Thursday, March 5, 2015 marks a special day for women at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. That is when a number of organizations will be coming together to commence programming for Women’s History Month. Organization included in the in the coalition are Erie County Commission on the Status of Women, WNY Women’s Foundation, WomenEventsBuffalo, Women’s Business Center at Canisius College, Junior League of Buffalo, Planned Parenthood of Central and Western NY, League of Women Voters, University at Buffalo Gender Institute, Women on the Rise, AAUW-Buffalo Chapter and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library.
Following is the schedule of activities, starting at 11am:
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., more than two dozen non-profit organizations providing activities and services for women will offer displays and free resource materials.
At 12 noon, the Kickoff Ceremony will feature performances by Buffalo Seminary’s SEMACHORDS vocal group and Teen Reality Theatre of Planned Parenthood of Central and Western NY; remarks by local dignitaries; and the unveiling of the new 2015 Women’s History Month calendar, replete with programs and networking opportunities occurring across Erie County throughout March. The calendar will be available at all Erie County public buildings and all 37 public libraries; also on the websites www.BuffaloLib.org and www.Erie.gov.
Featured at the Kickoff Ceremony will be presentations of the second annual “Woman of Character, Courage & Commitment” Awards and keynote speaker Noemi “Ami” Ghazala, superintendent of the National Park Service’s Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, NY. Ghazala is a graduate of St. John’s University and has served in education positions at several National Park Service sites including the Statue of Liberty National Monument/Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New York City and the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in New Orleans. She is also a children’ book author and has been an overseas freelance photojournalist focused on women’s issues, and a teacher.
The Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls in 1848, and the struggles that continue for civil rights, human rights, and gender equality across the globe. More information on the Park is available at www.nps.gov/wori.
The commemoration on Thursday, March 5 is free and open to the public. For more information on the Women’s History Month Commemoration, call 716-858-8900.
*Photo: Sculptor Lloyd Lillie’s “The First Wave” features life-size bronze statues of the five women who organized the First Women’s Rights Convention, and a few of the men who came in support of social, political, and religious equality for women.