01 Mar March Is Women’s History Month!
By Marsha Mitchell, Director of Communications
Women’s History Month has been celebrated annually in the United States for almost 40 years. Since March 1987, America has taken time to elevate women’s contributions to history, culture, and society. What grew out of a weeklong celebration organized by the Sonoma school district here in California back in 1978 is now a worldwide phenomenon spotlighting the accomplishments of women.
Why March? Well …
- International Women’s Day was established as a holiday in 1911 and is celebrated on March 8,
- The first major march on Washington by suffragists happened on March 3, 1913,
- The National Woman’s Party was formed in March 1917. The group was dedicated to getting women the right to vote
- Title IX was passed on March 1, 1972. In fact, the first-ever Women’s History Week was created to bolster support for Title IX, which prohibited discrimination due to sex in federally funded education programs, and
- The Equal Rights Amendment was passed in the Senate on March 22, 1972.
This year’s theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” And when we think of women storytellers, immediately this Phenomenal Woman comes to mind, Dr. Maya Angelou. A poet, dancer, singer, activist, and scholar Dr. Angelou is perhaps best known for her prolific poetry, palpable prose, and pioneering autobiographical writing style showcased in “I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings.”
Good storytellers are enthusiastic, energetic, and confident. They listen, engage, and interact. They are personable and authentic. But most importantly, they empower others, create strong connections and help put events and issues into context. Like longtime CoCo leader Dr. Cheryl Grills, whose current work is in the area of racial stress, racism, implicit bias and the development of community-based self-help models to address the negative effects of racism on people of African ancestry in the US and globally.
“I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams making reparations both a personal and professional matter. The work of unveiling, decolonizing, and redressing the history of our enslavement and post-enslavement oppression in America is long overdue. If we don’t go to the root cause, in terms of the human psyche and the human condition, we’ll only be doing window dressing,” said Dr. Cheryl Grills.
A nationally consulted scholar regarding cultural and social competence matters, multiculturalism, and Africentric interventions, Dr. Grills is helping to set the context around the California debate for reparations as a member of the nine-member Task Force. “I’ve been seeing the deep scars emotionally that have resulted from this exposure to racism. The level of disempowerment, the level of oppression, of intense response, that’s necessary and exhausting to counteract the negative narrative about who we are as Black people,” she said to Yes! Magazine in an interview.
As one of its foundational values, Community Coalition has always elevated the stories of our members, residents, youth, leaders, and partners. Each week during Women’s History Month, we will highlight great storytellers who have changed and contributed to how we think, fight and win!
March Calendar of Events
Mar. 02, 6 pm | Community Coalition’s People’s Assembly
Mar. 04, 6 pm | In Her Element: A Celebration of Women
Mar. 7, 5 pm | Love Letter LA: Celebrating and Advancing Solidarity and Unity
Mar. 8, 8 am | Community Coalition Launches Its Women’s Fellowship
Mar. 10, 8 am | Latina History Day 2023
Mar. 18, 12 pm | Our Author’s Study Club Oratorical Contest: Black Resistance
Mar. 18. 2 pm | Women’s History Month Zine Workshop
Mar. 22, 6:30 pm | WeHo Reads: Crafting Literary Legacies
A Deeper Dive
31 Books for March: Women’s History Month
20 Best New Women History Books To Read In 2023
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