Women’s History Month is right around the corner! This past Wednesday on Feb. 26th, Women Student Union unveiled its Women’s History Month 2020 calendar! Within Florida State University’s organizations, Women Student Union (WSU) is one of the six identity-based agencies that fall under the umbrella of Student Government Association. The mission of Women Student Union is to “foster the growth of women personally, professionally and politically.” WSU holds various events throughout the year to uphold that mission, and one of them is Women’s History Month.
A little bit of history behind Women’s History Month, it first began as Women’s History Week in 1979 with the help of Molly Murphy MacGregor. Later in Feb. 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a Presidential Proclamation detailing that the week of March 8 will be National Women’s History Week. This was done to go hand in hand with International Women’s Day on March 8th. As years of celebration of Women’s History Week was done in many U.S. states, Congress in 1987 turned March into National Women’s History Month.
This year, Jealine Noel and I have the honor of being the Women’s History Month Co-Coordinators for Women Student Union. We have been working tirelessly, along with our fellow Executive Board members to create fun events and ideas for this year. The first event we will be kicking off with will be, “Say It Louder for the People in the Back!” In this event, we will discuss our upcoming events, what it means to be a womxn and have a voice, and the meaning behind our theme, Valiant Voices. During the entire month, we will have various events ranging from a talk about sexual health, a mixer, a book talk, a monologue, a movie night and so much more!
I asked my fellow Executive Board members about their thoughts on Women’s History Month and this is what they had to say:
Jealine Noel, the Women’s History Month Co-Coordinator expressed, “I believe that this year’s calendar for Women’s History Month provides the opportunity for many different identities to feel represented. There is an array of more serious and informational events to lighthearted fun events. There truly is something for everyone to enjoy. Most importantly it is an opportunity for the student body to celebrate women of all walks of life!”
Samiah Bansal, the Director of Women Student Union expressed, “Women Student Union is really excited to announce Women’s History Month! We’ve worked really hard on solidifying all of the events for the month. We use this time as a celebration to empower women on campus and ensure that our space is safe for any discussions. This month’s theme is Valiant Voices and it focuses on using our voices to speak out about issues in our community. 2020 is a big year for political movements and it’s our time to be represented in any and every topic!”
Rachel Biangel, the Public Relations Coordinator expressed, “Women’s History Month is incredible because it’s a whole month dedicated to listening to and validating womxn’s voices and experiences. I think it’s an awesome way for the female operated and empowered organizations to have a larger platform and unveil awesome events that unite us as a community, both on large and small scales!”
As for me, I’m very much excited for this year’s Women’s History Month. When I applied to Women Student Union, I wanted to be part of an organization of strong women that does work in uplifting and empowering other women in FSU and Tallahassee’s communities. The position of being one of the two Women’s History Month Co-Coordinators has been fulfilling and I can’t wait to see all the hard work come to life and fruition.
I’m still accepting submissions for Vagina Monologue. This is a performance-based showcase that gives a platform for FSU students to highlight their talents. Whether it’s singing, dancing, poetry, spoken word, acting or any show-stopper talent. If you’re interested in joining the Monologue, there’s still time! You can fill out the application here. But please do so as soon as possible!
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