march Archives - Kelly Fair | Speaker + Consultant

Let’s Help Pave the Way

on March 26, 2015March 26, 2015 By kellyfairthementor

This month we have celebrated women past and present who are shaping herstory! March’s Women’s History Month is an inspiration, reminding us of the success within our reach. While we celebrate these women, it is important to remember the barriers women face, especially women of color.

The truth? We have a long way to go to create a just world for our girls. On the Polished Pebbles Facebook we recently shared an article from PayScale, “Gender and Pay at Work”. In this article, we read what has been repeated over and over…a pay gap exists between men and women. This is even when controlling for factors such as education level. How can we raise, inspire, and educate our girls; fill them with dreams, and then release them into an unjust system?

Let’s help pave the way! Community programs like Polished Pebbles are working to push more women into the workforce. The more we are present, the more we push at the glass ceiling, the closer we will come to it shattering. Polished Pebbles’ After-School Mentoring Program has career exploration as one of its main pillars. Girls have the opportunity to explore career fields through job shadowing and workforce development. Now who doesn’t want to support that?!

For Polished Pebbles to keep reaching their goals, they need your help! Consider a one time donation, or maybe join our monthly giving program! If you’re hearts pushing you in this direction, click here…

Thank you, supporters and readers!

Women Making Herstory

on March 19, 2015March 19, 2015 By kellyfairthementor

Last week we shared with you black women who made herstory. Today, we want you to know women who are making herstory! These black women will inspire you to put your best foot forward. You could even raise your daughter to be like one of these heroins, these herstory-makers!

Paulette Brown, the first black female president of the American Bar Association.

Sonya Smith, the first African-American female to earn a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at the University of Virginia.

Shonda Rimes, first black woman to create some Top 10 network TV series, such as Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal.

Mo’Ne Davis, the first female pitcher to win a Little League Series–remember, “throw like a girl”!

Michelle Obama, does she need a caption? No.

Carole Simpson, the first woman to broadcast radio news in Chicago.

Mellody Hobson, one of the most powerful black female business women. She is the current Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dreamworks Animation.

Lupita Nyong’o, the first black spokeswoman for Lancome.

Women’s History Month: Herstory and Black Girls

on March 5, 2015March 5, 2015 By kellyfairthementor

Following February’s Black History Month, is March’s Women’s History Month. The theme for 2015 is Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives. The National Women’s History Project says the following on this year’s theme:

The stories of women’s lives, and the choices they made, encourage girls and young women to think larger and bolder, and give boys and men a fuller understanding of the female experience. Knowing women’s achievements challenges stereotypes and upends social assumptions about who women are and what women can accomplish today.

As “his”tory tends to leave out the presence and influence of women in the United States, there began a movement for “her”story. The goal is obvious, reverse the sexism and patriarchy that has plagued the telling of our past–weave in the stories of women’s lives. However, just as it is important to point out the sexism in the retelling of history, so to is highlighting the racism or colorblindness. Black men and women are also missing from history textbooks, their achievements and influence are either skipped over or played down compared to white men.

This is why it is important to remember that Black History Month and Women’s History Month are next to one another–the goal of the first should influence the second. Black women. They are often neglected in history and sometimes in herstory. While this may seem unimportant to some, it is essential to remember Edmund Burke: “Those who don’t remember history are destined to repeat it”.

In the present we are ignoring or forgetting black women and girls just as much as we do historically. Khadija Costley White wrote an article titled, “Racism affects black girls as much as boys. So why are girls being ignored?” She writes:

I am concerned about the fate of black and brown girls. Our stories are rarely told, and so people have learned to think they’re insignificant. Our experiences are minimized, and so, too, are our contributions.

This Women’s History Month let us not forget the black and brown women who have helped to shape and mold our country. Further, let us not forget how history affects the present and our futures. Let’s not write black girls out of our present stories just because they are not in the past.

#blackgirlsmatter