Chair column

Happy Spring! Since 1987, March has been Women’s History Month in the United States. This year’s theme for Women’s History Month is NEVERTHELESS SHE PERSISTED: Honoring Women Who Fight All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. According to the National Women’s History Project, “The 2018 National Women’s History theme presents the opportunity to honor women who have shaped America’s history and its future through their tireless commitment to ending discrimination against women and girls. The theme embodies women working together with strength, tenacity and courage to overcome obstacles and achieve joyful accomplishments.”

March 8 was International Women’s Day. I have seen two themes for International Women’s Day: One is #PressForProgress, “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.” The other is “Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives,” which seeks to “draw attention to the rights and activism of rural women, who make up over a quarter of the world population and are being left behind in every measure of development.”

How can you help to empower women and girls this month? You could join an international service organization like Zonta that seeks to empower women worldwide through service and advocacy. As a Zonta member for over 15 years, I have seen first-hand how Zonta has made a global impact on issues such as reducing violence against women and saving the lives of women affected by HIV/AIDS, tetanus, and obstetric fistula, and a local impact by supporting our county’s domestic violence and sexual assault shelter.

You can find out more about Zonta by going to www.zonta.org. For more information on Women’s History Month please go to www.nwhp.org/. For more information on International Women’s Day, please go to www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day or www.internationalwomensday.com/.

The work of our committee to recognize the achievements of women in our profession continues. We are proud that so many of our current and former members have been named Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, or Leading Lawyers, among other accomplishments. Our committee also remains steadfast in our efforts to raise awareness about equal pay, the ERA, and other issues affecting women both inside and outside our profession.

Guests are always welcome at our meetings and events. Our committee is holding its annual outreach event at the United States District Courthouse in East St. Louis on Friday, April 20. Please consider joining us to discuss issues affecting women in the profession and for a chance to network with some of the best lawyers in Illinois and Missouri. I hope to see you there! 