Eglin commemorates Women's Equality Day

  • Published
  • By Sachel Seabrook
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  "I am really proud to be a woman. I like being a woman." These were the proud words spoken to an audience of men and women by Dr. Joyce Gossom, associate dean of the University of West Florida and Fort Walton Beach city councilwoman.

For the first time in its history, Team Eglin hosted a Women's Equality Day program. The event commemorated the passing of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution  Aug. 26, 1920. With this new amendment, American women gained the right to vote and hold an elective office.

In her speech entitled "Standing on our Sister's Shoulders," Gossom encouraged everyone to remember we are all here to help each other.

"We are all shoulders and it's ok for someone to stand on our shoulders," she said. "There is so much we don't know about our history. When we don't know about our history, we can't build upon it."

Throughout her speech, Gossom honored women who stand on the shoulders of those that came before them. Among them, Maya Ying Lin, the 21-year-old woman who designed the Vietnam War memorial and Johnnetta Betsch Cole, the first Black woman president of Spelman College in its 107-year history.

In addition to the program, officials from Vote Okaloosa were at the base exchange helping people register to vote, testing their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and giving away prizes.

Women's Equality Day wasn't just a day of looking back and remembering, it was about looking forward and learning. It started a dialogue between men and women.

"I think we're better off when we have both genders working together," says Col. William Porter, 96th Air Base Wing vice commander during the program.

In 1971, U.S. Rep. Bella Azbug encouraged Congress to designate August 26th Women's Equality Day. This milestone recognizes the dedication and hard work of those who helped with women's suffrage in the U.S. This civil rights movement had its humble beginnings in 1848 at the first women's right convention in Seneca Falls, N.Y. continues to be celebrated all over the country.