From Foundations to Rooftops, Wolverine's
Woman-Made Campaign Recognizes Women's Contributions in Every Layer
of the Trades
ROCKFORD, Mich.,
Feb. 29,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In time for Women's History
Month, Wolverine Boots and Apparel, the 140-year-old boot
maker, has launched Woman-Made, spotlighting the remarkable
accomplishments of women in the skilled trades. Rooted in a rich
legacy of honoring the American worker, Wolverine aims to build a
more inclusive future through an effort to add "woman-made" to the
dictionary.
Debuting today, the campaign's anthem
video challenges the default use of "man-made" and
introduces "woman-made" as a synonym to highlight creations by
women. In addition to featuring prominent structures led by women
including the Brooklyn Bridge, the video also highlights key
figures in the realm of "woman-made" accomplishments, including
Anna Connelly, inventor of the fire
escape, and Mary Katherine Harbin,
leader of an all-female paving crew.
Complementing this effort, Wolverine launched a public petition
on Change.org calling for the addition of "woman-made"
into the dictionary, a term currently absent. By seamlessly
integrating "woman-made" into everyday language, Wolverine aims to
address the historical underrepresentation of women's achievements
and empower more women to pursue fulfilling careers in the skilled
trades.
"From building historical landmarks to pioneering concepts
integral to everyday life, women have been pivotal in shaping our
world," said Lauren King, Director
of Brand Marketing at Wolverine Boots and Apparel. "In addition to
our goal of getting 'woman-made' added to the dictionary, we hope
to inspire girls and women around the globe to have the confidence
to pursue any passion, especially within the skilled trades where
women are drastically underrepresented."
Among those highlighted in the video is real estate developer
Mika Kleinschmidt, renowned for
designing and building custom homes on HGTV's "100 Day
Dream Home." Together with her husband, Brian, they run Dirt 2
Design, a consulting real estate business based out of Tampa, Florida, that has a similar mission. As
part of this campaign, Wolverine partnered with both Mika and her
husband Brian to not only spotlight one of the leading women in the
trades, but to encourage men to be strong allies to the cause.
"As someone who's built quite a lot, it's mind-boggling
to me that 'woman-made' isn't in the dictionary," said Mika Kleinschmidt. "It's no surprise to me that
my husband, Brian, is one of my biggest champions – but I hope many
more men will join this movement. Together, we can redefine success
and create a world where 'woman-made' is widely used and girls and
women of all ages can see their achievements being celebrated."
Statistics show that over half of American homes are sustained
by women, yet they remain underrepresented in the skilled trades.
To help change that, Wolverine is partnering with Girls
Garage, a design and construction school for girls and
gender-expansive youths ages 9-18, and donating $25,000 to the organization. Founded in 2013,
Girls Garage is the first-ever design and building workshop for
female-identifying youth in the United
States.
To support the cause and add your name to the Change.org, please
visit wolverine.com/woman-made.
About Wolverine
Wolverine, the 140-year-old boot and
clothing company, is on a mission to honor the spirit and tenacity
of the American worker and build the next generation of skilled
trades people. Taking pride in crafting durable boots with
unrivaled craftsmanship and the highest quality materials,
Wolverine is dedicated to serving hardworking people all over the
world. Through Project Bootstrap, Wolverine has contributed
over $2 million to organizations in support of skilled
trades. For more information, visit www.wolverine.com.
Wolverine is a division of Wolverine Worldwide, Inc.
(NYSE: WWW).
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SOURCE Wolverine