by Julie Andress, KeyBanc Capital Markets & STA WIF Co-Chair
March 8 is International Women’s Day.
A global holiday that dates back to 1909, International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrates women’s contributions to society, raises awareness about the fight for gender parity and inspires support for organizations that help women globally.
The theme of IWD 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge, which highlights the importance of challenging biases and misconceptions in the interest of creating a more inclusive and gender-equal world. According to IWD.com, “A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions, all day, every day. We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world. From challenge comes change, so let’s all choose to challenge.”
Throughout the year, take concrete steps to support women in all facets of your life — support woman-owned businesses, mentor a direct report or someone who can benefit from your knowledge and experience, and send notes of inspiration and hope to your fellow female colleagues, friends and family members.
Over the next couple of weeks, you’ll see images of people with hands raised up high in support of this year’s IWD across social media and other outlets that champion gender equality. The STA Women in Finance initiative realizes how powerful collective efforts like #IWD2021 are in promoting diversity and inclusion, particularly within financial services. Our industry has made great strides over the years, yet there is still much work to be done. By fostering discussions of diversity and inclusion, encouraging men to take an active role in diversity initiatives, and helping women access networking and career opportunities, STA WIF is committed to continuing this progress. So on Monday, March 8, raise your hand up to show you’re in.
Throughout the year, take concrete steps to support women in all facets of your life — support woman-owned businesses, mentor a direct report or someone who can benefit from your knowledge and experience, and send notes of inspiration and hope to your fellow female colleagues, friends and family members. As powerful as industry-wide initiatives can be, the fight for equality begins with each one of us.
Let’s #ChooseToChallenge in 2021. I know I will.
Read the full newsletter here