Sonoma State Star

Issue date: 3/8/06 Section: Student Life

Media Credit: Courtsey of Heather Howard

As we reflect on the importance of Black History Month, another period of recognition is upon us. March is regarded nationally and increasingly internationally as Women's History Month. On Mar. 1, three of the original organizers of the National Women's History Project, and subsequently Women's History Month, spoke about their experiences. Mary Ruthsdotter, Molly Murphy MacGregor and Paula Hammett spoke in the Multi-Purpose Room in the Student Union for more than an hour on founding the organization, the challenges they faced in doing so, and the necessity of a Women's History Month. The event was hosted by the Women's Resource Center on-campus, and roughly 30 people were in attendance. All paid rapt attention throughout the presentation.

The event itself was planned by two student leaders, both women.

"Due to a lack of resources, funding, and access this process has been very grassroots. This is not dissimilar to what some of our founding leaders did over 25 years ago when developing a grassroots organization" Alli Deering and Erica Klescewski said, in reference to the event and the work being done for Women's History Month at Sonoma State. Deering and Klescewski were the organizers of the event and student assistants in the Women's Resource Center in the Student Union. To have women of this caliber speaking at Sonoma State is a victory in itself for the Women's Resource Center, especially when the NWHP originated from this area.

The night began with a seven-minute video collage of pictures of recognizable women in history. An anthem written, for the NWHP, accompanied the collage and made for a powerful audio-visual sequence. Images of Abigail Adams, Alice Paul, Harriet Tubman and Corretta Scott King were shown. A plethora of images were also shown of women at anti-war marches, at Take Back the Night events, and various other protests.

MacGregor, President of the NWHP, along with Zammett, are Sonoma State Alums and were proud and to be kicking off Women's History Month at their alma mater. MacGregor earned her masters degree in history from Sonoma State, and said that the lack of recognition of Women's History first occurred to her when she was a high school social studies teacher. When a student asked her about women's history, and she could not respond with assurance, she knew that she needed to address the informational void.

"Assume in every culture from the beginning of time women have made major contributions," MacGregor said in response to a question.

Continued...

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