“The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.” – Gloria Steinem

International Women’s Day theme for 2019 is Better for Balance. Last year we saw the theme of inspiring change filtered through the streets, into our government, our businesses, and our hearts. This year is dedicated to making the world we live in, a gender-balanced world. The importance of each theme announced for International Women’s Day is that of creating a unified direction to have collective action for the whole year. The first International Women’s Day was celebrated over 100 years ago with 15,000 women immersed in grassroots activism, now millions of men & women celebrate the accomplishments, the hard work, the ingenuity, and the collective of women. Today is not just a day of celebration, but also a call to action – the time is now, women are RISING above, influencing, changing and creating a more balanced world.

Balance drives better communities, better work environments, better homes, better relationships, and a better government. We live in a world where we all expect balance, and International Women’s Day recognized its absence yet celebrates its presence (IWD). Overall, this year’s initiative is aimed at gender balance (equality) by bring attention to the gender gaps within society. We all have a place to start by finding this balance, closing the gaps and ultimately rising up to our inner ‘world changer’. We are at a pinnacle in our world today, women have spent centuries putting in work, blood, sweat and tears for what is happening to become in fruition. We are HERE. Find your sisterhood, in whatever gender it comes, and take a moment today to celebrate, praise, empower, and lead to FIND #BetterforBalance.

“Women have an unique power of being able to look at the world’s problems and discover solutions that transform lives and make the world a better place”   – Dr. Ayanna Howard