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Women are responsible for countless achievements in the science, technology, engineering and math fields. Among the lesser-known examples are:

• Gerturde B. Elion developed innovative research methods that would lead to the development of the AIDS drug AZT. 

• Actress Hedy Lamarr co-invented an early technique for spread spectrum communications, a key to many forms of wireless communication including cell phones and computers. 

• Amanda Theodosia Jones developed the vacuum canning process to preserve food. Her process became the standard canning method in this country following its patent grant in 1873.

The second Women’s History Month Celebration, to be held at 6:30 p.m. March 30 at the N.C. Museum of History, will feature a dynamic panel to explore the challenges and opportunities women face in so-called STEM fields: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.  

The keynote address will be delivered by Gloria Blackwell, Director of Grants and Fellowships for American Association of University Women (AAUW). The group’s groundbreaking report, Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, examines why young women do not pursue careers in these areas. 

The N.C. Council for Women is a co-sponsor of the event, which will feature a panel discussion ranging from women currently working in technology to a university student pursuing a science degree. Our goal is to identify the challenges that women in STEM fields face, and look at the actions to level the playing field so that young women can have the equal opportunity to pursue any career they desire. 

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. Call the Museum RSVP line at 919-807-7992 to reserve your seat.

It’s always irked me a little that North Carolina waited until 1971 to finally endorse the 19th Amendment, an act Congress authorized in 1920 to give all women the right to vote. I can hardly express my joy, however, at being invited to unveil a historical marker recognizing the landmark legislation Monday afternoon in the State Capitol.

Joined by several N.C. Council for Women  staff and board members, I was proud to stand with Cultural Resources Secretary Linda Carlisle; Dr. Jerry Cashion, chairman of the N.C. Historical Commission; and Harry Harrison chairman of the N.C. African American Heritage Commission, for the unveiling of plaques in the west wing of the Capitol that celebrate the 13th, 14th, 15th and 19th Amendments.

 As Dr. Cashion astutely observed, they address “glaring omissions” in recognizing the contributions of our state’s diverse citizenry.

While North Carolina missed its chance to be the state that officially ratified the 19th amendment – that honor belongs to Tennessee – we now have a terrific reason to celebrate both the struggle for equality and the extraordinary contributions of female voters and elected officials in our state.

(From left) Harry Harrison, chairman of the N.C. African American Heritage Commission; Cultural Resources Secretary Linda Carlisle, Dr. Jerry Cashion, chairman of the N.C. Historical Commission and Jill Dinwiddie. 

As Domestic Violence Month draws to a close, we must all remember the words spoken this week by President Barack Obama as he recognized the responsibility of state and federal government to protect victims of domestic and sexual violence and enable survivors to break the cycle of abuse.

“We’ve come a long way from the days when domestic violence was too often viewed as a lesser offense. Laws have been passed and attitudes have changed,” the President said during a press event. “But there is still work that needs to be done on behalf of victims of domestic violence.”

This month, the N.C. Council for Women processed more than $4.6 million in domestic violence grants to 102 agencies across our state to help survivors reclaim their lives. Local programs will provide safe shelter to women who need to leave abusive homes, as well as emotional support and job-skills training to help women address challenging financial barriers.

These grants are part of more than $7.2 million in total awards that will be provided to local agencies to help abused and disadvantaged North Carolina women get back on their feet and achieve success. Directing these recourses locally, where advocates are familiar with the needs of their community, will ensure that services are available when victims of violence and abuse need it most.

We thank President Obama and Gov. Bev Perdue for their commitments to break the cycle of violence through support of meaningful aid and programs. We take seriously our role of serving North Carolina women in need and appreciate the faith and financial resources entrusted to us to ensure better futures for women who deserve them.

It’s a devastating fact, and it’s one we can’t afford to forget: During this year alone, more than 6,500 women in North Carolina will receive a diagnosis of breast cancer, and approximately 1,340 North Carolina women will die from the disease.

Gov. Bev Perdue has proclaimed that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in North Carolina, and urges all citizens – men as well as women – to talk to their doctor to assess their risk and undergo routine mammogram screenings as recommended.

