19 Things You Can Do During Women's History Month
Although it's always Women's History Month around these parts, March serves as a national moment to tell, re-tell and rewrite women's history. It's a time to recognize those who have come before us and toast their accomplishments. It's a time to share resources across generations of women. It's a time truly explore the exclusivity of gender equality's past and the hopeful inclusivity of its future.
Below, we've got 25 recommendations* for celebrating Women's History Month. Thank you for being here and thank you for caring about the spectrum of lived experience that is womanhood.
*Click links for more info; it's important to note we have not organized many of the events, programs and groups listed. If you have questions, please contact the organizers for further information.
IF YOU'RE AN AUSTIN LOCAL, SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY BY HEADING TO EVENTS:
1.) International Women's Day Yellow Hour with #bbatx on March 8, 2018
This International Women's Day, we're gathering as a community. On March 8, 2018 at this Yellow Hour, we'll paint with our April and May 2018 featured artist, Kwanzaa Edwards, to create a mural for CraftHER Market Spring '18 that captures the collaborative ethos of that pop-up. Moreover, last year's featured market artist, DJ Mahealani, will be joining us to spin some vinyl. Our friend Solaris Reads Tarot will also be on deck giving readings, Space 24 Twenty has coordinated a kickass raffle to benefit the Worker's Defense Project and Casa Marianella, and Frank will be keeping us fed with some happy hour specials. Come one, come all and come dressed in yellow. On top of this event's special agenda, we'll also toast to last summer's Unity in Color: Austin shoot and reflect on the progress all who participated in that shoot have made over the last six months.
2.) ATX Celebrates International Women's Day on March 8, 2018
Celebrate INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY—the Austin way—with a night of music and movement-building! Featured Bands are Paula Maya, Mafaro Marimba, Leti Garza and Julie Slim. Showcasing an eclectic mix of original works and covers reflecting the music of Brazil, Africa, France, the Middle East and several Pan American countries, we will connect our stories to those of millions of women around the globe in a rally cry for women’s equality. Since 1975, International Women’s Day (IWD) has been a day for unity, reflection, advocacy, and action on access, security, and economic parity for women. Now more than ever, we must lift up the creative contributions of Austin women and demand a safe and equitable environment in which we can make art, live, and love free from violence and discrimination. This International Women's Day, we must #PressforProgress.
3.) Exhibition opening for Dawn Okoro's Punk Noir from March 8 through July 21, 2018
Come celebrate the debut of artist Dawn Okoro’s solo show “Punk Noir," an exploration of Afro-punk creative expression.
4.) Girl Advocacy Day with Girls Empowerment Network on March 13, 2018
Girl Advocacy Day, hosted by the Girls Empowerment Network, inspires youth to be civically engaged and helps them develop their unique voice to advocate for themselves and the wider community. Girl Advocacy Day will include a training on the power of advocacy, the opportunity to speak with relatable role models who work in politics/public policy, and interactive programming exploring issues that impact girls in our community.
5.) con flama by Salvage Vanguard Theatre from March 15 through March 31, 2018
Salvage Vanguard Theater announces con flama by Sharon Bridgforth. Set in Los Angeles in the 1940s to 1970s, con flama gives a glimpse of a Black gurl's coming of age, through Ancestral passages and her family history. The gurl's story unfolds as she makes her way through the cultural landscape of Los Angeles on the bus. con flama invites us to gather in a space of listening, to look at each other on the bus, and embrace an opportunity to witness the humanity in each other. con flama inspires us to love, connect and heal each other, and urges us to establish communities of love. Join the Salvage Vanguard on the bus this March at the Dougherty Arts Center.
6.) ReproJusticia: Reproductive Justice in Immigrant Communities on March 20, 2018
It's time for an intersectional movement where the rights of immigrants and the rights of women are discussed in the overlapping context in which they exist. Deeds Not Words has organized a series of three panels where amazing organizations working on the ground to serve immigrant women will educate the community about the issues they face
7.) Flo Code x Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas Period Kit Packing Party on March 28, 2018
Flo Code and Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas are teaming up to host a period packing party. Spots are limited, so check the event details to get involved.
YOU CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL PROTESTS AND MOVEMENTS:
8.) Join International Women's Day organizers and protesters on March 8 in the #PressForProgress.
IWD is calling on everyone to recommit to progressive action in women's global fight for gender parity. "With the World Economic Forum's 2017 Global Gender Gap Report findings telling us that gender parity is over 200 years away - there has never been a more important time to keep motivated and #PressforProgress. And with global activism for women's equality fuelled by movements like #MeToo, #TimesUp and more - there is a strong global momentum striving for gender parity. And while we know that gender parity won't happen overnight, the good news is that across the world women are making positive gains day by day. Plus, there's indeed a very strong and growing global movement of advocacy, activism and support. So we can't be complacent. Now, more than ever, there's a strong call-to-action to press forward and progress gender parity. A strong call to #PressforProgress. A strong call to motivate and unite friends, colleagues and whole communities to think, act and be gender inclusive. International Women's Day is not country, group or organisation specific. The day belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. So together, let's all be tenacious in accelerating gender parity. Collectively, let's all Press for Progress."
AND WHETHER YOU JOIN ANYONE OFFLINE, YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE FREEDOM TO JUST DO YOUR OWN SHIT:
9.) Consider donating to the Worker's Defense Project. International Women's Day is meant to reignite the discussion about parity in the workplace across classes and cultural backgrounds.
10.) Read (AND BUY) a book written by a woman of color. Here's a great list.
11.) Shop woman-owned, POC-owned and queer-owned businesses!
12.) Research the ethics of your clothing and the sustainability of your choices on the world and our environment. As a United States resident, your consumption habits have a negative impact on women across the world.
13.) Donate to woman-powered nonprofits that are working to change culture intersectionally and across generations, like Counterbalance ATX, the YWCA ATX and Girls Empowerment Network.
14.) Get political! Take some time to familiarize yourself with current landscape in our government (both local, state-level and national). We suggest Countable.
15.) Rewrite women's history through Art & Feminism's Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon.
16.) Host a period kit packing party with your friends and donate menstrual products to your local shelters.
17.) Believe women. Believe survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Look into the Texas Council on Family Violence, so you can be a prepared bystander and help survivors in your community.
18.) Learn about the racial and sexual exclusivity of the feminist movement and women's civil rights movement. Determine how you can use the privileges you're afforded today to create more space for more women to sustain themselves, be respected and find community.
19.) Write down all you've accomplished this year. Compliment someone else. Take a bath. Get some rest. Do something you love. When you've got nothing left to give, existence is resistance.
Here's to Women's History Month.