International Women's Day will be celebrated this March on the 8th. Globally, this day is dedicated to recognition of women's struggles and progress towards equity and justice.
Here in Kern county, the League of Women Voters will be honoring foreigh-born women's contributions and successes on Monday, March 10, at the Petroleum Club of Bakersfield. The event this year is being co-sponsored by Valley Public Radio and the League.
Individuals and organizations in the county have the chance to nominate a candidate for recognition in one of seven fields: arts and entretainment, business, education, health services, law and government, science and community service.
Nominees are reviewed and winers are selected by a panel of community leaders. This year, one of the seven nominees in the categories will be nominated for the Democracy Award. This is a new award, intended to recognize the invaluable work that women do in organizing and mobilizing to meet a specific goal. This kind of work is unique to democratic societies, where women have a right to organize and work freely as they see fit.
Of course, the struggle for the rights of women to organize and participate fully in society has gone on for generations, and continues to this day. The history of International Women's Day highlights this fact. It developed slowly as an outgrowth of the labor movement in democratic countries during the last half of the 19th century.
In 1910, the Socialist International first established International Women's Day. In the US, the day has been celebrated nationally since 1909, however, it almost disappeared during the Great Depression of the 1930's. The power and strength of the feminist movement revived the day's celebrations during the 60's and 70's. After 1975, when the United Nations began sponsoring a global dimension of the day, it continued to grow in strength. Today it allows all of us to recognize the contributions of women throughout the world community.
Locally, Bakersfield began celebrating International Women's Day in 2002, thanks to a collaborative effort by the League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women. The celebration affords two perspectives; recognition of the contributions of immigrants to our community and inspiration through powerful examples of those whose work make Kern county a better place to live.
Kern county's celebration will be held on Monday, March 10, at the Petroleum Club and is open to the public. The cost to attend is $45 per person which includes dinner and entertainment.
Further information can be obtained by calling Cydney Henderson at 323-5003 or Lois Chaney at 832-5884.
| Send to a Friend | Report a Violation |