Happy Women’s History Month!

Every March, we celebrate and honor the contributions of history-making women in our society. The importance of women and the triumphs that they’ve overcome, and continue to, should be recognized, and celebrated all year-round. But March is when it’s amplified and honored. With only having just the month to acknowledge all of the incredible ways women have changed history, it’s never not enough.

The purpose of Women’s History Month is to advocate for women who have changed our society and created opportunities for future generations. As we reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to history, there’s a lot to unpack. And for the younger generations entering society as young women, these are critical times to send the right messages and show the impact and progress made.

We can focus on the positives and amazing achievements women have overcome over the years, but with those successes came much failure and defeat. Part of sharing women’s stories and journeys of struggle are that most of them lead to strength and perseverance, wanting to make a change and a difference for themselves, and later for others.

Without those experiences, who knows if history would have been made. As humans, we are constantly challenged. Throughout history, women specifically, have been targeted as weak and insignificant. Because of women consistently feeling lesser then, as a society, women have built stronger ties. Women are strong and even stronger in numbers. 

As young girls enter the working world, facing real life experiences, women can help shape their futures. Sharing history is just part of the message, but what else can be done to guide younger generations and prevent women from repeating history?

Here are three critical messages to send girls when celebrating Women’s History Month:

History doesn’t define us

Teaching young girls the importance of Women’s History Month and the struggles women faced throughout different periods of time is critical in their learnings. Creating the dialog that most women who’ve surpassed difficulty as a woman didn’t allow their experiences to define who they were. In fact, most women looked to the future to define themselves because of history. Still to this day, women are not of equal to men. Regardless of this, women continue to work towards creating better opportunities for those who couldn’t.

Women empowerment is real

Now more than ever, women not only show their appreciation and support of one another, but they are more vocal about. With social media being the number one way to share information to a wide audience, women around the world connect on levels that weren’t possible until just a few years ago. The beauty of these social platforms has changed the way we can communicate and choose to share our stories. Sharing a space for women to collaborate, network, and create together has empowered more than can count. By lifting others up, it allows for a unified message across all women and their accomplishments.

The future is your playground

With so much going on in the world, things can seem minuscule or insignificant when it comes to being inspired or making a difference. But the way the world is changing can and will determine the future. We as women need to make sure that our paths align and can be successful in doing so. A lot of our futures are in the hands of men. For young girls, it’s important to stress the weight they hold when it comes to changes they can make for their futures. Pre-determined career paths are a thing of the past. Women aren’t working in the same fields as they were 20, 10, or even 5 years ago. Women aren’t just looked at as homemakers, but people with talent and skills beyond the home. Unfortunately, not every person has the capabilities of receiving a college degree, already moving them into a different bracket. This is a perfect example of how our younger generations can change that.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we can’t forget moments in history, what’s currently happening in the world, and the unknown factor of the future. But for those looking to educate the generations about to enter the workforce, exploring the possibilities and continuing to hold a positive message around women is key. Women are incredible and are fully capable of doing amazing things. We can only hope younger generations take on the obstacles women still face today and look to challenge society. Use resources, connections, and opportunities to guide those around you and share their stories, their journeys, and their triumphs. People learn more when others share their own struggles as they become more relatable and sincere in their asks.

Remember where we started, where we are, and where we are heading. Women have the power to change the world. Start using your voice, share your story, and seek out individuals who are on the same journey as you. Teaching young girls, the importance of Women’s History Month lies in the hands of all women. Share with them the realness of what women are going through today. Although we’ve made great strides, there’s still a lot of work to be done. But we can do it because we are all in this together!

Are you looking for a community of like-minded people striving to make changes for women in the workplace? Check out Luminary for available programs and events that uplift, up-skill, and propel others forward through all phases of their professional journey.

A first-of-its-kind, Luminary is a membership-based global professional growth platform and collaboration hub created for women and male allies to address the systemic challenges impacting women across all industries and sectors. The ultimate career advocate, Luminary provides “real world” advice, tools, and resources to advance, build, connect, and develop through programming and networking opportunities.

With no application process, Luminary is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We invite you to come sit at our table because we are all in this together!