I love the seasons. They are beautiful and unpredictable here in the high desert. When I first moved to Northern Nevada, it snowed on July 4th. The common saying “Christmas in July” took on a whole new meaning for me. Thankfully, the snow melted long before it was time to light the BBQ and hang out with friends. I seemed to be the only one surprised. To which the general reply was, “This is Nevada.” Fall is always gorgeous, and when we don’t have a drought year, winter leaves traces of white all along the Eastern slopes of the Sierras and foothills. But come February, I start getting antsy for March. For the hint of warmer weather. For our annual week in Arizona for Spring Training baseball and family. March also brings a time change (yay, longer days), one of my sister’s birthday, and National Women’s History Month. There’s so much to celebrate as we work our way through March!
50 years ago, a single Education Task Force in a northern California County set out to address the gap in the school curriculum about women’s history. It is doubtful they anticipated the impact their “Women’s History Week” would have on the rest of the nation. Now, 50 years later, celebrations take place across the country. The week of March 8th received the first Presidential Proclamation by Jimmy Carter in 1980, declaring it National Women’s History week. Seven years later, the U. S. Congress designated March as National Women’s History Month in response to a campaign lead by the National Women’s History Project (NWHP) and women’s groups throughout the country.
Why is it important to highlight women and our roles in shaping the present and the past? Because when we do, we encourage women – young and old – to reach beyond their “places”, stretch their limits and often to exceed their own expectations. We help give voice to aspirations and revelations about what is possible. We all benefit by lifting others up.
The 1970’s and ‘80’s don’t seem that long ago to me. In fact, it kind of seems crazy that women’s contributions are still not recognized or celebrated in the same way that men’s are. So, this month’s blog posts are going to focus on some fun and interesting facts about women – recent history and more distant; famous women and some lesser known.
For this first blog post in March, we challenge everyone to play the match game below. Draw a line from the name to the achievement. And, for bonus points match the year that it happened. When you’re done (or frustrated), just click here and download the answers.
Finally, this month (March) will be a first in history for me, as we launch our “No Labels, No Limits” podcast next week on International Women’s Day. During the 20 to 30 minute interviews, I speak with women who have achieved great things: women who have moved across continents and countries to better their lives, women who have left secure corporate positions to go after something more personally fulfilling, women fighting hunger and social injustice, women overcoming and adapting to health and life challenges, women as entrepreneurs, corporate and nonprofit leaders, artists, moms, partners and friends. Each interview will fill you with inspiring and motivating stories, tips and lessons learned along their journeys.
You can stay up to date on the blogs and new podcast episodes by clicking the HERE.
See you in the blogs and on the webs next week.
