I’m having flashbacks of little preschool and primary school children chanting… “The months of the year are January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December!” As soon as that thought ends, my mind darts back to a ring game that certainly reinforced the months of the year and developed our concentration. I can still hear the voices of my schoolmates blending with mine as we sang, “Those who born in January, skip around. Those who born in January skip around. Tra-la-la-la-la-la-la, Tra-la-la-la-la-la-la. Those who born in January skip around. JUMP OUT!” It’s March 2021. What associations do you make with the month of March? Why? I believe you will also connect with my thoughts and association with this month of the year.
How many of these monthly observations are you familiar with? I will share a few that are observed each month in the United States. Some are for serious causes while others are more whimsical.
There are many other observances here in the United States and around the world. A couple weeks ago, I shared “My Black History” in episode 29 in honour of Black History Month. March is observed as Women’s History Month and I am choosing to focus on that this week.
- January: National Mentoring Month & Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
- February: American Heart Month, Black History Month & National Bird Feeding Month
- March: Brain Tumor Awareness Month, Women’s History Month & Youth Art Month
- April: Autism Awareness Month, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, National Poetry Month & Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- May: ALS Awareness Month, Mental Health Awareness Month & National Foster Care Month
- June: African-American Music Appreciation Month, Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month & National Safety Month
- July: National Ice Cream Month, Family Reunion Month & National Parks and Recreation Month
- August: National Black Business Month, Get Ready for Kindergarten Month, National Immunization Awareness Month
- September: National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month & National Preparedness Month
- October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Bullying Prevention Month & National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- November: COPD Awareness Month, National Family Caregivers Month & National Prematurity Awareness Month,
- December: National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, National Tie Month & Universal Human Rights Month
There are many other observances here in the United States and around the world. A couple weeks ago, I shared “My Black History” in episode 29 in honour of Black History Month. March is observed as Women’s History Month and I am choosing to focus on that this week.
March is Women’s History Month. All around the world it is evident that women play a vital role and they are celebrated during this time. It is also designated to encourage the study of women in society.
Since I was not born and raised in the United States, I am learning more and more about U.S. history as the years go by. I found The Story of Women’s Rights on the National Parks Service website and thought I’d share it with you.
“The First Women's Rights Convention held in 1848 marked the formal beginning of the women's rights movement. At the time of the convention, women were not allowed the freedoms assigned to men in the eyes of the law, the church, or the government. Women did not vote, hold elective office, attend college, or earn a living. If married, they could not make legal contracts, divorce an abusive husband, or gain custody of their children.
Five women organized the First Women's Rights Convention - Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Martha Wright, Mary Ann M'Clintock, and Jane Hunt.
When Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a Seneca Falls housewife and mother of three sons, sat down with the Quaker and abolitionist women, and decided that these wrongs should be made into rights. They called for a Convention, open to the public, to be held in Seneca Falls at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, July 19th and 20th, 1848. There they presented a Declaration of Sentiments, based on the language and content of the Declaration of Independence. Stating that "all men and women are created equal," they demanded equal rights for women, including - a radical idea - the right to vote. An estimated 300 people attended the Convention; the document was ratified and was signed by 68 women and 32 men.
The First Women's Rights Convention and the Declaration of Sentiments have earned the Village of Seneca Falls a large place in the hearts of people all over the world. There is no major part of our lives today which has not been affected by this revolutionary document.”
While it is great to acknowledge the work and achievement of women from the past, I am pleased that it has become commonplace to acknowledge women in real time; not just as historical figures. Within the past year, many women have been acknowledged, and I want to highlight some of them.
Since I was not born and raised in the United States, I am learning more and more about U.S. history as the years go by. I found The Story of Women’s Rights on the National Parks Service website and thought I’d share it with you.
“The First Women's Rights Convention held in 1848 marked the formal beginning of the women's rights movement. At the time of the convention, women were not allowed the freedoms assigned to men in the eyes of the law, the church, or the government. Women did not vote, hold elective office, attend college, or earn a living. If married, they could not make legal contracts, divorce an abusive husband, or gain custody of their children.
Five women organized the First Women's Rights Convention - Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Martha Wright, Mary Ann M'Clintock, and Jane Hunt.
When Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a Seneca Falls housewife and mother of three sons, sat down with the Quaker and abolitionist women, and decided that these wrongs should be made into rights. They called for a Convention, open to the public, to be held in Seneca Falls at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, July 19th and 20th, 1848. There they presented a Declaration of Sentiments, based on the language and content of the Declaration of Independence. Stating that "all men and women are created equal," they demanded equal rights for women, including - a radical idea - the right to vote. An estimated 300 people attended the Convention; the document was ratified and was signed by 68 women and 32 men.
The First Women's Rights Convention and the Declaration of Sentiments have earned the Village of Seneca Falls a large place in the hearts of people all over the world. There is no major part of our lives today which has not been affected by this revolutionary document.”
While it is great to acknowledge the work and achievement of women from the past, I am pleased that it has become commonplace to acknowledge women in real time; not just as historical figures. Within the past year, many women have been acknowledged, and I want to highlight some of them.
- Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first female vice president of the United States of America on January 20, 2021.
