By EDGE Women Speaker, Merger and Acquisition Thought Leader, and Published Author Jennifer Fondrevay
Why must we stop at a month?
I look back at all of the conversations around women that I have witnessed, participated in and “Zoomed” into this March 2021, and my first thought is: the energy around the conversations feels different. The conversations are more fervent, the age gaps blurred, and the commitments seem deeper, more real. We are all in this together.
I confess, however, that my next thought is….will we now get distracted by other personal, professional or these days, political demands as March comes to a close?
And I ask: “Why must we stop at a month?”
In the U.S., Women’s History Month traces its beginnings back to the first International Women’s Day in 1911. The celebration of women’s history officially remained only a day (though don’t you know a lot of women’s groups celebrated longer than that) for decades until it was officially extended to a week in 1980 by proclamation of then-President Jimmy Carter.
He stated, "From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.”
Congress ultimately passed a resolution in 1987 to declare March as Women’s History month. Since then, Women’s History Month has taken on greater support by numerous states and has risen in prominence.
I ask again, though: “Why stop at a month?”
When EDGE Women speakers launched in October of 2018, we did not put time constraints on our mission. Our purpose was clear: elevate the voices of expert female speakers. Move their voices from the sideline breakout rooms to the main show ballrooms. We knew that hearing women share their stories and expertise would provide a unique and relatable perspective that women bring to any situation. A voice that has been missing from main stages.
When we look at the female political leaders who have successfully navigated their countries through the pandemic crisis, we see how real the power of distinctly female perspectives can be. Consider these women who were not as commonly known before, but who were lauded for how they brought a female perspective to their leadership: Jacinda Ardern, prime minister of New Zealand; Monica Lennon, Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP); Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of Scotland, and Sanna Marin, prime minister of Finland. Each of these women elevated not simply the influence of female leadership, but how that perspective can bring millions of people together through a time of tremendous uncertainty.
EDGE’s mission corresponds with why women’s history month took on such prominence this year: a need – no, an impassioned desire -- to break the status quo. To break it not just through words, but through action. EDGE Women Speakers committed from the beginning to present a variety of female speakers with informed perspectives and compelling experiences to break the status quo. A status quo that saw fewer females on main stages.
Yet EDGE’s challenge remains the same as what was voiced by so many women in conversations and zoom calls and webinars and panels, not just this past March but in many March’s past: how do we elevate female voices so that they are both heard and seen, consistently?
We don’t stop our efforts after a month. We keep at it.
Experienced, Dynamic, Global and Entertaining, EDGE Women Speakers are dedicated professional speakers who have educated and entertained audiences around the world. Check out EDGE Women and see how we transform our audiences and elevate all voices.