Ep 21: Dr. Nicole Haggard, Mount Saint Mary's University: Unstoppable Sisterhood

Equality Talks: The Official ERA Podcast

In episode 21 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to Dr. Nicole Haggard, director of the Center for the Advancement of Women at Mount Saint Mary’s University and co-founder of CIME. Dr. Haggard takes an intersectional approach to advancing culture and brings data to life through storytelling. She reminds us that the stories we tell ourselves and what we place value on is what defines our culture. In her personal story, she tells a tale of following her heart, showing up for equality and most important the power of women supporting women and the sisterhood at Mount Saint Mary's University (MSMU).

As a longtime educator and activist for gender justice she serves at one of the ultimate hubs for women in Southern California. MSMU is also home to the Report on the Status of Women and Girls, directed by Dr. Haggard and is one of the most comprehensive reports of its kind. Haggard, discusses the cost of being a woman, the theme of their 13th annual report. The ERA Coalition is thrilled to be in partnership with Mount Saint Mary's University and was honored to be included in the report and featured at their annual event at Skirball in Los Angeles.

Ask anyone about MSMU and they'll generally tell you there is a magic that exists within this educational institution. Founded by the Sisters of St Joseph, visionary educators, the university has a long-standing reputation for embodying and supporting women and creates ripples for justice and serving the higher good within the community.

This episode with Dr. Haggard reminds us of the power of unstoppable sisterhood.

Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.

Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.

For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.

Moving from silos to solidarity.

The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 300 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.

While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.

www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org

About Dr. Nicole:

Nicole Haggard, PhD, is the director of the Center for the Advancement of Women at Mount Saint Mary’s University. Haggard’s scholarly work, consulting and academic career have been dedicated to promoting equity for women and gender parity. Her research focuses on the intersection of race and gender in American culture. A faculty member in the Film, Media, and Social Justice program at Mount Saint Mary’s since 2015, Haggard is also the co-founder of the Center for Intersectional Media and Entertainment, an organization dedicated to advancing representation in the entertainment industry.

Haggard takes an intersectional approach to advancing culture and brings data to life through storytelling. Haggard has worked with organizations like the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and Lyda Hill Philanthropies If/Then Initiative to amplify their mission of advancing women in underrepresented fields. In addition to being a seasoned and engaging presenter and keynote speaker, she is also a contributing expert to media outlets, such as Variety, NPR, and Spectrum News.

Haggard holds a PhD in American studies, with an emphasis in Women’s Studies and Critical Race Theory from Saint Louis University.

To learn more of the 2024 Report on the Status of Women and Girls click here.