Celebrating Women's History Month: Honoring the Past and Empowering the Future

As I sit down to write this post, I can't help but feel a sense of excitement and pride. March is here, and it's time to celebrate Women's History Month!

It's hard to believe that Women's History Month started as a single day, International Women's Day, in 1911. A day set aside to acknowledge the contributions of women to society. Over the years, it expanded to Women's History Week and finally to Women's History Month in 1987. We have an entire month dedicated to recognizing and honoring women's strength, resilience, and achievements throughout history. And while some argue that we no longer need a dedicated month to celebrate women's accomplishments, it is still imperative, especially for women of color.

Women have fought long and hard to earn the rights and freedoms we enjoy today. It's easy to take the progress we've made over the years for granted. But we must remember that the struggle is far from over, especially for women of color. We still face discrimination, inequity, and a lack of representation in many areas of the business world. That's why Women's History Month remains as important and valuable as ever.

This year's theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." It's a recognition of the power of storytelling and the impact that it can have on our understanding of the world. Women's stories are often overlooked or marginalized, and this year's theme is an opportunity to lift them up and honor their contributions. I think about the stories my mother, aunts, mother-in-law, sisters, nieces, and friends have shared with me. And most recently, I also think about the stories shared with me by a close group of amazing women in the legal industry that we have come to call the "UpliftHers" (you'll see and hear more from this group, so stay tuned).

Their stories are those of adversity, breaking down barriers, and allyship. They are stories that I listen to and learn from to educate myself.

Legal Operations Consultant Joy Holley told me, "When I think of inclusion, my mind goes to the metaphor of having a seat at the table. Women need to be empowered to take a seat at the table and invite another woman to sit next to them. The great Shirley Chisholm quote states, "If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair," but I think we're beyond that."

Joy continued, "To me, it's more about not asking permission or waiting for someone else (a man) to invite me to sit down. I also think of the glass ceiling....standing on the shoulders of others who have come before us. As we shatter barriers, we are responsible for lifting up or clearing a space for our sisters."

Joy Holley's words ring true. It's not enough to simply demand a spot at the table. We must empower ourselves and each other to take our rightful place and make our voices heard.

Lupl's Kalina Leopold Oak Leopold's thoughts on representation and allyship also strike a chord for me. Kalina shared, "When I think of DEI, I think of representation. I think of the Hamilton song "Room where it happened." I think of all the rooms that have been filled with only one group of people who could not fathom how to or simply refused to empathize/sympathize with the life experiences of the groups affected by the decisions made in that room. And how those ideas - narrowly focused, mostly male-driven, mainly white-protecting and promoting - have shaped and formed the society we currently live in. I think about how different our world would be if other people's ideas and experiences had been taken into consideration for generations."

She continued, "In this context, I think of the 19th amendment: without getting the men in power back then to buy into the idea of sharing it, women couldn't have gotten any. Which always brings me back to the idea of allyship. It was the [white] male allies who helped make the 19th amendment possible - it was even the non-allies who went along begrudgingly that made a difference too. To me, the story of the 19th amendment is so poignant here because even with the progress it provided, it was still only for white women; it still ignored so many other people. The intersectionality of racism and sexism creates a chasm of inequity for women of color, which remains today. "

So, what can we do to celebrate Women's History Month and honor the women who have come before us?

1. Educate ourselves: Learn about the women who have shaped our history. Read books, watch documentaries, and listen to podcasts highlighting their contributions. A great podcast recommendation is The History Chicks .
2. Support women-owned businesses: Use your purchasing power to support women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. Whether it's buying products or services, every little bit helps.
3. Get involved: Join organizations and initiatives that advance women's rights and empowerment. Volunteer, donate and lend your voice to the cause.

1. Advocate for representation: Demand diversity and inclusion in the workplace, politics, and media. Speak up when you see inequality and support those working to make a change.

1. Celebrate the women in your life: Take the time to show the women in your life how much they mean to you. Whether it's a phone call, a card, or a simple gesture of appreciation, let them know you value and support them.

Celebrating Women's History Month, let's remember the past and empower the future. Let's honor the women who have come before us and work to create a better world for those who will follow.

Let's make this a month to remember. So, I ask you: what are you doing to celebrate and honor the women in your life?