Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.
 
The 2022 Women’s History theme, “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope”, is both a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and also a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.

This year, in particular, we are reminded of the importance of healers and caregivers who are helping to promote and sustain hope for the future. The NWHA encourages communities throughout the country to honor local women who bring and have historically brought these priceless gifts to their families, workplaces, and neighborhoods, sometimes at great sacrifice. These are the women who, as counselors and clerics, artists and teachers, doctors, nurses, mothers, and grandmothers listen, ease suffering, restore dignity, and make decisions for our general as well as our personal welfare.

• International Women's Day (annually on March 8th) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.
• IWD has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organization specific.

 
2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a landmark piece of legislation for gender equity.

The law ensures that all education programs and activities receiving federal funding must protect students and employees from sex-based discrimination and bans many aspects of gender inequality that had previously been tolerated or overlooked in education. Despite consistent attempts through legislation, executive actions, and lawsuits to diminish its effectiveness, Title IX continues to provide these protections today.

The 2022 National Women’s History Theme
Women's History Month.gov
Women’s History Month 2022: Celebrating 50 Years of Title IX
International Women's Day.com​

Compiled by BUILD for Women's History Month, 2022.

BUILD HONORS AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND GOVERNMENT

March is Women’s History Month. The National Women’s History Alliance selects and publishes the yearly theme, and this year it is the same as last year: “Valiant Women of the Vote.” It is appropriate to carry this theme forward considering the historic role Black women played in the recent elections. This includes the election of Kamala Harris.  Harris is the first Black woman, the first Indian-American woman, the first person of Asian-American descent, and the first graduate of a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to be sworn in as the Vice President of the United States. As she said in her acceptance speech, “(she) may be the first, but (she) will not be the last.”

Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the appointment of Jamila Thomas as his chief of staff effective Nov. 16. Thomas is currently chief of staff to Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal and previously held the same title with former Speaker of the House Frank Chopp.
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BUILD would like to highlight these especially relevant resources from Leanin.org:

Working at the intersection: What Black women are up against
The State of Black Women in Corporate America
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The above links, and many others, are also part of our Resources page.

​BUILD’s Professional Development & Leadership Support Subcommittee is over-joyed to release our first Leader Spotlight Interview with our own BUILD Chair Megan Matthews!

Edwina Martin- Arnold– Build Co-Chair,–office of  Chief Equity and Inclusion at DSHS. Under the secretary Author. Entrepreneur,  has worked with both County and State Gov. 
 
Interview Questions for Edwina Martin Arnold – BUILD Co—Chair
 
1. Where did you start in state government? ‘I’ve worked in state government for most of my life. I started just after receiving my law degree in 1991 and have worked at many different agencies over the years. Currently I am with DSHS as the Chief Officer of the Equity and Inclusion Department. ​

This series is a platform for black authors to share personal accounts about their life experiences in research and academia, as well as reflect on the Black Lives Matter movement, the current state of affairs and where we go from here.