Newsletter - Celebrating Women's History Month

Statement

Dear friend,

Every March we come together as a nation to celebrate Women's History Month -- a time to honor the women in our lives personally and in our history nationally. This year in particular, Women's History Month encourages this reflection with the theme of "Weaving the Stories of Women's Lives," -- and as you'll see at the end of this email, there's a way for you to highlight the story of a young woman in South Florida who is making a difference.

Like many places in the world, there are far too many instances in our nation's history where the stories and contributions of women have been ignored, minimized, or altogether deleted. From Elizabeth Cady Stanton being told men should represent women at the polls, to the experiences of Sojourner Truth being discounted because she didn't sound or look like the "right" kind of woman, to American history textbooks failing to recognize the role of women in World War II.

This type of silencing and erasure served to marginalize women and their stories as well as undermine the magnitude of women's contributions to our nation. That is why national moments in time like Women's History Month are such important opportunities to not only right this wrong, but commit to always giving the perspectives of women the attention they deserve.

Perhaps the most significant outcome of ensuring that women's lives and stories are included as an essential part of the American narrative is the impact this type of elevation can have on young women and girls. I know how powerful this can be first-hand. When I was 25-years-old and made the decision, against the recommendation of most, to run for office in the Florida House of Representatives, I found strength in the successes of the women who came before me. The perseverance and tenacity of women like Abigail Adams who spent her life ensuring male politicians would "remember the ladies" and Miami's own Gloria Estefan, the daughter of immigrants who became one of the world's best-selling artists of all time, inspired me to push forward as I knocked on all 25,000 doors in the District that summer. And just as inspirational were the women's stories I learned along the way. Behind many doors in South Florida I found older, more established women eager to tell me their tales of struggle and triumph -- Jewish grandmas who saw their daughters and granddaughters in me, for example. Those stories and the support they provided were my lifeline and reassured me that I could in fact achieve my dream of making a difference in my community.

We stand on the shoulders of the women that came before us and without being taught about those women, we have nothing to stand on. Our daughters must know that their experiences and contributions matter. That is why this March I am asking principals, school guidance counselors, and other youth leaders to nominate a girl from Florida's 23rd District for the first annual "Make Your Mark" award to recognize and honor the girls in our community. I am thrilled to encourage nominations throughout the month of March and looking forward to eventually visiting the school of the winner in April. To learn more about this award and nomination process, contact Michael Liquerman in my Pembroke Pines office at 954-437-3936.

Women's lives are important. Women's contributions are powerful. Women's stories deserve an audience. This March I join South Florida and communities across the nation in celebrating the women of the United States, and I wish you all a joyous Women's History Month.

Sincerely,

Debbie

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