The Pima County Board of Supervisors proclaimed August 26, 2012 as Women’s Equality Day earlier this month. See the entire proclamation below. Alison Hughes, Chair of the Pima County/Tucson Women’s Commission accepted the proclamation from District 3 Supervisor Sharon Bronson. Alison reminded women of the struggle to attain the 19th Amendment, allowing American women the right to vote in 1920. Being as 2012 is an Election Year, she encouraged women to register and to vote, and not take this right “for granted”.

In celebration of Women’s Equality Day the Women’s Commission is hosting an executive reception at their office, 240 N. Court Ave. from 5 to 7 p.m.on August 26. Invited special guests are Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Supervisor Sharon Bronson, and Lisa Lovallo, VP of Cox Communications (guest speaker).

Cover artwork courtesy of Maria Jimenez, 2012 PCTWC Art Contest winner. Please RSVP by August 19 to 520-624-8318.

WHEREAS, on August 26, 2012, we honor the hard work and perseverance of those who helped to secure women’s suffrage in the United States, in Arizona, and in Pima County. We reflect also on the sacrifices made by those visionaries so that our daughters and granddaughters will build on the achievements of our past and move forward as one people, one Nation, and one State; and

WHEREAS, the first women’s rights convention, held on July 13, 1848, in Seneca Falls, New York, witnessed the early defenders of women’s rights, such as Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mary Ann McClintock and Frederick Douglas, signing the Declaration of Sentiments, declaring all women and men created equal and, in one of the accompanying resolutions that called for universal women’s suffrage. After a 72-year struggle, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was ratified on August 26, 1920, giving women the right to vote; and

WHEREAS, in 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed the first Presidential Proclamation declaring August 26 as Women’s Equality Day, a precedent followed by every U.S. President who followed him; and
WHEREAS, as we look to the future, we honor the resilience, accomplishments and history of women in the United States and Arizona, and celebrate their extraordinary accomplishments.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that the Pima County Board of Supervisors hereby proclaims August 26, 2012, to be:
“WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY”
and call on all residents of Pima County to celebrate these accomplishments, and to renew our commitment to empower women and girls with full equality in all aspects of life.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 7th day of August, 2012.
_Ramon Valadez__________________________________
Chairman, Pima County Board of Supervisors
ATTEST:
_Robin Brigode__________________________________
Clerk of the Board

I would like to add also that many women now hold elected public office and are candidates in the upcoming elections. Consider your choices & vote wisely on or before the August 28 AZ Primary.

Last year I announced the 1st Women in Government Day sponsored by the Pima County/Tucson Women’s Commission (click here), for Women’s “Herstory” Month of March.

The 2nd annual event will be held on Friday, March 23 (note new location):

Over 60 nominations have been received for the 2nd Annual Women in Government Day to recognize outstanding women who have excelled in leadership, volunteerism, unsung heroine and in evolving young woman categories during their work in government positions. The event is sponsored by the Pima County / Tucson Women’s Commission.

The winners will be announced Friday, March 23 in a ceremony from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in the Moore Courtyard, Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave., Downtown Tucson, where a light lunch will be served. Jan Lesher deputy Pima County administrator and former chief of staff for operations for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will be the keynote speaker. Her topic is “Women Keep it Going.”

The public is invited to attend this free event.

Contact: Maxine Goodman
maxinegoodman17@yahoo.com
Media Relations
Pima County / Tucson Women’s Commission
(520) 622-0905

The Pima County Board of Supervisors will be issuing a proclamation today for “Women in Government Day” on March 23. They meet at 9 a.m. in their meeting room at 130 W. Congress Street. PCTWC Chair Alison Hughes will be accepting the proclamation on behalf of the Women’s Commission.

There was a large audience last year at this event at the small Women’s Commission meeting room at 240 N. Court, so thus the move to a larger, outdoor plaza at TMA. Stop by & show your support for the Women’s Commission and their hard work.

Update: winners of the 4 categories listed below in comment section.

Today is Women’s Equality Day, as explained in wikipedia:

Women’s Equality Day is a day proclaimed each year by the United States President to commemorate the giving of the vote to women throughout the country on an equal basis to men.

Women in the United States were given the right to vote on August 26, 1920, when the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was certified. The amendment was first introduced many years earlier in 1878. Every president has published a proclamation for Women’s Equality Day since 1971 when legislation was first introduced in Congress by Bella Abzug. This resolution was passed designating August 26 of each year as Women’s Equality Day.

Women still earn less than men (77 cents to the dollar) but have come a very long way since 1920. When I was growing up women could only be housemakers or be employed at three jobs: secretary, elementary school teacher, or nurse. But being raised by supportive parents I was encouraged (like many women of my generation) to do more — go to law school, dental school, medical school, get a Ph.D., etc. The women’s movement have helped women find employment in alternative jobs like fire fighters, bus drivers, school principals, paramedics.

In 2011 American women can handle all types of jobs, the same as men.
Women are CEOs of large corporations, have run for U.S. President,and are politicians in all levels of government, including Governor of our state of Arizona.

I firmly believe that women should be treated the same as men, thus my title of this blog, which is taken off a 2008 honorable mention amateur adult art entry I submitted to the Pima County/Tucson Women’s Commission:

my 2008 postcard art entry

Description of postcard entry:

pink symbol for women = blue symbol for men (on same line)

with word “EQUALity” spelled underneath, with the word EQUAL in caps.

Celebrate women and Women’s Equality Day today, August 26, 2011. And tomorrow the Women’s Commission is hosting a celebration & jam session starting at 7 p.m. with local woman musician Annie English (at 240 N. Court Ave. in downtown Tucson). Log onto their website www.pimatucsonwomen.org or call Chair Alison Hughes at 520-881-0917.