It’s Women’s History Month! A time to reflect and look forward to all the contributions we’ve made to history, culture, business, and society at large. Over the centuries, black women, in particular, have been sprinkling black girl magic everywhere from the revolutionary achievements that have continued to inspire us to take up the mantle. From Mary Jackson – the first black woman to work for NASA –to Hattie McDaniel – the first black woman to receive an Academy Award – and of course, Kamala Harris –the first black and south Asian woman to be appointed Vice President of the USA – the list is long and illustrious.
Of course, we shouldn’t need to wait for March to celebrate women and their incredible strength; we can – and should! – recognize women empowerment every day. Here are 5 ways each of us can pay tribute to women entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and future generations of sisters.
1. Stay Informed about Women’s Rights and Ongoing Issues
The more you know, the more you can change. Read up on women’s history, rights, and the issues that we continue to face. Get educated on the importance of gender equality in every area of life. Take training and courses to build your awareness about current situations and progress, and connect with other like-minded people.
2. Use Your Voice to Advocate for Change
Your words, your voice – they have power. Identify questionable policies, sign petitions, get involved with social organizations, and push for justice and gender equality. Promote racial diversity by buying from black-owned businesses and those run by various ethnicities. Encourage friends, family, and colleagues to do the same.
3. Donate Your Time
Mentor young girls and teach them about issues and policies that can affect the quality of their lives. Share your experiences of overcoming challenges. Volunteer at your local women’s shelter
or other organizations dedicated to uplifting women. The rewards can be incredible and the
difference you make, invaluable. You’ll also get to meet kindred spirits, learn from them, and help
each other grow.
4. Put Your Creativity to Good Use
Art can be a huge catalyst for change. It’s healing too. Whether you paint, sing, play an instrument, are great with crafts – whatever it is – use it to spread awareness about gender, racial, and cultural issues. Use it to encourage social connection and change. You can even use it to raise funds to give to organizations fighting for positive change.
5. Support Women in Business
Become a patron for women-owned organizations and businesses – especially newly established ones. Support can be as simple as re-sharing a post on social media and tell friends and family about them. Provide a positive review your favorite woman-owned biz online (through such avenues as yelp or google) or send a letter of thanks for their awesome work. Host a (virtual) gathering of like-minded women entrepreneurs, exchange ideas, and maybe start a collective mentoring program for aspiring young entrepreneurs.
At the workplace, business owners can plan monthly team outings, have a recognition and reward system for star performers, encourage work-life balance, and host women guest speakers to share their journeys and insights on business.
The sky’s the limit!
Sing it with me “Who Runs the World? GIRLS!”