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Lori Lightfoot’s commitment to expanding opportunities for women, minority businesses highlights ‘women helping women’ approach

As Mayor Lori Lightfoot begins her historic term, experts say her commitment to elevating women- and minority-owned businesses can have a positive impact and is a common tactic among women in positions of power.

“There’s no question that role modeling and visibility of role models has an impact,” said Waverly Deutsch, professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. “The very fact that we have an African American, female, lesbian mayor is going to have an impact on little girls in Chicago believing that there are more options open to them.”

In the days before taking office and during her first day as mayor, Lightfoot hosted lunches catered by women- and LGBT-owned businesses, and during her campaign, she promised to expand opportunities for diverse businesses.

“Minority and women-owned entrepreneurs are at the heart of Chicago’s economy,” a Lightfoot spokesman said Tuesday in a statement. “Under Mayor Lightfoot’s leadership, we are committed to expanding opportunities for all minority and women-owned businesses to ensure that every entrepreneur — regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity — has the chance to succeed in Chicago’s economy.”

Lightfoot, Chicago’s first woman of color to become mayor and the city’s first openly gay mayor, also remarked Monday on the significance of her holding the office in her inaugural address.

“Kids who look like me and come from families like mine shouldn’t have to beat the odds to get an education, pursue their passions or build a family,” Lightfoot said in her speech. “Black and brown kids, low-income kids, every kid in this city should grow up knowing they can pursue anything, they can love anyone — that’s my Chicago dream.”

Women in power in the corporate world tend to mentor other women and may bring other women into their organization, Deutsch said. And while our society is still in the early stages of seeing many women hold powerful offices and lead big companies, there’s evidence that women in charge can also help other women be successful.

“We’re really new in these shifts of awareness of diversity and a lot of women being in power,” Deutsch said. “It will be interesting to see a social response to a very visible female team in power in Chicago.”

When Lightfoot and other powerful women elevate other women (or minority groups), it shows that they are not the exception, Deutsch added. “Where the first of something is so unique and so different, she’s showing there’s a pipeline of people like me who can serve the city of Chicago. I’m one of this great team.”

David Matsa, professor of finance at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, has studied women at the top of corporate hierarchies. He also has found that women are more likely to hire other women.

In some cases, it’s an explicit move by a woman boss, Matsa said, but in others it’s simply access to a more diverse network than their white male counterparts.

“There’s also probably a sense of setting an example,” he said. “You’re trying to show that your (hiring of women) is also a sign that maybe others should.”

In his research, Matsa said he’s heard anecdotes of women saying, “It was very difficult for me; it shouldn’t be as difficult for you.”

“One way to think of it is, women helping women,” he added. “Another could be, women being more open to hiring women.”

kthayer@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @knthayer