Santa Clara, CA - America voted in the first black president, now its time to vote in the first women. The cheers were loud and clear at the sold out Lead On: Watermark's Silicon Valley Conference for Women at the Santa Clara Convention. Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State, Senator and former first lady was the headline speaker. She spoke to over 5,000 women about empowerment and the economy yesterday.
"In many ways our economy seems to be still operating like it's 1955," said Clinton. "The great unfinished business of the 21st century is still not enough corporate jobs for women. Held back by outdated policies and manuals, we're leaving that growth on the table for women."
In her first public speech of the the new year, Clinton wasted no time declaring her plans to close the gender gap in leadership and pay. Her audience, women and a few men in technology, she took this opportunity to outline a platform that would focus on women's issues and economic fairness. Clinton said she understood what she did right and wrong in her failed 2008 campaign.
"Technology presents both peril and promise for all human beings," she explained. "We are at a pivotal point on our next move to shape our future. We're going backwards in a field that is supposed to be about moving forward."
While Clinton was coy about her plans for the presidential race in 2016. She did praise companies that have made a change, Clinton acknowledged Google's decision to reveal their gender and racial breakdown of its workforce, prompting other tech companies to open up for the first time about their makeup of their workforces, which are mostly Asian and white men.
"In our growing multicultural country, inclusitivioty is not to to have, it's a must have."
The conference featured up to 200 speakers including Fashion Icon Diane von Furstenberg who reinvented herself at the age of 50 with the vintage wrap dress. She shared her success story which was described as the "comeback kid", the "change" and the "new era" focusing on legacy. Von Furstenberg is also a huge supporter of Clinton and shared her support for her to run again.
"I love Hillary and I love, above all what she has done for women," said Von Furstenberg who is on the board of Vital Voices. As secretary of state, Clinton founded Vital Voices, an organization aimed at increasing political leadership and entrepreneurship around the world. "It is an incredible organization, I hope she runs for president because if so, I will definitely support her."