The La Palma-Cerritos Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) celebrated National Women’s History Month at their March 21 meeting at Cerritos Library in Cerritos.
The La Palma-Cerritos Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) celebrated National Women’s History Month at their March 21 meeting at Cerritos Library in Cerritos.
Nine members volunteered to portray past and present outstanding women who contributed to improving the status of women in American society today.
Janet Karter dressed as Sarah Grimke from the 1800’s and told of her work fighting for equality, free speech and women’s right to vote. Grimke was also against slavery during a time when it was an active practice.
Gail Wendland dressed as Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, who originally came from England to the United States to study and become the first woman doctor during a time when women were expected to stay at home and raise a family.
Barbara Atherton told the story of the poet Emma Lazarus who wrote stories about immigrants that came to the United States searching for freedom. She is most famous for writing the poem, “The New Colossus,” which is on the Statue of Liberty in New York City. She wrote the memorable words, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free….”
Dorothy Edwards dressed with hat and purse as Eleanor Roosevelt from the1900s. She said Eleanor felt she was “an ugly duckling” who later became a swan. Eleanor married Franklin Delano Roosevelt who later became the 32nd President of the United States. She later became a U.S. diplomat to the United Nations.
Jackie Shazadi carried a sign as Suffragette, Alice Paul. Paul believed in woman’s right to vote. A law was passed in 1919 so that in 1920, women had the right to vote in the U.S. Paul also tried to have an Equal Rights Amendment passed in 1923 for equality for women. That amendment still has not passed.
Carol Marsh came dressed as Margaret Bourke White who traveled the world in the 1940’s -1960’s covering stories as the first woman photo journalist and war correspondent for Life magazine. She took pictures of steel mills and meat packing plants in the United States and even pictures of Nazi death camps in Germany.
Tobi Balma dressed in a colorful long dress as Maya Angelou, whom some have described as the “first black woman Poet Laureate” after she read the poem, “On the Pulse of Morning” in 1993 at the inauguration of President Clinton. In one of her books, Angelou said she knows why the caged bird sings. She continues to inspire people with her poems today. Angelou has a lifetime appointment as a Reynolds Professor for American Studies at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.
Faith Herschler dressed in the black robes of a judge as she portrayed Sandra Day O’Connor. O’Connor was the first woman Supreme Court Justice who recently retired after years of service.
Fran De France came as current day feminist, Gloria Steinem. She said that Steinem was active with the Feminist Movement in the 1960s. She was editor of New York magazine in 1968 and of Miz magazine till 2001. She is still alive and is appreciated for working for the advancement of women in the business world.
The program ended after the ninth life story was told, but there are many other outstanding women throughout the U.S. who have contributed to the advancement of the status of women over the past 100 years. There will be more outstanding women in the present and the future as the AAUW and others continue to work for equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research.
The La-Palma Cerritos AAUW prepared a display case at Cerritos College administration building showing photos of more outstanding women and some of the activities of the AAUW for Women’s History Month.