Colorado Women Celebrate International Women's Day

DENVER (CBS4) - Women in Denver are celebrating International Women's Day by coming together and creating more representation in technology, STEM and transportation.

"When people get together and create the right kind of conditions they want to get together and get along," says Executive Director of
WorldDenver Karen De Bartolome. She tells CBS4's Britt Moreno she created the nonprofit seven years ago in order to help Denver residents understand world affairs and cultures.

De Bartolome is proud of the nonprofit's partnership with the State Department to bring international visitors to Denver. She says "the taxpayer-supported trip allows people to learn more about who we really are as opposed to how we are portrayed in Hollywood."

On Friday WorldDenver put on a big event to bring awareness about "women in technology." Recently local female entrepreneurs pitched ideas in tech and on Friday the finalists were announced at the Hyatt Regency. It is the culmination of Week of Women here at CBS4.

Women are also making strides in transportation here in the Mile High City. Tami Door, head of the Downtown Denver Partnership, tells CBS4's Britt Moreno women are making their mark on Denver.

"The leaders in Denver business, civic, elected officials are united in growing women and it's a great environment for women to leverage opportunity."

Door says women face challenges when it comes to transportation in the city. She says women take 15 percent more separate trips than men and "it's called trip chaining" so they use transit differently.

"We are launching a project that addresses how do you build a city for women as an economic imperative. We're going to flip the messaging. Half of the workforce are women and we are the only country in world that are losing women from the workplace per capita," she said.

Door says it's critical to address women's transportation needs so that we can keep women in the workforce, especially in Colorado where they make our economy richer.

Another focus for Denver is trying to alleviate the day care shortage.