INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Fifty years ago, Helen Reddy created an anthem for women that still empowers and inspires, especially as we celebrate March 8th as International Women’s Day. “I am woman, hear me roar…I am strong, I am invincible, I can do anything” are fighting words that encourage women to stand up for their rights. Begun in 1911, with two gatherings of over a million people, this movement honors the vibrancy of females, socially, culturally, economically and politically and is a call to action to end injustice and inequality. This year’s motivation is to “choose to challenge,” to call out racism and sexism, to scream instead of whisper, to be stronger, greater and kinder, to choose to create history and write a new page. In the words of Anisa Nandaula, one of the movement’s social commentators, “gender is a pre-written book” and we need to write our own chapter and work for positive change. The glass ceiling is not showing enough cracks, with only 7.4% or 37 Chief Executive Officers of the Fortune 500 corporations as women. Violence against women translates to 137 women being killed by a family member or intimate partner every DAY. COVID-19 threatens to eliminate any advances that have been made. 200 million females, child and adult, across Africa and the Middle East are exposed to violence on a daily basis. Unbelievably 33,000 girls are forced to become child brides every DAY around the world, 132 million girls are denied an education and migrant and refugee women are singled out for mistreatment. As women, we need to paint our own picture and write our own narrative, all the while creating a platform for positive change. Women wear many hats and work to juggle a Superwoman existence. Women are mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, grandmothers, aunts, friends, mentors, teachers, volunteers and advocates, as well as teachers, attorneys, doctors, executives, and especially vice-president. This past year 2020 has shown us how resilient and courageous, innovative and creative, supportive and forgiving, we need to be to not only survive, but thrive. The world has called upon women to stand up and take charge in the home, the classroom, the hospital, in the community, to protect our family and our friends, by whatever means necessary and possible. We have been tested and we have proven our strength. Hopefully 2021 will signal an even higher level of accomplishment from which to grow and soar. Every day, not just March 8th, women need to unite, to stand tall and roar!