Women’s History Month Celebrates DEI in 2024 March 2024
March 11, 2024
Each March since 1995, by presidential proclamation, we’ve highlighted the often unsung contributions of women over the course of U.S. history during Women’s History Month. This annual commemoration is marked with events and programs in schools, libraries, community centers, and workplaces nationwide.
The National Women’s History Alliance theme for Women’s History Month 2024 is “Women Who Advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”—a theme that’s a perfect fit for today’s workplaces celebrating women’s contributions.
As the Alliance states, “Women from every background have long realized that an uneven playing field will never bring equality or justice. Many feel the critical need to speak up and work harder for fairness in our institutions and social interactions. During 2024, we recognize the example of women who are committed to embracing everyone and excluding no one in our common quest for freedom and opportunity.”
Here are some ways to highlight DEI in your workplace, and women’s contributions to it:
- Start a book club centered around women’s history and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Host a female speaker who’s an advocate for DEI.
- Include pictures of and excerpts from historical women known for their DEI work, in your organization newsletter.
- Add a pertinent inspirational quote to the bottom of your emails (e.g., "If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair" from U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm or "The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity" from pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart).
- Distribute a fact-sheet or quiz that includes the contributions of women who have advocated for more workplace equity and opportunity.
- Initiate a mentoring program for female employees.
- Review and evaluate your organization’s hiring and other practices to ensure they’re without gender or other bias.
Celebrating “Women Who Advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” at work provides the perfect opportunity to increase awareness and understanding of how far we’ve come in these areas and the important role that women have played. It’s also a great excuse for some fun activities that can promote and reinforce organization goals and values.