By Alexis Hopper
My grandmother was nimble, spry and a titan of Scrabble. She was as swift with shears slicing through fabric as she was clearing brush with her walking stick. She would say, “given enough time, you can get used to anything” and “figure out what you want, then go get it.” Her words of advice seem nearly contradictory, but they perfectly balance her ability to fully accept and embrace life for what it was without compromising her purpose and goals. She lived from 1913-2012, a remarkable era for any woman. She demonstrated strength, tolerance, and compassion throughout her life and I am grateful to have known her.
On this day in Women’s History Month, there are more stories than ever of remarkable individuals who have effected change for a more just and equitable society. Below are a few favorite resources I found when reflecting on the intelligence, resilience, and achievements of women worldwide.
From the National Women’s History Museum
- Women’s History Month Toolkit: An interactive calendar with daily resources and reflections, including a Tuesday biography series called the “Fab 5”.
- Women Writing History: A Coronavirus Journaling Project: Become part of a living archive! This project invites girls and women to share their stories of life during the COVID-19 pandemic to be featured online and in physical exhibits.
- Downloadable poster set of women titans in their field.
From the Smithsonian National Museum of American History-Behring Center
- Girlhood (It’s complicated): An interactive virtual exhibit commemorating woman suffrage by exploring how girls changed history in five areas: politics, education, work, health, and fashion.
From Story Corps
- Stories, Podcasts, Animations and more! StoryCorps’ mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world These are the stories of women who have challenged gender norms, advanced their fields, and left a lasting legacy.