 50 and older, it does not mean their careers and accomplishments are finished.
Event moderators included Julia Manchester, national political correspondent for The Hill; Ashleigh Banfield, anchor for NewsNation’s “Banfield”; and Elizabeth Vargas, anchor for NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”
Besides Blackburn, there were six other guests: crime novelist Patricia Cornwell; Angie Hicks, co-founder of ANGI; Valerie Jarrett, Obama Foundation CEO; producer and TV host Melissa Rivers; Lesley Jane Seymour, media entrepreneur and CoveyClub CEO; and Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.
Blackburn, Tennessee’s first female Senator, shared how Feinstein, despite being from the opposite party, welcomed her to Congress. As California’s first female Senator, Feinstein wanted to offer mentorship and advice to Blackburn when she was first elected.
“[Feinstein] had approached me when I came to the Senate, and she said, ‘I was the first in California, and this is what I’ve found from breaking those barriers, and this is what I’ve found from being in the Senate,’” Blackburn said.
Blackburn spoke about the extra responsibilities that come with being a woman in a male-dominated space.
“Women have to know more,” Blackburn said. “Women have to be more prepared and willing to speak up to create that place for themselves at the table because here in Congress, that table is not always going to be there for them. We are always pushing to make certain that we have that seat at the table.”
Blackburn also advised women who want to pursue a career in politics to get involved in their communities.
“What [women] should do is make certain that they are participating in the community, that they are building that base of support,” Blackburn said. “They are allowing people to know them and their philosophy of life, their philosophy of government, and how they would handle situations.”
For women over 50, whether they have a career in politics or not, Blackburn gave this advice: “[You] have learned a lot by living. Put these experiences to work for you.”