The first International Women’s Day observance was held in 1910, in New York City. This first event was started by woman labor activist, Theresa Serber Malkiel, in an effort to celebrate the lives and accomplishments of working women. 110 years later, Women’s Day has developed into an international celebration of women around the world, as well as a day to raise awareness of the strife women everywhere continue to face under patriarchy. Various events and talks take place on this day all over the globe. Since 1996, the United Nations has adopted a unique theme for each day. Following suit, this year’s theme is #EachForEqual. According to the campaign, this theme is focused on the idea of collective individualism: “We are all parts of a whole. Our individual actions, conversations, behaviors and mindsets can have an impact on our larger society.”
To commemorate this International Women’s Day, the Living Her Legacy team will kick off the first of a series of weekly blog posts that will aim to celebrate women and keep you updated on the progression of the project.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme of #EachForEqual fits the mission of the Fort Collins Living Her Legacy Project. The Living Her Legacy Project aims to bring awareness to the impact that individual women have had on the greater Fort Collins community. Unfortunately, there is no doubt that women’s accomplishments are often overlooked or sidelined in comparison to those of men. That is why a project like Living Her Legacy is about more than just celebrating the accomplishments of these women - it’s about equal representation. These women have demonstrated a commitment to breaking barriers, overcoming obstacles, and advocating for their communities. It would do us all good to know their names and their stories.
