March 2024 is National Women's History Month

As women and girls, we don't always have an equal seat at the table to the men in our lives. Throughout the world, the fight for equality wages on, and women's history month is a time to tell the stories of women and girls who are making a difference across our world.

When we teach our daughters about women's history, and the women who have come before them and made a difference in society for the better, it can be extremely empowering. By teaching our young women that their voices have value, we can also make an impact on our tomorrow, and the future of women everywhere.

According to the National Women's History Alliance:

The National Women’s History Month’s theme for 2024 celebrates “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” The theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions.

The more all of us can advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion in our lives, our workplaces, and other public spaces, the more we can serve as a positive influence for advancing this important cause.

Equality for women still has a long way to go. There are issues that face women every day that men don't have to worry about, or be aware of in the same way.

For example, there is still a gender pay gap, even in 2024. According to Nerd Wallet,

Women consistently bring home less money than men: In 2023, women earned 84 cents to every dollar men earned, according to a report by the Census Bureau released in 2024. And that gap hasn’t budged in about 20 years, according to Pew Research Center.

You would think that now, in 2024, the gender pay gap in this country would be a thing of the past. Everyone deserves equal pay for equal work. This should be a standard, not something that we are still contending with today. Women work just as hard as men do, and deserve to be paid a fair wage for their work.

By advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, we can help women to advance their careers, and help to end the wage disparities that still exist in this country. Providing a fair and equitable workplace is an important step to leveling the playing field for all women.

Examples of Women Making a Difference

Having examples of strong, female role models can make a difference for us and our daughters. Seeing what other women are doing to make the world a better place for everyone can serve as an inspiration for us to do the same. We don't have to be passive or silent in the face of inequality. We can speak up for ourselves, and for others who have been rendered voiceless in our society.

For example, in the Brooklyn Second Judicial District, this month women of the court celebrate Women's History Month as part of their committee on Equal Justice, formed in November 2021. They celebrate women throughout the court system who are making a difference for equality, and helping to remove barriers to equal access to the court system.

Boston University also provides examples of empowered women students, making a difference for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in honor of Women's History Month. They explain why there is still a need for this, even today.

“Historically, women have been significantly underrepresented in professional and academic settings. I think that’s exactly why women must lead the way in pushing for diversity, equity, and inclusion. We can’t change the past, but there’s a chance to shape the future and make a change here in the present. DEI is about inspiring women to see themselves not just as participants, but as strong women capable of driving innovation and changing the world.” 

—Grace Kim (COM’24)

There are countless women across the nation who are making a difference each day by bringing awareness and advocacy to the forefront in the field of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Many firms now offer trainings on these subjects to their staff, so that all workers will be treated fairly.

A few years ago, I had the privilege of working for BCT Partners, which is a management consulting firm that provides services to many underserved communities, and provides DEI trainings to many different workplaces. Working in a culture that is based on DEI principles goes a long way towards making every employee feel like they are making a valued contribution.

Becoming a DEI Advocate

Wherever you are in life, you can make a difference for the cause of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. If you are willing to speak up in the face of injustice, you can make a difference in every area of your life, and with anyone whom you come in contact.

If you want to take on a more structured role, you can go to work for a specialized DEI firm like BCT, or work in areas of healthcare, government, the justice system and more.

Marquette University, offers these tips for what to consider when stepping into a DEI Advocacy role:

• Educating themselves and others about oppression, discrimination, privilege and other social justice issues, and combating these issues on a personal level.

• Confronting individuals and groups who disparage others by using jokes, comments, and/or materials that negatively target race, ethnicity, gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, social economic status, and/or religious affiliation.

• Providing a safe and confidential environment for students from underrepresented populations on campus to express issues and concerns in an atmosphere of support and acceptance; and by providing them with informational and educational resources such as websites, books, journal articles and referrals to appropriate organizations and/or individuals.

• Treating each individual with the dignity and respect they are entitled to as human beings.

• Engaging in multicultural events and educational opportunities on campus.

In order to properly advocate for the cause of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, it is important to make sure that we are being inclusive ourselves. This means, allowing all voices to be heard and valued, and examining our own unconscious biases, so that we can work to mitigate them in our dealings with others.

By becoming our best and most caring selves, we can work to advocate for those who struggle to advocate for themselves. As women, we know the struggles that exist in society that are unique to our gender, and we can help to uplift other women through our work in social justice.

If you are serious about doing DEI work yourself, there are many organizations that you can volunteer for both in your local community, and worldwide.

To find out more, you can check out:

National Association for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

National Center for Civil and Human Rights

The World Economic Forum also provides a list of These companies are successfully scaling up Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the globe

Cornell University also offers a DEI Certificate Program for continuing your education more formally.

As we celebrate Women's History Month, we also look forward to a tomorrow when women and girls are treated fairly and equally in our society at large. We can all work to create a world where discrimination, sexual violence and inequality in the workplace and the home become a thing of the past.

As I have said before when arguing with a family member of mine about women's equality - Women won't have equal rights until we can walk down the street and feel safe, the same way that a man does.

Women's history has often been a history of violence, and this is something we all need to work together to bring to an end. By advocating for DEI, we can take a first step toward mitigating bias, creating fairness, securing equal wages, and creating a world where women are seen as equals.

To read about more inspiring women of history, and how to teach our daughters about women's history, you can check out my posting from March 2022.

Let me know in the comments what questions you have, and I will be happy to address them in a future article.