- Amanda Gorman’s Inauguration Poem Makes History …. 22-year-old Gorman became the youngest inaugural poet in United States history on Jan. 20, 2021 when she recited her poem "The Hill We Climb" at President Joe Biden's swearing in ceremony.
- Stacey Abrams … Abrams — who is one of PEOPLE's Women Changing the World this year — founded the New Georgia Project and then Fair Fight, both instrumental in driving an enormous number of voter registrations in Georgia in recent years, including some 800,000 new voters between the 2018 and the 2020 election.
- NASA astronaut and one of PEOPLE's Women Changing the World, Christina Koch, returned to Earth on Feb. 6, 2020 after spending 328 days aboard the International Space Station. Her trip surpassed the previous record held by Peggy Whitson for the longest single spaceflight by a woman.
- Jacinda Ardern’s Powerful Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic ... Ardern became New Zealand's youngest female Prime Minister since 1856 when she was elected in 2017. In 2020, she was re-elected, and largely praised for the way she handled the COVID-19 pandemic, setting strict guidelines and virtually eliminating the virus from the country.
- Dr. Jennifer Doudna and Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier Winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. ...In October 2020, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to two women at once for the very first time: Emmanuelle Charpentier, Ph.D., and Jennifer A. Doudna, Ph.D. It is the first time that the prize, which the women won for developing for genome-editing technology, was awarded to two women, and the pair are only the sixth and seventh women in total to receive this particular prize.
March 8, 2021 was recognized as International Women’s Day and I was inspired by many quotes and posts that were shared on social media. I suspect that Eleanor Roosevelt was a wise woman. I found two quotes attributed to her that are quite profound. The first states, “A woman is like a tea bag --- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water”. Women are often seen as the weaker gender and I only accept that general idea in the context of physical strength. I acknowledge that there are some exceptions. In the grand scheme of things, based on my observations, women possess a level of strength and fortitude that is unmatched. It’s unfortunate, that in these times, women are still seen as inferior and situations are created that encourage that idea. The second quote from Eleanor Roosevelt is what I offer to all women and accept for myself. She said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”. Let’s refuse to give consent to any shade of inferiority and stand in our strength instead.
Many of the women who make the list among the notables, are often prominent members of society or persons who have made significant contributions. I want to take a moment before wrapping up this episode to acknowledge and celebrate ordinary women who often go unnoticed. They are the backbones of their families or work quietly in their communities without receiving accolades. They are often the wind beneath the wings of their family members who go on to succeed. Many of them are homemakers who sacrifice their own interests for the rest of their family. I had one of those in my family, in the person of my great grandmother, Albertha Spencer. She was illiterate and I remember seeing her mark an X to sign her name. Her husband died when their three children were very young and she worked hard to support them and later her grandchildren. She farmed the land to provide food for the family, planted sugarcane and rice, rode her donkey to the seaside to buy fish from fishermen that she in turn sold to people in the community. I remember her breaking rocks to sell to the Public Works Department. She encouraged and supported my mother to get an education although she didn’t. We cherish her legacy of being a strong woman who never backed down from challenges. I don’t think she was more than 5 feet tall, but she was never deterred by anyone and would not hesitate to advocate for others. As Dr. Maya Angelou said, “Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women.”
I salute women like her who are the difference-makers of the past and those who are around today. W.E.B. Dubois recognized the influence that women possess and it is captured in his statement that “There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise”. I encourage you, listeners, to take a moment to acknowledge one of them today. It may be the custodian in your building, your child’s bus driver, or the person providing childcare for you while you work. Consider taking it a step further by being an advocate if you can. Let’s not overlook the fact that their invaluable service allows many notable people to shine.
Until next time, walk good and one love. 🖤💚💛
Many of the women who make the list among the notables, are often prominent members of society or persons who have made significant contributions. I want to take a moment before wrapping up this episode to acknowledge and celebrate ordinary women who often go unnoticed. They are the backbones of their families or work quietly in their communities without receiving accolades. They are often the wind beneath the wings of their family members who go on to succeed. Many of them are homemakers who sacrifice their own interests for the rest of their family. I had one of those in my family, in the person of my great grandmother, Albertha Spencer. She was illiterate and I remember seeing her mark an X to sign her name. Her husband died when their three children were very young and she worked hard to support them and later her grandchildren. She farmed the land to provide food for the family, planted sugarcane and rice, rode her donkey to the seaside to buy fish from fishermen that she in turn sold to people in the community. I remember her breaking rocks to sell to the Public Works Department. She encouraged and supported my mother to get an education although she didn’t. We cherish her legacy of being a strong woman who never backed down from challenges. I don’t think she was more than 5 feet tall, but she was never deterred by anyone and would not hesitate to advocate for others. As Dr. Maya Angelou said, “Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women.”
I salute women like her who are the difference-makers of the past and those who are around today. W.E.B. Dubois recognized the influence that women possess and it is captured in his statement that “There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise”. I encourage you, listeners, to take a moment to acknowledge one of them today. It may be the custodian in your building, your child’s bus driver, or the person providing childcare for you while you work. Consider taking it a step further by being an advocate if you can. Let’s not overlook the fact that their invaluable service allows many notable people to shine.
Until next time, walk good and one love. 🖤💚💛