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UMD celebrates with Women’s Art: Women’s Vision
BY CARLY McLAIN
STATESMAN STAFF WRITER
iISSUE: 78/24
March is Women’s History Month and students, faculty and the general public around UMD are celebrating. With speakers, local and international musicians and different events, such as Wire Wrapped Jewelry, which happened on last Tuesday, this year’s theme, Women’s Art: Women’s Vision, is recognized. “Our mission and goal is to celebrate the history of women the whole year,” said Susana Pelayo-Woodward, director of the Women’s Resource and Action Center (WRAC) and instructor for the Women’s Studies Department.
The events were chosen this year based on the theme because the Women’s Studies Department and WRAC wanted to emphasize the contributions to women’s history with local artists. Every event attracts different types of people, but the turnout has been good this year, according to Woodward. Depending on where the event is, there has been 25 to 30 people or up to 100 people who have attended. The numbers of attendees at recurring events, when compared to last year, seem to be about the same, according to Woodward. Some events had more attendance; others had less. “[At] every event we take a survey to see what works and what doesn’t,” said senior Ayida Abate, an intern for WRAC. “From these, we try to improve and make it better from last year.”
On Friday, Feb. 29, WRAC and the Women’s sponsored the play “Birth on Labor Day (B.O.L.D.) in the Kirby Ballroom. “When we put on the play ... I was shocked at the number of people who [were there],” she said. “We were in the Ballroom and it was packed.” National Women’s History Month has ties that go back all the way to March 8, 1957, when New York factory women “staged a protest over working conditions,” according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Though, it wasn’t until the 1970s when an “Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a ‘Women’s History Week’ celebration for 1978,” that women’s history became nationally known, according to the National Women’s History Project (NWHP). It was picked to coincide with International Women’s Day, which is March 8.
By 1981, with the overwhelming support of institutions for National Women’s History Week, two senators co-sponsored the first Joint Congressional Resolution, according to the NWHP. “In 1987, the National Women’s History Project petitioned Congress to expand the national celebration to the entire month.” Here at UMD, the celebration for women’s history also began in the 70s, according to Woodward. “We have a great group of people who celebrated right away,” she said. “The last 15 years has brought other organizations, which are not normally associated with women’s history, together to form a community that celebrates women’s history.”
Abate said that they were not just celebrating the positive contributions made by women, but were also recognizing the conditions that many of them face. “Women are survivors,” she said. “They are one of the most marginalized groups globally, and it is important to mark and celebrate the contributions of women.” The president makes a proclamation every year on Women’s History Month, after congress votes on the resolution.
“Our Nation is a land of great opportunity, and women are seizing that opportunity and shaping the future of America in all walks of life ... America’s mothers are helping to build the foundation for the success of our Nation’s children and strengthening the character of our country. This month, we honor the spirit, leadership and hard work of American women,” said President George W. Bush in his 2007 proclamation on Women’s History Month.
Carly McLain is at
mcla0187@d.umn.edu
