Happy Women's History Month. Let's start the month by celebrating our girls. Our beautiful and amazing daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and God-daughters are living during a special time in history. This year we ushered in the first woman vice president of the United States. Over the last few years, we've watched women raise their voices to call out unfair treatment and demand gender equality, women have called out harassment, mothers have cried out against an unfair justice system after the murder of their children, and women have protested across the country in the midst of a global pandemic. All along our girls have been watching, listening, and preparing to carry on the legacy we leave behind.
Yesterday, I spent time with one of my art students. She was so excited about creating her masterpiece, her composition was a beautiful, magical unicorn. She reminded me of myself when I was her age. Her innocence, her interest in creativity, her poise, and her concentration was refreshing. Everything about her demonstrated her readiness to go out into the world as a bold, confident, empowered girl who will be ready to take on the challenges before her. We know that many girls in the world will not be equipped to take on the world like my student. It is critical for the adults charged with caring for our girls that we take on the responsibility of nurturing, teaching, providing for, and protecting them. Last week, Reuters News, https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-nigeria-security-idUSKBN2AR0DX, reported 317 girls were kidnapped from their school in Zamfara state, Nigeria by armed men who demanded a ransom for their return. Girls taken away from their safe space, their school. Parents in the U.S. can not imagine the horror of having their daughters or sons kidnapped but for those living in other countries, this is a frightful and ghastly reality. This is unacceptable and should not be. Every girl, in every country, in every corner of the world should be protected and feel safe at all times. Globally, there is work that needs to be done to keep girls safe.
As we welcome spring in a few weeks, let us all reflect on the new season and the renewal of our commitment to our community, our families, and our girls. May we connect with them and help prepare them for what lies ahead. Let us pray for the safe return of the girls in Nigeria and hope for a better world where girls are loved and adored, now and in generations to come.
A gifted young lady!