By Erin Frustaci

Read the original article at Fort Collins Now.

It seems more than ever, the “Good Ol’ Boys” network traditionally found in politics has met its match. Although Sen. Hillary Clinton did not win the Democratic nomination for president, women across the nation saw her candidacy as a historical step, making it easier for the next woman to pass through the door.

Energized and mobilized, women of all ages filed into the Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver on Monday to hear motivational speeches from successful women in the political sphere.

“It’s absolutely essential that women take the responsibility of helping open the doors for each other,” said Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat and the first-ever Speaker of the House.

As one of the guest speakers, Pelosi recounted her journey of becoming the first woman in American history to lead a major party in the U.S. Congress. At the first meeting, she sat in her chair thinking of all the remarkable women like Susan B. Anthony who came before her.

They were all in that chair,” she said. “We were all squeezed in and I heard them say, ‘At last, we have a seat at the table.’ My first thought was we want more.”

Pelosi, along with Maria Echaveste, former assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for President Clinton; Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan; Ellen Malcolm, president of Emily’s List and several others encouraged the audience of women to get out and vote and to increase political involvement. Swanee Hunt, president of Hunt Alternatives Fund, served as ambassador for the event.

One by one, the speakers shared stories from their work at the Capital, weaving in anecdotes about giving birth, raising children and strengthening policy.

Echaveste said that although there may be mixed emotions regarding this election, she said it is important for people to unify. She also praised Clinton for the strides she made.

“She showed that women could run and almost get the nomination,” she said.

Stabenow, the first woman from the state of Michigan elected to the U.S. Senate, said she is amazed to see how much progress has been made, but added that the work is never done.

She said there are still a number of issues facing women that need to be addressed such as equal pay.

“We’ve got to have women involved,” she said.

Several of the guest speakers echoed the same idea, adding that women must be passionate about what they do. In addition to encouraging the audience to vote, many of the speakers spoke about how to run for an elected office and the important work that needs to be done. Some touched on the marriage gap, highlighting the increased population of unmarried women. Others mentioned the unstable economy and the war in Iraq.

“Every issue is a woman’s issue,” Pelosi said.

CodePink, an anti-war activist group, did make there presence known when Pelosi took the stage. Several protesters wearing pink stood with banners in front of the stage and shouted a few anti-war remarks, before being escorted out of the theater. The rest of the program went on without incident.

Joann Jozaitis of Hawaii said the program was about encouraging education and confidence among women.

“It’s about having your own opinion—not your husband’s and not your boyfriends—but your own,” she said. “It’s amazing to have so many vibrant women in one place at one time.”