NASCC honors ‘Visionary Women’ during Women’s History Month celebration
Personnel assigned to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi held a Women’s History Month observance ceremony at the Naval Health Clinic, March 19.
The guest speaker for the event was Lt. Cmdr. Lakisha Washington, commander, Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Corpus Christi. Washington highlighted the contributions of a number of women throughout history.
“We owe thanks to women like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott.” Washington said. “Due to their tireless efforts, the 19th Amendment was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920, granting women the right to vote.”
Washington is the first woman in her family to join the military, and first to serve as an officer, she is also the first member of her family to go to college and the only one to earn a Master’s degree. Of the 20 NOSC’s that fall under Navy Region Southeast, Fort Worth, Washington is the only female commanding officer.
“I worked my tail off to graduate with honors because I knew that education was the key to getting a career that would allow me to provide my son with the life that I didn’t have.” Washington said.
National Women’s History Month can trace its roots back to March 8, 1857, when women from New York City factories staged a protest over working conditions.
International Women’s Day was first observed in 1909, but it wasn’t until 1981 that Congress established National Women’s History Week to be commemorated the second week of March. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month.
Each year, the National Women’s History Project selects a theme that highlights achievements by distinguished women in specific fields, from medicine and the environment to art and politics.
The 2019 theme, “Visionary Women: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence.” honors women who have led efforts to end war, violence, and injustice and pioneered the use of nonviolence to change society.
The National Women’s History Alliance will honor several women who have dedicated their lives to this year’s theme at a ceremony in Washington D.C., March 30.
Among those who will be honored at the ceremony will be Graciela Sanchez, co-founder and director of the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center in San Antonio.
The Esperanza is a community-based arts and cultural organization, committed to serving marginalized communities.
Sanchez has worked throughout her lifetime to eliminate racism, sexism, homophobia, and class elitism.
Her activism facilitates conversations on issues of colonization, cultural genocide, violence, and intersectionality.
Another honoree will be Deborah Tucker, president of the Board of Directors of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Tucker has dedicated over 40 years to ending violence. She founded and led several organizations while working with many to advocate for improvements to laws, polices, and practices at the local, state, national, and international levels.
Most notably, she helped write and pass the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and co-chaired the Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence.
One of several deceased honorees will be civil rights activist Dorothy Cotton.
Cotton was the only woman in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s inner circle and one of the most influential women in the civil rights movement.
She developed the Citizen Education Program, teaching disenfranchised people the importance of political participation and methods of nonviolent protest.
She fearlessly faced off with Klu Klux Klansman who frequently violently disrupted civil rights demonstrations.
“These women and so many other female pioneers’ accomplishments fall along a broad spectrum, but they all share something in common, they broke barriers by not settling for the status quo.” Washington added. “When someone has a vision to better society and humanity as a whole, it is our responsibility, men and women, to help make it a reality.”
For more information on Women’s History Month, visit www.nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org or www.deomi.org/human-relations/special-observances.cfm.