International Women’s Day 2019
Portraits of Resiliency: Reflections of CSU Women
International Women’s Day 2019
International Women’s Day is a globally recognized day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. To celebrate International Women’s Day 2019, we at CSU would like to acknowledge the global experience of women by focusing on the characteristic of resilience. International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made toward the liberation of women, to call for change to policies and practices that continue to hold women back, and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their nations and communities.
Meriam Webster Dictionary defines resilience as: an ability to recover from or adjust to misfortune or change.
People of all genders practice resilience to deal with trying or challenging moments. However, women and girls around the world face particular challenges put upon them as a condition of limiting views of their purpose, strength, aptitude, and presence. In celebrating International Women’s Day, we would like to honor the stories of CSU students, faculty, staff, and alumna that highlight their resiliency, and for whom their gender identity as women is central to their trials and triumph.
Sponsored by:
International Programs | University Housing | Women and Philanthropy | Women and Gender Advocacy Center | CSU Health Network | Department of Communication Studies | Parent Fund | SLiCE | RamEvents
Photographs by:
Staff/Faculty
“You have to see yourself as the best you.”
Lorann Stallones
Professor, Department of Psychology Director, graduate degree program in Public Health
“There have been lots of contributions made by women over time, often history forgets those women…. I think it is claiming not only what contributions you might have made, and doing so unabashedly…I think it is important for us to do it for each other.”
Mary Ontiveros
Vice President for Diversity: Alumna 1973 & 1979
“There is still this perception that there is a performance gap when in fact there is not a performance gap but women’s achievements are not necessarily recognized, even by themselves.”
Emily Fischer
Assistant Professor, Department of Atmospheric Science
“Continue to surround yourself by women that you admire… Women ought to be at the table, women ought to be at any table they want to be at.”
Diana Wall
Professor, Department of Biology, School of Global Environment Sustainability Director
“We’re all in this together, people. It’s not all women versus all men or anything like that. Make sure that younger girls know that it’s okay to be proud to be a girl and lean on other girls and look at all the wonderful things as girls we can do.”
Kathleen Fairfax
Vice Provost for International Affairs
“I’m just surrounded by people who have an impact on my life, and I can have an impact on their life.”
Brittany Rhanes
Captain, U.S. Air Force, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
“Who am I to say I can’t do this?”
Blanche Hughes:
Vice President for Student Affairs
Alumna 1984 & 1995
Students
“Often as women, we apologize for existing. We always apologize for taking up space or talking or moving or living… I’m moving away from the thought that I need to apologize for who I am and what I’ve been through and how I understand the world.”
Victoria
“The image of how an ideal woman should be is so different from what I want to be. For me, it’s not about how I look, it’s about who I am…”
Ishma
“I fell in love with encouraging at risk youth and telling them what I went through and hearing what they are going through, and what they plan to do. Not just staying stuck with what’s happening now, but what can we do to move forward.”
Chizel
“If something is perfect, you can’t grow from it. I would never call myself perfect; I would call myself a work in perfection. So it’s like I am growing through weaknesses.”
Rachel
“I was kicked out when I was 17… I was essentially homeless. It was a tumultuous freshman year for sure. Learning how to have a support group was a very interesting journey that I am still on, but I definitely climbed a mountain that first year.”
April
“Being a woman is a million different things and a million different experiences…For me, womanhood is an authentic sense of self that is compassionate and strong and willing to continue…”
Colette
“When I was in college, I learned I was undocumented. I wasn’t telling anyone and kept it hidden, and I felt like the fear was wrapped around my throat and I couldn’t exist. It was seeping into all the pieces of my life. I didn’t know who I was anymore…I saw education as my key to a locked door I wanted to break open.”
Camila
“I remember asking him, ‘is being pregnant a bad thing?’, and he says ‘well, it’s really complicated to be a student in a PhD, by yourself and having kids. I don’t think you know how it’s going to be’. And I went ‘nope. I can do it. I will do it.’”
Carolina
“The further I get to expand my world, the more I have had the privilege to travel. To be around all different kinds of women has taught me a lot of what femininity looks like and has allowed me to adapt the things I love about other women to myself.”
Haley
“We remember atrocities that have happened particularly to white people, but we tend to forget those that have happened to those of color or different religious identities… and if we don’t talk about it, their histories die and their legacy dies.”
Zahra
“When I graduate, and when I’m here, it’s not just for me. It’s for my family. Everybody contributed something to me being here. So, when I cross that stage, it’s not my diploma, it’s our diploma.”
Jessica
“It’s ok to not only ask for help, but to need help.”
Soleil
Alumni
“I admire the women who keep coming up to the surface, it doesn’t matter what happens, they just keep coming up to the surface.”
Susan
Alumna 2006 & 2016
“I made my decision to stay here, and I am going to work on it. It is not going to be so easy for me, because I’m still struggling with low income and being able to pay my bills and questioning what I’m going to do next. I need some strength, but I still have HOPE.”
Hanaa
Alumna 2010 & 2016
“No one ever knows how resilient they are until it’s tested.”
Dana
Alumna 1998
“Single stories are harmful. I’ve seen how narrow-mindedness and unwillingness to explore multiple truths can severe perceptions and communities. As a photographer, I strive to capture multiple narratives to continue to broaden the perspectives of others and my own.”
Cassie
Alumna 2009