North Carolina is fortunate to have so many exceptional medical centers that focus on cancer treatment, giving hope and health to many who otherwise might have nowhere to turn. Indeed, one of the pioneers of digital mammography, Dr. Etta Pisano, did her groundbreaking research while serving as a much-honored researcher and administrator at the UNC School of Medicine.
 
Dr. Pisano is one of several influential presenters who will join Gov. Perdue and the Council for Women on Nov. 9 for the North Carolina Governor’s Conference for Women. The event, to be held at the Raleigh Convention Center, provides an extraordinary opportunity for women to learn about issues that affect them and ways to empower themselves for greater success.

Dr. Pisano – now dean of the Medical University of South Carolina's College of Medicine – is hard at work developing new methods of breast imaging to help locate and treat cancer earlier. Her tireless efforts have saved countless lives, and her new research will make it possible for even more patients to carry the proud name of "cancer survivor."

Please join us at the conference to celebrate the achievements of Dr. Pisano and so many other women of accomplishment.

Domestic violence is not often the stuff of poetry, but the personal story of a survivor featured in a newsletter inspired a member of our N.C. Council for Women to take pen to paper.

I had no idea that Jenny Ward of Charlotte, our talented board member, was such a gifted writer. She transformed the story of an unnamed survivor – representative of the “one in five” women likely to experience domestic violence in their lifetime – and crafted a moving call to action. I am honored that she has allowed me to share her poem:  “one woman is too many.”

there’s no pink ribbon, or even red
no merit badge either

she’s one in five
voice-less – in her own home, in her life

she lives in cycles, churning, in an unspeakable rhythm
time stands still

can we give her a voice?
can we say, one women is too many?

invite our men – our boys, husbands and fathers
friends, lovers and neighbors

together, we take a stand
to say the unsaid

relentless, never to return to this place
giving health to all, we lift her up

after all, it’s about her – and about us
we can do better, we can live in peace

the north carolina council for women
gives voice to one in five

one woman is too many

Mary Williams-Stover joined our team this week as Assistant Director, just in time to mark today’s official abbreviation of our agency name from Council for Women/Domestic Violence Commission to the broader Council for Women (CFW). With this change, we renew our pledge to provide oversight and monitoring of grant-funded non-profits statewide that assist women in being safe and successful.

Articulate and familiar with issues affecting North Carolina women, Williams-Stover comes to us from Triangle United Way, where she was senior vice president for strategic initiatives and sponsorships. She also brings experience in working directly with non-profits and their boards from her tenure at both the Triangle office and United Way of America, based in Alexandria, Va.

A resident of Cary and mother of two teenage children, Williams-Stover’s duties will include managing CFW’s five regional directors, who in turn oversee grant-funded programs and related reporting. She also will work on developing a strategic plan and brand marketing aimed at increasing awareness of CFW as a statewide resource for women.

This time of year, people tend to talk about what makes a good “beach read.”  Before you slip into a topic that takes you miles away from reality, I ask that you consider an important real-life read from the pages of the Independent Weekly.

Writer Samiha Khanna has drafted a compelling look at the recent spike in domestic violence incidents in Wake County, especially among our immigrant population. While this trend bears some familiar characteristics – numbers tend to escalate during difficult economic times, as well as when the temperatures rise – the challenges experienced by women with language/cultural barriers and limited awareness of resources is especially troubling.

The N.C. Council for Women/Domestic Violence Commission is dedicated to providing grant funding to qualified local organizations that provide direct services to women in need. There has been an increase in the number of agencies that provide services to women who only communicate in their native languages – a vital link since cultural barriers often make these women reluctant to step outside of their homes to seek relief from the physical or emotional abuse taking place inside.

Since many affected women are not in the workforce and are unaware of local resources – or doubt the validity of their concerns because abuse may be an ingrained cultural experience – they are more likely to trust and accept assistance from those within their native country network.  Talking with a counselor in Spanish, or communicating online in Korean, greatly increases the chances of their escaping violence and integrating into their new community.

