Last month women in leadership roles were invited to the home of Eric Garcetti.  The Mayor invited 200+ women to join him at the Getty House for the Women’s Leadership Series & Engage LA event series.

At the event, women were able to network with each other while getting information on the many female locally-owned and run businesses and how they can get involved in the future.  As well discussions centered on competing for city contracts within the four million residence city that comprises 500,000 businesses.

Within the city’s $10billion budget, 10% is dedicated to fund city contracts.  Back in 2013 – when Mayor Garcetti first took office – only 1½% of the contracts went to women. Since gender equality is such a high priority for Garcetti, this has changed.

One of the takeaways from this was that more women have to bid for contracts.  Not only is this going to result in the best person for the job and likely bring more women into positions that they deserve it will also benefit the city.

In addition, members of Garcetti’s Innovation Team (LA City’s first female Director of Finance Claire Bartels and Chief Procurement Officer Shannon Hoppes) have been attempting to simplify the process of getting contracts.