Dean Jennifer Rowe, student service teacher Liz Main, and librarian Debbie Turner in conjunction with Do More Metea Valley hosted the annual Women’s History workshop in the LMC on March 9, 2017. The purpose of the event is to celebrate women of all ages, creeds, and backgrounds. This year’s theme was titled “Writing Women Back Into History: Discovering Our Hidden Figures”.

“Today is about recognizing and thanking the women that make an impact in our lives,” Rowe said.

The workshop, anchored by guest speakers such as Aurora Chief of Police Kirsten Ziman and Associate Dean of Student Services at University of Illinois-Chicago Aisha El-Amin, focused on empowerment and recognition of female community leaders. 

“It’s about seeing women and celebrating them and appreciating them. Now we can see the women in our own communities,” junior Zainab Qureshi said. 

The event also featured spoken word performances by speech team members Meghana Chaganti and Christine Miller, as well as a musical performance by female Acapella group Muses.

The young women in attendance were students nominated by faculty members, and represented the vast diversity of women’s empowerment. “It’s really cool how the school came together to show our diversity and show how many fields women can go into, what our opportunities are, and what’s open to us,” sophomore Romana Pasha said.

In support of Women’s History Month, the event prompted attendees to reflect on the month’s importance. “We are not equally represented [in comparison] to men. The fact that we have a month to celebrate and to inspire ourselves with our own stories is how we can figure out a way to finally have equality,” junior Alejandra Cavazos said. 

Each lady left with a free copy of “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly, courtesy of Alderman Scheketa Hart-Burns and through the messages of the guest speakers, the confidence to believe in themselves.

“Seize every opportunity. Come out of your comfort zone. This takes courage. And this when the voice in your head stops saying ‘why me?’ and instead says ‘why not me?'” Ziman said.