Celebrating Women & Embracing Equity

“I can promise you that women working together – linked, informed and educated – can bring peace and prosperity to this planet.”- Isabelle Allende
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Women’s History Month began as a week long celebration of women’s achievements in 1978. The momentum of the movement caught national attention, and, in 1987, Congress passed Public Law 100-9 designating March as “Women’s History Month.” Women’s History Month is an intentional moment to honor, celebrate, and admire the contributions of women, while also bringing attention to gender inequity and discrimination. In Lawrence women lead in many aspects of our community—from leading non-profits, to starting their own businesses, to driving the message through artistic expression, to forging their own pathways, to so many amazing and varied ways: there are inspiring women all around us. Food Fellow Dariana Guerrero finds inspiration from powerful women reflecting, “Graduating from a women’s college really reshaped my understanding of gender norms and expectations, and today I choose to interrupt the traditional roles I’ve been (socially) expected to follow. The female leadership at GWL reminds me of all the strong women who have mentored me in the past, especially my mentor, friend, and teacher, Liza Talusan who first taught me about diversity, equity, and inclusion work and helped me transfer to Smith. Each woman inspires me to think about my own leadership development, and reminds me that my voice is a powerful tool of change."
Mabel Lemoniel, Social Media Coordinator, has some advice for women thinking about leadership stating, “Don't be afraid to make mistakes because it is a natural part of learning and growth. Don't beat yourself [up over them]. Learn from them.” For Mabel and Dariana, having a strong community of women as mentors, leaders, and friends gives them the strength, knowledge, and support to chase their dreams and lift up other women in the process.
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International Women's Day |
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While Women’s History Month tends to focus on the United States, International Women’s Day on March 8th is a chance to celebrate, honor, and cheer on the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the globe. Each year, the International Women’s Day team creates a campaign with a distinct theme that challenges gender stereotypes, calls out discrimination, draws attention to bias, and seeks out inclusion. This year’s theme, #embraceequity, reminds us that to truly be equitable it means we must believe, value, and seek out difference. To embrace equity means to think through the different obstacle’s women may face due to their many intersectional identities. Who are the “leading” ladies in your life? Share it with us at #GWLembraceequity this month for a shoutout on our social media pages!
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Photo Credit: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/ |
đź’ˇDid You Know?
One way we can #embraceequity is by learning and practicing inclusive language. “Womxn,” pronounced similarly to “women '' is an inclusive term to name gender non-conforming individuals, genderqueer folxs, two spirit people, femmes, transgender folxs, and non-binary people. Read more here: Why Womxn?
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Lawrence Represents:
Pa’lante Visits Philly
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“Pa’lante,” a popular Spanish saying means, ““onwards” or “forward,” and the Lawrence Pa’lante Resident Task Force pushes urban planning, advocacy, and community empowerment forward. The resident task force is a stipended position made up of Lawrence residents to address and create affordable, safer, and cooler transportation options. The ultimate goal of the task force is to improve health and quality of life and help increase resident’s resilience to the impacts of extreme heat and climate change. Pa’lante was part of a 5-person team from Lawrence that spent the first week of February in Philadelphia thanks to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and C40 Masterclass. C40 refers to a network of nearly 100 mayors from world-leading cities that are collaborating to address the climate crisis. The masterclass was an opportunity to learn from and mingle with like-minded organizations doing climate resiliency work across the country including representatives from Seattle, Detroit, Cleveland, Jackson, Tempe, and Lawrence. The Lawrence team consisted of Brad Buschur, Project Director, and Eddie Rosa, Community Programs Director, representing GWL; Tommaso Wagner representing Conservation Law Foundation; and Destiny Gonzalez and Evelyn Rodriguez representing Pa’lante. Aside from sharing amazing project ideas, a large part of the learning was spent on furthering our knowledge of shared governance structures to help better give power to the community in all aspects of our work. Pa’lante also presented on the climate resilience work being done in Lawrence. Not only was this an important time to share information and knowledge, it was a team building experience that has left GWL participants better equipped for resident centered planning and project work.
