Women For The Future: LBCC Celebrates International Women’s Day
The first Women’s Day was organized by The Socialist Party of America and took place on Feb. 28, 1909, according to the United Nations, which officially adopted March 8 as International Women’s Day in 1975.
Nearly 70 people celebrated International Women’s Day at two events happening simultaneously at LBCC on March 8. The events took place from noon until 1 p.m. in the Calapooia Fireside Room and in the Diversity Achievement Center. Catered events took place discussing activism, health, and gender equality.
In the DAC, presentations were made recounting experiences at the Women’s Marches in Portland and Washington D.C.
Cynthia De La Torre, President of the Our Revolution club, first presented a slideshow of photos taken at the Portland Women’s March and gave context for the motivations of the march, where over 100,000 people attended on Jan. 21.
“The first reason was to exercise our first amendment rights and a lot of people probably don’t consider dissent patriotic, however history has showed us that it very much is,” said De La Torre.
De La Torre also included solidarity with groups that will likely be affected by the Trump administration as a motivating factor for the march, listing LGBTQ+ people, undocumented communities, refugees and Muslims. The final reason was “our future.”
“Our future as women and also in regards to our worker’s rights, our disability rights, the environment, and generally all of our civil rights,” said De La Torre.
The early Women’s Day gatherings were to advocate for voting rights, increased access to education and protesting poor working conditions.
Retired Minister Christine Webb, of Albany, gave a presentation in the DAC detailing her experience at the Washington D.C. Women’s March. An estimated 500,000 people attended including Janet Mock, Angela Davis and Gloria Steinem as speakers.
In the Fireside Room, the LBCC chapter of American Association of Women in Community Colleges hosted the Annual Working Women’s Tea.
LBCC Wellness Advisor Lisa Hoogesteger M.S. gave a presentation titled “Well-being and Women: Powerful” highlighting the 5 essential elements of wellness as explained by Tom Rath and Jim Harter. The elements are Career Wellbeing, Social Wellbeing, Financial Wellbeing, Physical Wellbeing and Community Wellbeing.
“In terms of takeaways, my objective was to have everyone who participated learn something new about Well-Being and its power in our lives, consider a new skill or activity to try to enhance well-being, meet someone new,” said Hoogesteger.
Hoogesteger also included communication tips for women to be powerful including clarity and confidence and asking for what you want. Hoogesteger also encouraged attendees to to consider when speaking up would make a difference and when it would be helpful to just listen.
Story by K.Rambo
