Celebrating Women's History Month
Women’s History Month starts on March 1 every year; it is a time to celebrate women, their contributions, history, and the work they are committed to doing for future generations. Women advocate for and support each other daily to make a bigger impact in their communities and the world. In this blog, you will learn about women in history, what it means to be a woman in today’s society, how to advocate for other women, and what organizations support women to succeed.
Historically, society has underestimated women and devalued women (especially women of color). Despite that, many fought for what they believed was worth fighting for, leaving a legacy of breaking barriers and the understanding that the dream “she” had is a dream that others can achieve.
The article titled “16 famous Black women in history who led the way for future generations,” writes about legends like :
Sojourner Truth - born Isabella Bomfree in 1797, was an abolitionist, speaker, and women’s rights activist. Truth was the leading voice for women’s voting rights and made considerable contributions to Black History and women’s history.
Harriet Tubman - was the leader of the Underground Railroad. Born around 1820, her legacy is indelible in the movement to abolish slavery in America.
Ruby Bridges- is a civil rights activist and author born in 1954. She gained national attention at six years old for being the first child to desegregate a school in the South, William Frantz Elementary School, an all-white school in Louisiana.
Among others, also highlights more contemporary women like:
Oprah Winfrey - is a journalist, actress, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and pioneer in entertainment and media.
Mae Jemison- is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. In 1992, she became the first African-American woman to travel into space.
Michelle Obama- is a lawyer and author who was born in 1964. In 2009, she became the first African American woman to become the United States First Lady.
A Woman in Today’s Society
Society has tried so hard to pressure women to become the perfect woman. However, as the years go by, women realize that there is no perfect woman in today’s society. Instead, what seems to be recurrent is women's need for self-care, healing, and leadership.
Regarding dating, nowadays, women aren’t afraid to wait and are unwilling to negotiate their relationship values or expectations, as it is explained in last month’s blog post Single and Thriving: Self Care and Mental Health Tips for Valentine’s Day.
Women Supporting Women
“Women who support other women are confident and generous.” – Meghan Markle
It is not surprising that women are more aware of their power today than they were twenty years ago, which makes them not only advocate for themselves but also advocates and supporters of the women around them, whether in business, in relationships, motherhood, or any other pivotal time in their lives.
Free Journal to Improve your Self Care and Mental Health.
Ways to Support Women
According to this article in Forbes, there are
5 powerful ways to support women.
Manage Yourself: Break down the pre-existing barriers and prejudice about women and be mindful of your thoughts and actions so you can show equality towards other women.
Tune In: Always be present, validate women’s experiences, and let them know they aren’t alone. Show empathy and compassion.
Pave the way: The beginning of this blog highlighted the importance of the women who made history so that women today can have the privilege of living a free and powerful life. Women are called to do that today: observe what needs to be improved around you, your family, and your community and work hard to bring changes because those changes will benefit your generations.
Women using their voice is one of the most important and powerful weapons they have, whether to bring changes or simply thank the women around you for their contributions and efforts.
5. Be Yourself: Humans connect with stories; everyone has a story to tell. Pretending to have it all figured out and acting like life is perfect only brings feelings of inadequacy. Share your mistakes, and celebrate your wins.
Organizations that Empower Women.
The article “5 Organizations Empowering Black Girls as Leaders” writes about organizations that nuture, support and empower Black Girls such as:
Black Girl Leadership Academy: Created in 2020 when a powerful group of Black Women from different professions came together to create spaces to uplift and empower black girls.
Girls For A Change: Created in 200 to elevate young women by diving into social change projects that mirror the very challenges they confront daily in their own communities.
Black Sisters in STEM: Created to close the gender gap in STEM to meet the demands of this fast growing workforce.
Black Girls Do Stem: Created to support girls interested in stem and prepares them from Middle school and offer support to college.
Therapy for Black Girls: Directory created to offer Mental Health Services to the Black Community.
Centering Wholeness Counseling: A private Mental Health practice that offers virtual and in-person wholeness therapy to the black community in New York and Ohio.
In Conclusion
The women from history and the women today share a very special bond. Both have the desire to be seen, heard, and valued. From a very young age to adulthood, women worldwide must know that change starts within themselves. The women in history overcame many struggles to get where they needed to be. However, they always believed in themselves and valued themselves even when no one else did. Love yourself, advocate for yourself, and support yourself so you can love, advocate, and support other women around you.
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Author Alice Mills Mai is the Director of Centering Wholeness Counseling. A Licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York and Ohio and a National Certified Counselor (NCC).
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