Dream Team Blog Series: Celebrating Women’s History Month
By Christine Cesarino
Most people don’t know it, but Women’s History Month started as a European celebration – International Women’s Day. The United States adopted the holiday, which evolved into a weeklong, then monthlong observance.
Why does Women’s History Month matter? As a history major in college and a woman, I strongly believe that only by learning about the challenges in collective past, can we as women pave a stronger, even more successful future. From Elizabeth Cady Stanton to Rosa Parks, from Sally Ride to Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, women need to know and celebrate their contributions to society to continue to encourage new generations of women to achieve.
Luckily for us, the last several decades have seen a plethora of strong women leading the charge forward and giving younger generations plenty to aspire to. Madeleine Albright became the first woman to serve as US Secretary of State. Lucille “Pam” Thompson became the first African-American woman to serve as a U.S. Coast Guard Special Agent. Danica Patrick was the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500. Nancy Pelosi was the first female Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and is currently the highest ranking woman politician in American history. Kathryn Bigelow was the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director, the BAFTA Award for Best Direction and the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Director, all for The Hurt Locker. Two of my recent favorites? Mary Barra broke new ground as the first female CEO of a major automaker and Louise L. Francesconi became the President of the Raytheon Company’s Missile Systems business – a first for that industry.
In today’s society with the constant buzz of social media surrounding them and instant distraction at their fingertips it’s easy for young girls to lose sight of how hard today’s women have worked to bring us to the point we’re at today. This is the perfect time to have conversations with the young women in your life, whether they are daughters, nieces, students or a young business professional that you mentor. Take this opportunity celebrate the richness of women’s history and inspire future generations of female CEO’s, researchers, race car drivers and future United States Presidents.
Christine has been working for Rob for almost 7 years now as his executive assistant. She graduated from LIU: CW Post with a Bachelors in History but came to Advantage with an extensive background in executive support and event planning. She and her husband have a two year old son, and in her free time she’s a professional wine drinker.
