Painting the World Purple: Celebrating International Women’s Day
March 8th is International Women’s Day. A day when social, economic, and political achievements of women around the world are commemorated. The whole world is painted purple in honor of our women across the globe. The purple color associated with the date symbolizes justice and dignity. Values all women should be treated with.
The fight for equality and gender parity all across the world has been always present and constant every day. To put it in perspective, it was not until 1920 when women in the U.S. were allowed to vote, and ever since then, a voice that cannot be silenced was given to women. Every year is an opportunity to celebrate and scrutinize not only how far the fight has come, but how much of it is left.
We want to celebrate today by listing some accomplishments and milestones reached by women in the workplace and how the economy has been positively affected by the power of women.
The commemoration is March 8th, but the appraisal and celebration of women’s accomplishments should be every day.
March 8th: How it Came to be
The story of March 8th, according to BBC, dates back to 1908, when women in New York marched for an increase in pay, demanding shorter working hours and the right to vote. Ever since then, women all around the world began to stand up for their beliefs and fight for the cause.
Two years later, Clara Zetkin, an activist and advocate for women’s rights suggested the idea of dedicating a day to commemorate women to an International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. The 100 women present from 17 countries agreed to it. A year later, in 1911, March 8th was celebrated for the first time in Denmark, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. In 1975, the UN made it official, and ever since then, it became internationally known as the day to celebrate women’s efforts and achievements in the social, political, and economic realms.
Women in the Workplace
It was more than one hundred years ago that women in New York were marching for better opportunities in the workplace. More than a century later, according to Team Stage, women hold 50.04% of all jobs in the United States. Not only that, but women account for 50.2% of the college-educated workforce. More than 10 million businesses with annual sales of $1.1 trillion combined are run by women. They are also responsible for making 80 percent of consumer buying decisions, according to the American Bar Association.
These accomplishments would not be a reality if it was not for bold and determined women. From protesters to everyday workers, to Chief Officers. Every woman plays an important part in the fight for equality.
There are countless female leaders that have set an example and this day is dedicated to every one of them. According to Monster, Some modern-day leaders that changed the game for women at work include:
Sheryl Sandberg- COO, Facebook
Sheryl is a Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, one of the most important Social Media Platforms. Sheryl has inspired thousands of women with her best-selling book called “Lean in: Women, Work and the Will to Lead”. Sheryl sets an example to every aspiring woman in the workforce.
Ursula Burns- CEO, Xerox
Ursula is the former Chief Executive Officer of Xerox, a widely known American Corporation. Ursula was the first black woman to serve in a fortune 500 company. She has set an example and been an advocate for many women in STEM fields. Burns is an inspiration and a representation that everything is possible.
Sara Blakely- Founder, Spanx
Blakely is the founder and sole owner of Spanx, an American underwear company valued at $1.2 Billion Dollars. Forbes has proclaimed that Blakely is the youngest self-made billionaire. Sara is an inspiration to every female entrepreneur and has set an example that no matter what age you are, you can make it happen.
These are some of the women that have set an example in the workplace, however, the list is by no means exhaustive. Every day a new leader, a new role model rises.
Today we celebrate women no matter financial, economic, or political status.
Integrated Human Capital: A Women-Owned Business
Every year, more and more women are motivated to lead by example and become entrepreneurs. Many businesses run by women have provided multiple opportunities to the workforce and significant economic development. In the United States, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners, more than 11.6 million firms are owned by women. These businesses have employed nearly 9 million people and have generated $1.7 trillion in sales.
Integrated Human Capital is part of those firms owned by women. Our CEO Rosa Santana founded the company twenty years ago. Since then, thousands of jobs have been generated across the United States and Mexico. IHC has placed employees in more than 14 domestic states and 10 states in Mexico.
Our leader and role model inspires women to not give up, to always strive for more, and to not be discouraged by gender. Rosa Santana along with women across the world have been opening paths and walking unknown roads for further generations of female leaders to follow.