The Council for Women encourages all women and girls who have experienced domestic violence to seek help by calling a community resource or us at 919-733-2455 (toll-free, 1-877-502-9898). No matter what words or language you use, your concerns will be heard.

I believe in the importance of having a professional appearance appropriate to one’s workplace. But on Thursday, I will leave my suit and heels in the closet and instead wear a pair of jeans to an important event at Interact of Wake County. 

Like many agencies that support women and families, here in America and across the globe, Interact will present a special evening dedicated to Denim Day. The event is part of the center’s observance of April as Sexual Assault and Awareness Month.

Denim Day grew from a 1992 incident in Italy, in which an 18 year old was raped on the side of the road by her driving instructor. As stated on Interact’s website, she pressed charges and won her case.  The instructor appealed, and in 1999 the Italian High Court overturned the conviction.  A member of the High Court declared that since the victim wore very tight jeans, the instructor could not have removed them himself, therefore the victim must have willingly participated.

Women of the Italian legislature protested the decision by wearing jeans.  As news of the decision spread, so did the protest.  In April 1999, the State of California established the first Denim Day in the United States.  

If approved by your workplace, please wear denim on Thursday in support of the victims and survivors of sexual assault and rape. If you cannot do so at work, join us from a candlelight vigil from 6-7:30 p.m. at Interact, 1012 Oberlin Road, Raleigh, or seek an event to support in your community.

The Council for Women is proud to have been a partner in a Women’s History Month Celebration that truly honored the pioneering women who led the suffragist movement, and whose victories paved the way for today’s women to earn their rightful place in a wide range of leadership roles.

It was fitting that Gov. Bev Perdue – our state’s first female Governor, who before that was our first female Lieutenant Governor – joined us Monday night at the N.C. Museum of History to deliver welcoming remarks.  Having her there was a very positive statement to the people in the audience, men and women, who obviously care about women’s rights.

The crowd was highly engaged in the program, which featured a conversation with Dr. Sally McMillen, Department Chair and Mary Reynolds Babcock Professor at Davidson College. The Q&A that followed was lively, including a discussion about “modern-day heroines” whose efforts may be examined by future historians.  In addition to our Governor and the female majority on the Council of State, we acknowledged First Lady Michelle Obama, female heads of state around the world, and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose leadership this week was instrumental in passage of healthcare reform.

There was a flood of enthusiasm afterward at the reception, where the conversation continued. A gentleman who described himself as a Civil War buff thanked us for increasing his knowledge and giving him a better perspective on how women affected outcomes of the time – and of course, the ripple effect to today’s ongoing struggles and accomplishments.

Photo: Kaye Gattis, Colonel Shafiqa Quraishi, Jill Dinwiddie and Leila Bekri (from left).

I have been fortunate to know and work with many inspirational women. Today I met one that I will never forget.

Colonel Shafiqa Quraishi is the Director of Gender, Human and National Rights within the Afghanistan Ministry of the Interior. Along with Kaye Gattis, Director of the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, I spoke with her as part of the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program.

Prior to beginning her tour of select agencies across America last week, Quraishi was presented with an “International Women of Courage” award from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and met First Lady Michelle Obama. The mere mention of the honor made her very emotional.

“I don’t even know what I did to deserve this award,” she said, her quiet Arabic relayed by a State Department translator. 

This humble activist doesn’t think what she does is extraordinary, but it is. She sees it simply as what she needs to do so girls coming behind her can have a better life.

The Colonel, who rose through the ranks of the Afghan National Police, works to ensure that women and girls learn about the laws that guarantee them basic human rights. The pervasive influence of the Taliban has made education and personal safety seem like unreachable dreams for many, but Quraishi said most girls living in cities are attending schools, and more women are achieving success in the workplace.

Education is the key that will unlock a brighter future for Afghan girls who, thanks to Quraishi, will gain the skill set and confidence few of their mothers have. Meeting such an extraordinary leader reminds me how fortunate I am to have a chance to make a difference in the lives of women and girls in North Carolina.