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Re-Imagining Donovan Park |
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to learn more about the design
and share your feedback!
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On Monday March 13th the South Lawrence West Neighborhood Association (SLWN) invited community members to discuss and reimagine the 6.6 acre Donovan Park. The park, located on Andover Street in Lawrence, currently houses a small playground for children. The SLWN wants to think through different design concepts that will continue to be a safe space for children to play while also opening it up to other members of our community. Do you have any dreams for Donovan Park? What would you like to see created? If you couldn’t attend the last meeting, there is another opportunity open to the public to share feedback and review the proposed design for the park at 6:00PM on Monday March 27th at the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council located at 581 Andover Street. The meeting will also host an optional site walk from 5:30-6:00 at Donovan Park.
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Gettin' Our Chef On:
Cooking With the Green Team
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From diet and weight loss ads airing year round or vegan and paleo lifestyles, or long walks in our gorgeous parks, “healthy living,” can mean many different things. Here at GWL, we know healthy living should be a sustainable, year-long goal that puts access, quality, and individual choice at the heart of the discussion. In last month’s newsletter we highlighted our upcoming cooking classes for adults, but did you know our youth and their families have been “gettin’ their chef on” too? Supported in part by the Greater Lawrence Community Foundation Grant in honor of Patricia F. Karl, our Green Team youth and a member of their household have been cooking and putting some healthy spins on their favorite dishes. Research from Harvard Health Publishing at Harvard Medical School informs us that: “People who prepare meals at home tend to consume significantly more fruits and vegetables, and less sugar and fat. People who enjoy meals at home with others, sitting together and conversing, also have reduced stress and higher life satisfaction.”[1] Cooking classes with the Green Team is just one way that healthy habits can be learned and passed down for generations to come.
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Funds For Food:
A Return of the Restaurant Program
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In 2018, Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover were hit by deadly gas explosions that exacerbated food security needs in the Merrimack Valley. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. and yet another crisis exacerbated the food needs of our community. In the fourth week of the pandemic quarantine period, GWL, working in collaboration with MassDevelopment's Transformative Development Initiative (TDI), launched the Restaurant Program in response to the loss of the school meals program and an increase in food insecurity that affected all age groups. In addition, the restaurant business was hit especially hard due to COVID-19 closures. Through targeted catering contracts with eight local Lawrence restaurants, meals were provided to feed our community's food insecure populations while contributing to the restaurant’s ability to safely reopen or remain open. and supports the City’s efforts in feeding vulnerable populations that have lost access to food due to unemployment, lack of income, etc.
However, even as COVID-19 becomes more manageable, food security and economic stability remain as critical goals.
With additional funding, the restaurant program has relaunched. Now in its third iteration, we are partnering with four local businesses: Salvatore’s, El Taller, Jade Garden, and Master Pizza. Restaurateur Toby Ni of Jade Garden is excited to keep participating in the program. One of his favorite dishes to prepare is lo mein. As he states, “[Lo Mein] has a special meaning in Chinese; It means long life and good health,” Lo Mein noodles are a wonderful symbol for the restaurant program; longevity and good health represent one of our biggest intentions in continuing this program—to nourish and provide meals to anyone who needs one.
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Changing Systems:
Influential Reads by Women
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For Women's History Month, we wanted to go back to our greatest sources of knowledge--each other! We asked women-identifying GWL staff to come up with their picks for inspirational works by women for women. Some of the texts inspired our staff in the early years of their lives, while others' noted contemporary works that help them continue to feel inspired, seen, empowered and confident. Check out our Staff Picks below to find inspiration for yourself or a woman in your life! |
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Yaritza Bushell shares what inspires her about Ursula Le Guin's, The Ones Who Walk Away From the Omelas reflecting, "I read this short story in college for my Reimagining Justice class [...] It really blew my mind and resonated with my own beliefs [...] What were to happen if we left all of what we know behind to build something new?
Check out these books and more at your local public library, purchase them from your favorite bookstore, or from our community partner and local Lawrence bookstore, El Taller Cafe & Bookstore.
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