According to the United Nations, as of  2021, there were only 26 women serving as Heads of State or Government. Globally, only 21% of government ministers were women, with only 14 countries having achieved 50% or more women in cabinets.  If we don’t have more women and women of color in leadership, our policies won’t address their needs. Yet, at the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years. In this episode we learn how Antonia Novello made history as the first female and first Hispanic U.S. Surgeon General. We examine the barriers that are keeping women from reaching leadership roles in government, and explore how we can overcome them. Featuring Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Antonia Novello and Nicole C. Mason, President and CEO of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research  in conversation with Hazami Barmada, Activist & Founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.