Hi Year Up,
In March, we celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, on Sunday March 8. To celebrate the month, I plan to immerse myself in experiences that affirm me for all of who I am – an African American, bi-racial, woman, mother, professional, leader. This weekend, I will attend the second annual Black Girls Rock (BGR) fest at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., immersed in the intellectual, creative, supportive, powerful presence of Black women. This morning, I rode the Soul Cycle Black Girls Rock ride dj’ed by founder Beverly Bond, who started BGR as a t-shirt designed to recognize Black women whose historical contributions were not widely known.
The Women’s History Alliance selected “Valient Women of the Vote” as the 2020 theme. In describing the theme, the organization writes: “In recognition of the centennial of the 19th Amendment, we will honor women from the original suffrage movement as well as 20th and 21st century women who have continued the struggle (fighting against poll taxes, literacy tests, voter roll purges, and other more contemporary forms of voter suppression) to ensure voting rights for all.” The four inspiring living honorees are:
- Maria Teresa Kumar, CEO, Voto Latino
- Terry Ao Minnis, Senior Director, Census and Voting Programs Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Eleanor Holmes Norton, Civil Rights Leader, Congressperson, Lawyer and Organizer
- Edith Mayo, Suffrage Historian, Women’s History Movement Activist known for ”her work in documenting African American suffragist history”.
What I most appreciate about this theme is the acknowledgement that the fight for equal voting rights and by extension, justice and equality for all, persists to this day. The existence of Women’s History Month is acknowledgement that the study of past events must expand to correct for the absence and excluded stories of marginalized people. Also, the month is an inspiring reminder of the power of women to lead movements that change the world.
Colleagues, let’s find ways to affirm, nurture and inspire ourselves and each other this month.
Take care,
Ellen
