Felicia Bruce RC 43 VP Lobbying in Tallahassee
In 1979 President Carter declared a week be set aside to celebrate women's accomplishments and contributions. Eight years later it became a month long time to honor women and the key roles they played in the life of our nation. For centuries women have broken barriers, fought for rights men had and challenged feminine stereotypes. Rarely have they received the credit due them, often they have suffered brutal consequences for their choices. Many women defied traditions, were trailblazers filled with courage and faith that the future would be better for their daughters, that equality, dignity and justice would transform their world. But by April, the spotlight is gone, the memory fades, the recognition is lost.
We know the fight for equality is far from over. Women are still struggling with issues of fair pay, an equitable economy and a tax code that doesn't discriminate by gender. We must continue to advocate for women and girls while we honor the importance of female contributions to our nation's history. We must advance policy solutions that will make a real difference in the lives of women through advocacy, education, research and legislation.
While we move forward, let us look backward, literally, into our own back yards for voices and lives of inspiration. In my hometown, Zora Neale Hurstonwas an influential African American author. She portrayed racial struggles in the early 20thcentury American South and did anthropological research. A contemporary of Langston Hughes, it is thought he plagiarized from her! Frances Langfordwas a movie star who became a local philanthropist.
We cannot all be authors or wealthy entertainers but we can all do something to make a difference. We can start by urging the Florida Legislature to make history: be the 38thstate to make equality between genders law.