Happy Women’s History Month everybody! Don’t forget to mark your calendars for March 8th, International Women’s Day. Today we focus on what it means to bring awareness to the social, economic, and political achievements of women. March 8th is the day we make a call to action. That call for action is for the acceleration of gender parity and fundraising for female-focused charities. 

This year's theme for International Women’s Day is Choose to Challenge. 

This year, IWD is choosing to challenge inequality. So you may want to ask yourself what gender equity looks and feels like. Choosing to challenge gender bias. So you may want to focus on how to call out gender bias and how to fix it. Choosing to challenge harmful stereotypes against women. So you may want to ask yourself what those stereotypes are, and how to dismantle them. Finally, choosing to challenge inclusivity. So you may want to observe patterns of exclusivity in your community, and ways in which to promote diversity within it. 

Choosing to challenge anything can be scary at times, and you may even find yourself wondering what you can do as an individual. In my opinion, starting small, like working with yourself, is the beginning of the major change . So, as an example, I choose to challenge the negative thoughts I associate with being a young black woman in America. I choose to reflect on my femininity, and how I express that part of myself. I choose to challenge who I am as a young woman, and what that means for me. I choose to challenge the competitive tension that society has wedged between women, and focus on what would happen if I were uplifting  women in my community instead. This month, I choose to embrace all the best parts of being a woman.

This may seem like alot, and maybe it's a bit overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Change starts with being aware, and taking accountability of the role you play in society. Start with addressing the way you think, the way you act. Don’t be afraid to choose to challenge. And if you do choose to participate in the IWD theme for this year, and want to learn more about how to get involved, follow the link below.

https://www.internationalwomensday.com/2021Theme