JFCS Celebrates Women’s History Month!
March is Women’s History Month, and JFCS is eager to celebrate!
We value the women and gender-diverse individuals who ensure success throughout our organization, as employees, clients, donors, volunteers, and community partners. As a majority-woman workplace, we are always mindful of the importance of supporting women and people of all gender identities in reaching their fullest potential. This month offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the values we uphold not just in March, but throughout the year.
March is also a time to reflect on the historical inequities that have limited recognition of women and marginalized gender identities, and to recommit ourselves to fostering greater awareness and inclusion moving forward. It invites younger generations to appreciate the achievements, resilience, and innovation of those who came before them, while encouraging women and gender-diverse individuals to lead boldly in spaces where they may once have felt unseen. Ultimately, communities are strongest when every person is acknowledged and celebrated. Observances like Women’s History Month help ensure that each individual’s contributions are recognized and valued, regardless of gender identity or background.
We invited JFCS staff to share quotes about women and gender equity that resonate with them and reflect their personal inspiration. Here are some quotes our staff chose:
- “As long as women are using class or race power to dominate other women, feminist sisterhood cannot be fully realized.”
-bell hooks - “A genuine feminist politics always brings us from bondage to freedom, from lovelessness to loving… There can be no love without justice.”
-bell hooks - “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”
-Maya Angelou - “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”
-Margaret Thatcher - “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
-Lilla Watson - “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.”
-Audre Lorde
Our Senior Crime Victim Advocate, Paul Troy, has his own thoughts about Women’s History Month:
“As I think about Women’s History Month, I am reminded of why I work at JFCS as a crime victim advocate. My mother is a survivor of domestic violence. In the mid-70’s, there were no domestic violence shelters, no emergency protective orders, and no victim advocates in Eastern Kentucky to help her get away from my abusive father. But my mom was strong and determined. Case management, family therapy, career counseling, and legal advocacy are all services that JFCS now offers that were unavailable when my mom was trying to escape an abusive relationship. This month I am thankful to be able to honor my mom and all of the other women who are working so hard to keep their children safe.”
Together, these reflections and stories from our staff serve as a powerful reminder that it is not just about looking back; it’s about continuing to uplift, support, and celebrate one another every day. We thank our staff for sharing so many powerful insights, and we are proud to know that our organization is guided throughout the year by our shared passion for women’s causes and all causes of justice.