March Marks the Start of Women’s History Month
With the spotlight this month being on women and their achievements across history, the District observes the celebration with empowering events and progress of its own.
Women's History Month has technically only existed for as long as Generation Y, or Millennials, have been around. Beginning as just "Women's History Week" on March 7, 1982, the national celebration is a chance to commemorate the incredible progress women have fought for in terms of civil rights, wage equity, and cultural representation. Of course, these efforts are far from over with researchers reporting a stunning rise in misogyny after the last American election—especially in our schools. It is more important than ever to tackle these important issues head-on, and use this month to gather and reflect on how we come together for continued advancement.
At NOCCCD, the influence of women and their impact can be seen easily in the numbers alone. From the 2023-24 demographics survey it was revealed that over 55% of the employees here at NOCCCD are women, and as well as 55% of the student body. Of the 29 executive and director-level positions, 19 of them are held by women, including Dr. Cynthia Olivo and Valentina Purtell, presidents of Fullerton College and NOCE respectively.
This month, the campuses at NOCCCD are holding several events in observance of the great contributions women have made throughout history. Just this week, Angela Aguirre presented Let's Celebrate Women's History Month on the 4th at Fullerton College. The Chicana author, a CSULA graduate, is a notable advocate of this generation who uses her social media presence to create a community and foster a voice for women and girls and the struggles they might otherwise face alone. Next week is Fullerton College’s Women Who Inspire Us event on March 12th at the Cadena Cultural Center from 11AM to 1PM.
Cypress College's Veterans Resource Center will be hosting their second annual Women Empowerment Gala at the end of March, a glamorous black-tie event intended to highlight the accomplishments and sacrifices of women in the past while empowering women of today with a sense of community and leadership. Meanwhile, on March 25, the District will be presenting the second annual Women's Champions of DEIA Awards during the regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting.
Though Women's History Month is a celebration of the past, it can also be a roadmap for the future. See achievements beyond the bounds of NOCCCD at the official Women’s History Month website, which is currently featuring ongoing exhibitions of women artists, scholars, community leaders, and more.
