"Mary Chung Hayashi is an award-winning author, national healthcare leader, and former California State Assemblymember. With a distinguished career in public service, Mary has spearheaded substantial reforms in mental health services, championed gender equality, and forged powerful, unprecedented partnerships for social causes that previously had no financial or public backing. Recognized as ""Legislator of the Year"" by the American Red Cross and the California Medical Association, Mary has also been featured on Redbook's ""Mothers and Shakers"" list and Ladies' Home Journal's ""Women to Watch."" As Principal of Public Policy & Advocacy Solutions, she has successfully advised business and policy leaders on some of today's most complex public policy matters. Mary remains a steadfast proponent of social justice expansion and the rights of underrepresented communities."
"""Women in Politics is a book that inspires women, reminding them that their voice does matter. But it's more than that. Mary's political and other achievements are significant not because she is a woman, but because she worked tirelessly to ensure their importance. As a result, these accomplishments have become life-altering solutions for women."" -MARIEL HEMINGWAY, ACTRESS AND AUTHOR ""Mary Chung Hayashi was an early advocate for mental health reform, a California State Representative, and is a veteran political consultant. In this book, she tells it true: where we've been, where we are, and where we need to go to achieve true representation in politics."" - PEGGY ORENSTEIN, author of the New York Times bestsellers Boys & Sex, Girls & Sex, and Schoolgirls, and internationally acclaimed expert on young women, self-esteem, and the confidence gap. ""Hayashi offers a memoir and how-to guide for women seeking political office. The author, a former California state legislator, award-winning health care advocate, and writer, presents a hard-hitting account of her experience as an Asian American woman in politics, using her personal history and the stories of other female politicians (both well known and less so) to provide actionable advice for women with similar ambitions. She looks in depth at the intersectional issues involved in public office, comparing the challenges women belonging to different racial minorities face... The book is a well-crafted and thoughtful guide for aspiring women officeholders ... this is a valuable guide for women interested in pursuing a career as an elected official. An important look at how far women have come and still have to go in politics."" - KIRKUS REVIEWS"