Cultivating Young Women Leaders in Northern CA

Celebrating International Women's Day at the Intersections 

Women's Health Network and Women's Health Specialists are proud to join forces on our 5th Annual International Women's Day Celebration that featured speakers, local artists and performers, booths featuring women-connected businesses and vendors. This year's theme was championing gender equity #betterforbalance. 

The event was organized by a committee of young women, community volunteers and staff. One of the highlights of our committee was the youth leadership that took place. Several youth providing community outreach and recruiting sponsorships and donations, preparing event materials and coordinating on the day of the event. 

International Women’s Day featured several local performers and community activist and artists from all different backgrounds. Each of them speaking and sharing their truth in celebration of this day. The evening included an opening by the Indigenous people of the land with a prayer and song followed by three staff members of Women's Health Specialists that provided a welcome done in their traditional languages, Mien, Spanish and Pauite. 

The evening speakers included a variety of topics such as sexual violence, abortion, immigration, racial justice, transgender rights, white supremacy and reproductive justice. Each person sharing their own lived experiences with the community. We even had one of our own youth leaders speak at the event and share her story on three generations of women. Local performers sang songs, danced, read poems and each one of these performances shared a message related to women’s rights, gender expression, emotional and mental health and more. 

The keynote speech was a conversation with renowned feminist activist and Professor Loretta Ross, who draws on half a century of activism. Dynamic and insightful, Dr. Ross's conversations inspire the transformation of apathy and anger into activism for social justice. Loretta held the attention of everyone in the room. Sharing her life experience on the barriers to accessing contraception, rape and incest, abortion and teaching on white supremacy. Loretta broke down reproductive justice and shared what it means to do work as a feminist. 

It was a powerful space for activism! We celebrated at the intersections, uplifted community voices and stood in solidarity together. We look forward to continuing our support for youth and women in our community and with your help this is possible. Thank you for supporting this work.