Women’s History Month: Here & Now
By: Hannah Banfiel
This year, March signifies a lot. We’ve been dealing with COVID-19 for a year, a lot of students are still having to make college decisions without ever being able to visit them in person, and people are just all in all struggling. However, one of the most important and exciting things March means this year is Women’s History Month.
As a young girl, I remember women’s history being emphasized with what had been completed in the past. I remember talking about women like Amelia Earhart, Harriet Tubman, Frida Kahlo, Ida B. Wells, and others. Women were only spoken about in relation to the past. Don’t get me wrong, of course this is important! We have to recognize the women before us who opened doors for thousands to come. But what about us? The women here and now doing amazing things. The women who represent us.
There are so many women doing so many great things right now, and I could not begin to list them all (although others have). Lots of women do not get the recognition and appreciation for what they do, and any accomplishment is one that should be celebrated. This doesn’t always have to be recognized by the world––though many women deserve it. Sometimes, a simple ‘good job’ or ‘thank you’ from those in your own community can go a long way.
As a member of Oglethorpe University’s Student Government Association, I decided to highlight some of those in my very own community, and I encourage you to do the same. I talked to many of these incredible women myself and learned more about their business, content creations, and amazing accomplishments. My goal is to celebrate and promote these amazing women:
- Glossy and Bossy, Amina Sahovic
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Amina Sahovic is a freshman at Oglethorpe University who started her business, Glossy and Bossy, in September of 2019. Amina loves lipgloss and to make lip gloss products available for everyone. From then on, she has run her business herself and plans to have a storefront in the future. Amina hopes she can inspire other women on campus and in our community to start their own businesses.
- Vanessaglamz, Vanessa Contreras
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Vanessa Contreras is a freshman at Oglethorpe University who started her lash business Vanessaglamz, in December of 2020. She has always loved the beauty industry and enjoys doing a service for women that makes them feel beautiful! Her major goal is to begin growing her services to gain more clients. She feels that during Women’s History Month, women should reflect and give themselves credit for what they achieved so far in life. Vanessa hopes she can build relationships and connections with people at Oglethorpe and with other small businesses so that they can help each other!
- Running Out of Time, Ivi D’vynne
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Ivi D’vynne is a Sophomore at Oglethorpe University who just released a single titled ‘Running Out of Time’ on March 3rd! Ivi says the purpose of this song is “to connect people to personal instances in their lives and to ensure that whoever you envision that ran out of time in your life is not the end of greater things to come.” More music is said to be on its way. Ivi has additionally created an organization on campus called DYNA.STTY, which stands for ‘Driving your natural authority. Staying true to you’. Their motto is: Leadership. Creativity. Motivation. Authenticity. Ivi wants to create a space for creatives and entrepreneurs who are eager to grow, win, and to help others win!
- Girl Scout Gold Award, Randi Parks
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Randi Parks is a Freshman at Oglethorpe University who was awarded the Girl Scout Gold Award! She started the Gold Award Project after co-hosting an event about diversity and inclusion last summer that provided youth and adults with important information and tools for discussing social justice issues. Once she saw the support for this event, she wanted to continue to provide her community with relevant and reliable information on social justice. Randi plans to continue to advocate for diversity and inclusion in all aspects of life. For Women’s History Month, she feels it’s really powerful to reflect on how much women as a collective have accomplished all over the world.
In addition to these four amazing women on our campus, we also have so many others on campus that are doing great things:
- Charlotte Stanton, a freshman, creates handmade jewelry that she sells through her business called The Loot.
- Michela Albury and Lisette Phillips, both seniors, have started a sustainable packaging company called Philbury.
- Lola Oyinloye, a senior, created a podcast called Welcome to Live Your Life Sis!
- Jordyn Billings, a junior, upcycles, tailors, alters, embroiders, and so much more!
- Kendall Kramer, a sophomore, sells her art with her shop called K Canvas and Threads.
- Danyelle Briggs, a junior, has her novel, A Darker Hue of You, being published in the Summer of 2021.
- Daira Galindo, a senior, sells handmade creations through her shop called Pecas Crafts.
- Tristyn Vincelette, a Freshman, sells handmade embroidery art & resin jewelry with her shop called Happy Artist Store.