The next time you are pulling out cash to pay for something, take a closer look at the signatures engraved on those bills. Chances are you’ll find the signature of today’s guest, Rosie Rios. Rosie was the United States Treasurer under President Obama, and her signature is on more than a trillion dollars of currency in circulation around the globe. Now that’s some real money power!
But Rosie’s real legacy isn’t her signature. She helped lead our nation’s economic recovery after the 2008 financial crisis. And when we finally do see a woman on the $20 bill, we’ll surely have Rosie to thank for initiating that effort. She’s the one who asked why 51% of our population was absent from our money, our statues and monuments, and other public projections of power. She started the conversation about women on American paper currency, and now finally Maya Angelou, Sally Ride, Anna May Wong, and other history-making women will start appearing on American quarters next year.
"It’s not just about currency. It’s not just about a coin. It’s not just about a painting or a statue. For me, it’s just the beginning. All of these are just triggers for a much larger global conversation that still needs to happen." - Rosie Rios