Prominent women in the Richmond area shared their experience of being a woman leader, with its challenges and contributions for International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day, on March 8, is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women while demanding action for gender parity, according to the International Women’s Day website.
Each year, International Women’s Day has a call to action hashtag. This year, it is #BreakTheBias.
Sen. Ghazala Hashmi explains how women have had to grapple with historic, economic and social injustices in so many different ways. Women have to make sure that the systems in place that keep women unequal partners in the world are consistently addressed and continue to give women every opportunity possible to be fully engaged participants in their lives.
Although gender stereotypes are now challenged, and the diverse representation of women is more evident, there is still an immediate worldwide need for women’s equality. Hashmi is the first Muslim-American to serve in the Virginia State Senate.
In the fight for equality, Hashmi helped organize the ‘Day Without a Woman’ rally held at Reynolds Community College, coinciding with the March on Washington for International Women’s Day in 2017. This public demonstration gave voice to those navigating the issues of child care, financial instability and housing instability, Hashmi said.
Women’s representation in the workplace has increased since 2016, but women—especially women of color—remain significantly underrepresented in leadership, stated in the Women in the Workplace study, the largest study on the state of women in corporate America.
Keya Wingfield, owner of Keya & Co and winner of the Food Networks “Spring Baking Championship,” season 7, showed the world that she was unstoppable.
“When I did the show, I was also pregnant at the time, so I had an added challenge of being a woman,” said Wingfield. “You know, one of the toughest ones there can be.”
When it comes to being the sole owner of her business, she shared her experience fighting through stereotypes, including landlords constantly thinking her caucasian husband was the rightful owner.
“I think as a business person you must be willing to be extremely persistent and relentless,” Wingfield said. “You’re going to fall a hundred times and you must be able to get up 101.”
On its current trajectory, it will now take around 136 years to close the gender gap worldwide and around 62 years in North America, stated in the 2021 Global Gender Gap Report.
“We see the issues of gender concerns through the lens of the western world, but until we have true gender equality across the globe, we will see all societies impacted,” said Hashmi. “We know from the data and the research that the more opportunities girls are given and women are given in a society, will improve the economic social of that entire society, and that has to be our focus.”
The gender gap in political empowerment remains the largest, with only 22% closed to date, according to the 2021 Global Gender Gap Report. Currently, in Virginia, there are only 11 women out of the 40 members in the Virginia Senate, Hashmi said.
“What tends to happen is that if we don’t have enough representation of different communities, whether it’s minority groups or women in particular, that means that the policies, the issues that impact those particular communities are often not seen as important or relevant,” Hashmi said.
Although society is transitioning to a time in history where diversity, equity and inclusion are expected, International Women’s Day notices its absence and celebrates its presence.
“As a woman, I think we need to stop asking for equality,” Wingfield said. “I think you need to start asking for equity.”