The History of Women’s History Month

Women's history month started as a conference between socialists and suffragists set on February 28th, 1909. It wasn't until March of 1910, during an International Conference of Working Women when German activist Clara Zetkin suggested that International Women’s Day be deemed a holiday. To show support, multiple countries attended a conference that claimed March 18th as National Women's Day; Americans continued rallying until the late 70s to get the holiday adopted into their country. When America finally adopted the holiday it was then established as a month-long celebration. When the Title IX laws were passed, a Californian task force created Women's History Week in 1980, where shortly after President Carter declared March 8th a national holiday marking the start of National Women’s History Week. In 1987 Congress announced that the holiday would be celebrated all month long.

Women have always faced microaggressions in and out of the workplace for what seems like forever. The little comments about their looks, size, attitude, and don’t even get us started on unequal salaries, can wear women down. Gender-related microaggressions have become so commonplace, and we’ve probably been guilty of them at one point. But hey “boys will be boys” and girls you must “act like a lady.” For Women’s History Month, we’re here to celebrate all the AMAZING contributions women have made to workplace equality and connect you with resources to take advantage of.

Herstory 

In the 1960s, the women’s liberation movement began encouraging women to start entering the workforce and working among their male peers.  The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was set in place to make it illegal for women to make lower wages than men as it was reported that women were making 60% less than their male counterparts during this time. During the 1970s after the 2nd World War, women began to realize that working was no longer an option and they may continue doing so for the rest of their lives. It was then women decided to further their education and fully immerse themselves into the labor force so they could receive better-paying jobs. In 1978 women began to receive certain protections in the workplace like the recognition of sexual harassment and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. In 1993 the Family Medical Leave Act was created for women to take time off from work for medical leave or to take care of their newborn babies. 

Women Are The Common Denominator

Today women have worked tirelessly to be leaders in their teams by advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Women as leaders tend to be more empathetic and adaptable leading to increased employee motivation, innovative performance, and financial performance. While women are making changes in the workplace women are still faced with pay gaps, looked over for promotions, and face unwelcoming company cultures. 

Women are now deciding to leave their jobs and pursue entrepreneurship; currently, women-owned businesses make up 40% of new entrepreneurs in the United States. Women-owned businesses are at an all-time high and have increased substantially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these businesses started as a way to stay afloat during the pandemic causing 90% of women-owned businesses to have no employees outside of the owner. 

Women’s Empowerment 

While women-owned businesses are on the rise many lack the resources and capital to grow their businesses. Below you will find a list of resources intended to help fund women-owned businesses through grants and competitions. 

• Visa’s She’s Next Program - This is a grant program funded through Visa for Black women-owned businesses. Qualifications include being a Black woman and a business owner for 2 years as a B2C company and having at least $24k in revenue.

• Amber Grants - If you are hoping to launch a small business local to your community apply today! Every month one women-owned business is selected to win a $10,000 grant. At the end of the year, one of the monthly winners has a chance to be selected to win an additional $25,000.

• Small Business Innovation Research - Innovators this one is for you, if you believe you have a new original idea that could penetrate markets apply for this grant. Your business could get up to $150,000 in grants to establish research and developmental goals. If proven successful, your business can accrue up to $1 million in 2 years.

• Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program - This program helps women-owned small businesses compete for federal contracts. 

• SoGal Black Founder Startup Grant - This $10,000 grant is for Black women/non-binary identifying individuals seeking investor funding for your business

• IFundWomen COVID-19 Relief Grants - If your women-owned business has been affected by the pandemic this program is offering Covid relief microgrants on a rolling basis. 

“Act Like a Lady” 

While the journey may have started as women's suffering, we now know it as women's empowerment. Women deserve to have their accomplishments celebrated for all of the hard work they have done. Fighting to work and still fighting to have protection at work, women have decided to leave their stable jobs to work for themselves. While the entrepreneurship journey has challenges, there is ample opportunity for funding women-owned businesses. Women are continuing to change the narrative of what people believe they should do and now we are watching women at work without any restrictions.