IN 1848, A HISTORIC ASSEMBLY OF WOMEN
Fast-forward 110 more years to present-day.
GATHERED IN SENECA FALLS, NY AT THE HOME
Women and men all across the world celebrate
OF ELIZABETH CADY STANTON. This assembly
International Women’s Day and, in some nations,
was the first women’s rights convention organized
the day is celebrated as a public holiday. In Seattle,
by women. It was here that 68 women and 32 men
the organization Be Bold, headed by Kate Isler and
signed the Declaration of Sentiments – a document
Nickie Smith, spearheads the annual celebration
called “the grand movement for attaining the civil,
in March. The non-profit works to build an inter-
social, political and religious rights of women.”
sectional community for women to share stories
“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are
and support each other, and to take bold action to accelerate gender parity.
endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable
Five years ago, Isler and Smith decided to host
rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the
a gathering to celebrate IWD. They gathered 80
pursuit of happiness…”
attendees in the basement of a WeWork in Seattle.
Fast-forward 62 years to 1910, when German rev-
What began as a passion project has quickly become
olutionary Clara Zetkin proposed that March 8 be
a major annual Seattle event and the organization
honored as a day annually for women around the
behind it all, Be Bold, is widely recognized around the
world. The day has been celebrated as International
nation. The IWD event is now held at Beneroya Hall
Women’s Day (IWD) ever since and became officially
each year and continues to grow rapidly. This year’s
recognized by the United Nations in 1975.
celebration will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2020. CONTINUED >
March 2020 | Bellevue Lifestyle
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