March is Women’s History Month and March 8 is International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Organizations around the state are marking both occasions with a variety of events that can be attended virtually or in person. Here is a sample of some of them.
March 8
12 p.m. — International Women’s Day Celebration
The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith is organizing this event, which will honor women in history through spoken word, educational presentations and artistic performances. Guests can register on Zoom to join virtually.
2 p.m. — Women in STEM Virtual Panel Discussion
This virtual event hosted by the University of Arkansas will feature Dean Kim LaScola Needy from the College of Engineering; Saba Damir Beyene, managing director of people operations and analytics at American Airlines; Firuze Soltani Kordshuli, Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering; and Abiegeal Omolewu, masters student in poultry science. Registration is required.
4 p.m. — International Women’s Day “The Celebration” Program
UA alumna track and field athlete and Olympian Veronica Campbell Brown is the keynote speaker for the celebration, which will include inspirational speakers, performances and a global fashion show. Guests can reserve tickets to participate in person at the Arkansas Union Ballroom or register to watch the program via Zoom.
4 p.m. — accelHERate
Women who are excelling in research, innovation and business will share lessons learned and advice for leading companies during this Arkansas State University event. Panelists include Dr. Jenn Conner from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine-Arkansas; Maureen Dolan, president of Nature West; Allyson Lewis, founder and CEO of the 7-Minute Life; and Sharon Davis, founder of Strategic Technologies Corporation and Strategic Continuity Services.
All Month — Women Empowerment Video Contest
During the month of March, Arkansas State University students are invited to create a video demonstrating women’s empowerment. Groups can have a maximum of three individuals and the video should be no longer than one minute. The groups should post their video on social media and tag the Multicultural Center (@AStateMC) on social media. The top three videos will win a prize and winners will be announced on Mar. 30.
March 9
6 p.m. — Women in the Workplace
This virtual panel discussion event will highlight leadership lessons and skills for women in the workplace. Four women in the medical, business, education and STEM fields will participate. Each panelist will discuss their industry and the panel will conclude with a Q&A session.
This is a two-part event: first is the chance for UA community members to stream TheatreSquared’s current production of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play any time between March 1-9 and then a one-time only sit down with the play’s director, stars, and UA faculty to talk about the show and the power of women in the performing arts.
March 10
10 a.m. — Still I Rise: Women Writing Women’s Stories
The Arkansas Arts Council’s GetSmART! Learning Series, in partnership with the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, is sponsoring a three-part virtual series, Still I Rise: Women’s History Month Celebration. This session will feature a book conversation with Robin White, author of Beauty in my Bones. White is the inaugural National Park Service superintendent of the Central High School National Historic Site. Guests can register on Eventbrite.
4 p.m. — Ain’t I A Woman? Black Women Panel and Film
Arkansas Tech University’s Department of Diversity and Inclusion will either host a film on Black feminism or a TedTalk that highlights Black women’s issues, contributions and initiatives that advocate for women and girls of color.
March 11
6:30 p.m. — Witty Women
UAFS is hosting this virtual event, which features local female leader Talicia Richardson and comedian Lauren Hope Krass who will focus on women’s history and female empowerment. Registration is required.
March 12
10 a.m. — Women’s Meditation for Hormonal Balance (In-Person Only)
In this course, participants will be guided through a 20-minute hormone balancing exercise, specifically teaching women meditation through Metta, which is a loving kindness technique. The course is a combination of coaching, meditation and emotional clearing techniques, learning how to listen to our feminine intuition. Other discussion topics/handouts include using meditation for problems such as anxiety, hormonal imbalance, menopause, PMS, infertility and other challenges. The course includes four sessions from Mar. 12- Apr. 9 at Mt. Sequoyah Center.
March 14
3 p.m. — We Sing! A Celebration of Women’s Heritage
UA Little Rock choirs will host a live-streamed performance celebrating Women’s Heritage Month, featuring historically informed music performances, a poetry reading, a speaker with commentary on notable women of the suffrage movement and a special musical oratory presentation with Linda Holzer and Yslan Hicks.
March 15
6 p.m. — Writing Indigenous Women’s Stories in America
UAFS welcomes Toni Jensen, associate professor of English at the University of Arkansas, who will read from her book Carry: A Memoir of Survival of Stolen Land, reflecting on what it’s like to be an indigenous woman in America, and the intersection of the environmental justice and women’s movements. Registration is required for the virtual event, which will be presented via Zoom.
March 16
3 p.m. — Women Belong in the House…and the Senate
Arkansas Tech University’s Department of Diversity and Inclusion will facilitate a roundtable discussion mainly on women’s leadership in politics and in other sectors of a working, corporate America.
March 18
11 a.m. — Colorful Women Summit
The Colorful Women Summit is a statewide coalition of higher education providers and community organizations that come together to discuss how they can work together to continue to improve the outcomes and opportunities for women of color in Arkansas. The CWS is a one-day conference led by young adults, professionals and community leaders. The goal of the summit is to bring partners together to address critical issues affecting women of color and to seek sustainable solutions.
March 20
10 a.m. — Still I Rise: The Saving Graces of Our Mothers’ Messages
The Arkansas Arts Council’s GetSmART! Learning Series, in partnership with the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, is sponsoring a three-part virtual series, Still I Rise: Women’s History Month Celebration. This session will be a celebration of women, their lives and their stories in poetry, prose, music and visual art. Arkansas singer Genine LaTrice Perez will perform, and Arkansas author and literary coach Janis F. Kearney will facilitate a writing session around the theme “Childhood Messages from our Mothers,” followed by a story-sharing exercise to include the childhood messages women received from the other women.
March 24
12 p.m. — HerStory: Women’s History Through an Equity Lens
Lisa Corrigan will lead this talk, which examines the shifting political context of women’s equality to understand historical and contemporary issues facing U.S. women as a social class including unequal political representation, poverty, social violence, the wage gap, the glass ceiling, second shift labor and leaky pipelines.
March 27
10 a.m. — Still I Rise: Arkansas Women Share COVID-19 Survival Stories
The Arkansas Arts Council’s GetSmART! Learning Series, in partnership with the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, is sponsoring a three-part virtual series, Still I Rise: Women’s History Month Celebration. This session will focus on writing, preserving and sharing stories related to the current pandemic from women’s point of views. Janis F. Kearney, author and literary coach, will lead a one-hour writing exercise, in which participants will be asked to share their stories of surviving, and even thriving, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 29
11:30 a.m. — Women’s Empowerment: Ceiling Breakers & Dream Makers: Finding Your Passion and Your Path
Danyelle Sargent Musselman is the guest of this lunch and learn event. Musselman will provide professional development advice on her career experience in sports broadcasting on anchoring, hosting and reporting. Musselman worked for the NFL Network and for Fox Sports. She also will provide advice on how to navigate in a male-dominated profession and much more. Musselman is married to current UA men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman.
2 p.m. Doc and Discussion: The Godmother of Rock N Roll
Join the UAFS Boreham Library and Ann-Gee Lee in watching and discussing Rosetta Tharpe, known as the godmother of Rock and Roll. Registration is required for this virtual event, which will be presented via Zoom.
March 30
4 p.m. — Women in STEM
Interested in STEM? Hear from five women in the field about their challenges and triumphs. This virtual UAFS event features Laurel McIntosh, Jordan Mader, Amy Skypala, Janet Renwick and Emily Blitz. Registration is required.
March 31
5:30 p.m. — Women’s History Month Open Forum: Conversations About Contemporary Issues
UAFS is hosting this virtual diversity, equity and inclusion conversation regarding today’s concerns among women. Registration is required for the Zoom presentation.