October 11, 2018

Wait Just a Minute: Time's Up Leader Tina Tchen

Our web series, Wait Just a Minute, asks experts to answer complex questions about global affairs in 60 seconds. In this episode, Time's Up leader and former Chief of Staff to Michelle Obama, Tina Tchen, shares her favorite thing about working with the former First Lady, the challenges of building Time's Up, and advice for young women starting their careers.

Wait Just a Minute: Tina Tchen


Best thing about working with Michelle Obama?

So, it's hard to isolate one thing that I enjoyed the most about working with Mrs. Obama, but I think, you know, we had a great team. I think the thing that both of us treasure from our time in the White House, and also on the campaigns, was the spirit of a team that came together to support a cause.

Biggest challenge in building Time's Up?

I think the biggest challenge in building Time's Up has just been to keep up with the momentum. I think we were all surprised by the outpouring of support, and, quite frankly, the outpouring of people needing help. So, just keeping up with that over the course of the last year has been a challenge. 

When do you think women will "get there"?

This is a longtime struggle, when I talk about women's rights I often say, you know, gender discrimination is something that has been with us for a millennia. It has transcended time, and religion, and culture, geography, age... it has been with us since the beginning of time, so it's going to take a while to overcome.

Advice for young women starting their careers?

The most important thing is to believe in yourself, believe in your own capabilities, believe in your voice, and then use it.

About

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is an independent, nonpartisan organization that provides insight – and influences the public discourse – on critical global issues. We convene leading global voices and conduct independent research to bring clarity and offer solutions to challenges and opportunities across the globe. The Council is committed to engaging the public and raising global awareness of issues that transcend borders and transform how people, business, and governments engage the world.

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is an independent, nonpartisan organization. All statements of fact and expressions of opinion in blog posts are the sole responsibility of the individual author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council.

Archive

| By Ivo H. Daalder

This Week's Reads - Globalization, Inevitable and Unavoidable

"No one willed the world’s present interconnectedness into existence," writes Council President Ivo Daalder, but it "is the reality of our age...a reality that cannot be reversed." This Week’s Reads from Daalder examine how concerted global cooperation, be it in combating a deadly virus or in addressing human-made problems, is the only way forward. 

| By Brian Hanson, Karl Friedhoff

Deep Dish: What to Know About South Korea's New President

“When you focus on Korea, you have to focus on everything,” says Council expert Karl Friedhoff. On the latest episode of Deep Dish, Friedhoff explains the significance of South Korea’s newly elected president and how he will usher in a new era affecting North Korea, China, Japan, and the United States. 

One More Question with Dan Drezner

Dan Drezner, senior fellow on public opinion and foreign policy for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, discusses the positive and negative impacts of a more open ideas industry. 

| By Brian Hanson

Deep Dish: The View from China

Often missing from discussions about the US-China relationship is the perspective of the Chinese government. On this week's Deep Dish podcast, Hong Lei, China's Consul General in Chicago, explains how China and the United States may be able to cooperate on global security and the global economy.

Pages