President Carol Folt centered hope and healing at the Women’s History Month kickoff event Tuesday, setting the scene for a month of celebrating women.
According to the National Women’s Alliance, the theme of hope and healing is “both a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and also a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.”
The virtual event hosted several speakers including Karen Tongson, chair of the Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Darby Saxbe, director of the USC Dornsife Center for the Changing Family.
Karen Mack, founder and director of the company LA Commons, attributed her passion for supporting and inspiring young women to the women in her life.
“[My mother and grandmother] taught me that I could do anything, that I didn’t have to set limits, which is why I think I had the courage to start my own organization 20 years ago,” Mack said.
Folt highlighted the work of women in various fields, like that of artist Laurie Raskin. She joined the discussion to showcase her piece “L.A. My Sunshine,” which was part of the “Art and Hope” exhibition at the USC Fisher Museum last semester.
Folt emphasized how Raskin’s work is just one example of the number of women who were represented in this exhibit.
The new dean of USC’s Keck School of Medicine, Dr. Carolyn Meltzer, also highlighted the advancements of women in medicine and science.
“Mentoring, sponsoring and helping broaden that path further,” Dr. Metlzer said, is the key to reaching true equality.
The kickoff was just one of a number of events that will be hosted by the university this month. Some events to look forward to include the Young Women’s History Conference on March 5, the OWN IT Leadership Summit on March 6, and the “Be My Voice” film screening on March 10.
A full list of events could be found on the USC Women’s History Month event calendar, including International Women’s Day next Tuesday, March 8.