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Women’s education– women’s empowerment is the theme for National Women’s History Month The following is a press release from the National Women’s History Project, which was founded in 1980 in Santa Rosa, California, by Molly Murphy MacGregor, Mary Ruthsdotter, Maria Cuevas, Paula Hammett and Bette Morgan to broadcast women’s historical achievements. Although women now outnumber men in American colleges nationwide, this reversal of the gender gap is a very recent phenomenon. The fight to learn was a valiant struggle waged by many tenacious women– across years and across cultures. After the American Revolution, the notion of education as a safeguard for democracy created opportunities for girls to gain a basic education. However, that education was based largely on the premise that, as mothers, they would nurture the minds and bodies of the (male) citizens and leaders. This idea that educating women meant educating mothers endured in America for many years at all levels of education. The equal opportunity to learn, which today is taken for granted, owes much to Title IX of the Education Codes of the Higher Education Act Amendments. Passed in 1972 and enacted in 1977, this legislation prohibited gender discrimination by federally funded institutions. Its enactment has served as the primary tool for women’s
fuller participation in all aspects of education from scholarships, to facilities, to classes formerly closed to women. It has also transformed the educational landscape of the United States within the span of a generation. Each year National Women’s History Month employs a unifying theme and recognizes national honorees whose work and lives testify to that theme. The stories of women's achievements are integral to the fabric of our history. Learning about women’s tenacity, courage, and creativity throughout the centuries is a tremendous source of strength. Knowing women’s stories provides essential role models for everyone. And role models are genuinely needed to face the extraordinary changes and unrelenting challenges of the 21st century. National Women’s History Month, designated by Joint Resolutions of the House and Senate and Proclamations by six American presidents, is an opportunity to learn about and honor women’s achievements today and throughout history. What is your school, community or organization doing to celebrate National Women’s History Month this March? For more information and resources to commemorate multicultural women’s history and to celebrate Women’s Education–Women’s Empowerment, visit nwhp.org.
first fridays Art Walk to get musical and ‘Seussical’ in honor of author’s birthday The First Fridays Art Walk in Bixby Knolls on March 2 will feature a celebration of Dr. Seuss’s 108th birthday. Little Owl Pre-School, 3426 Linden Ave., will host a student art exhibit at the Expo Arts Center, 4321 Atlantic Ave.; attendees can buy a Dr. Seuss book from A Castle of Books, 4302 Atlantic Ave. in Bixby Knolls for a donation to Miller Children’s Hospital; and anyone who dresses as a Dr. Seuss character will win a prize. Other ingredients of the night will include: live art and interactive art activities, ukuleles, jazz, pop, dance, swing, Long Beach Day Nursery exhibit, a deejay playing classical music, roaming Irish songsters, green drinks, the blessing and activation of an Altar to the Feminine Devine, the Knolls Ranger mascot, classic cars, improv comedy, dramatic scenes, Timstrument, free books, gift items, antiques, spoken word, funky hair, the Big
Red Bus, and plenty of the unexpected. Seventh District Councilmember James Johnson’s “First Books at First Fridays” at the Dana Branch Library will feature 9th District Councilmember Steve Neal and entertainment from “Zorro” beginning at 5:30pm. The Big Red Bus will transport First Fridays attendees to all the participating locations. Bella Cosa, 3803 Atlantic Ave., will provide information about First Fridays, maps, and restaurant recommendations from from 6:30pm to 8pm. When the businesses start to close, First Fridays After Hours begins across the district. Nino’s Italian Restaurant will feature an after-party with a mix of music, dancing, and late-night dining and beverages. The Factory and EJ Malloy’s will also go late into the night with dinner, drinks, music, and community mingling. For more information, visit firstfridayslongbeach.com.
MARcH 2, 2012
Historical female figures through one artist’s eyes In honor of March as Women’s History Month, the Signal Tribune has asked local artist Alejandra Vernon to share some of her portraits of prominent female figures and to provide her thoughts on the significance of each woman. “Women have influenced history in so many ways,” Vernon said. “These are my impressions of the women I have depicted in art, and the ways they have influenced me.”
“La Gioconda” “Mona Lisa. The essence of the mystery that is Woman. Men have been trying to figure her out for centuries!”
“Good Queen Bess” “Queen Elizabeth I, for better or worse, had a huge impact on the world. History can't ignore her, and she shows the side of womanhood that can be so powerful.”
“Frida” “Frida Kahlo is an inspiration for every artist. When showing my own work, I often feel as if I am standing naked in the town square. Frida did this with every painting, baring her soul to the world. She did it boldly, heroically, and with conviction. Every artist must strive to do the same, and it’s not always easy.”
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“Marilyn” “Marilyn Monroe. Such beauty, fragility, vulnerability, and gentleness. There is a bit of Marilyn in every woman’s heart that must be nourished and fortified.”
“Angela Davis” “Angela Davis is one of the most cultured, eloquent women alive. Her personal history is extraordinary, and she has an aura of self-confidence, humor, and sophistication in the finest sense of the word. That is why I use the word ‘freedom’ in her portrait. She has overcome the constraints of the world and risen above all the negativity that was thrust upon her in the past. I love Angela Davis. She is truly inspiring.” To find out more about the artist and her work, visit avernon.com.