Women You Should Know

Winner of Nine Collegiate Excellence in Journalism Awards fromo Our college. Our news. Our voice. Naugatuck Valley Community College March 1, 2017 Waterbury, Connecticut Vol. 61, Iss. 2 WomenAlyssa Katz You Should Know Jane Addams Bessie Coleman Christine Jorgensen Indira Gandhi Malala Yousafzai After graduating Rockford Female American aviator, Bessie Coleman, The 2nd child of a contractor and Known as the Iron Lady of India, The “Schoolgirl Who Stood up to Seminary (now Rockford University) was the first woman of African- his wife, Christine Jorgensen was Indira Gandhi was a central figure the Taliban,” Malala Yousafzai has in 1881 and studying in Europe, American and of Native America named George W. Jorgensen Jr. of the Indian National Congress become an inspirational figure descent to hold a pilot’s license. upon her birth in 1926. Jorgensen is for people worldwide. When the Born in 1892, Coleman grew remembered as the first American Taliban attacked girls’ schools in her up poor, in a small Texas town. trans woman widely known in the hometown, she gave an impassioned Working the cottonfields with her US for having sex reassignment speech—at age 11—titled, “How sharecropper family, she attended a dare the Taliban take away my Jane Addams set out to make a difference. Eventually becoming a Party, and, to date, the only female driving force in women’s suffrage Prime Minister of India, taking on and world peace, she started by that role in 1966. Serving as her co-founding, with college friend surgery. Drafted by the US Army father’s personal assistant during and partner, Ellen Gates Starr, Hull after graduating high school in his tenure as prime minister from House, in her hometown of Chicago. 1945, Jorgensen served in World 1947 to 1964, it was only natural she Hull House quickly became an War II. Following military service, would follow his lead into politics. epicenter for women’s enlightenment small, segregated school, spending Jorgensen attended school, worked, Indira Gandhi served in the Cabinet and education. With 25 women in one semester at Langston U. From and around this time, heard about before being elected prime minister. basic right to education?”. She went residence, along with Addams an early age, Bessie had her eye sex reassignment surgery. Traveling Through her time in office (1966 – on to write a regular blog, under and Starr; committed to research on the sky; however, Coleman to Copenhagen, Jorgensen obtained 1977, and again from 1980 until her an alias, for the BBC. When her around issues of social health, they struggled as an African-American permission to undergo surgery to assassination in 1984) she was able identity was revealed in 2009, she conducted investigations on topics and woman facing discrimination align her physical reality and sexual to regulate an oil crisis the country faced threats culminating in a 2012 such as housing, midwifery, fatigue, in an intolerant world. Fascinated identity. On return to the US in the was facing, create many jobs, and assassination attempt. Surviving the and truancy. Hull House’s facilities by stories of soldiers returning early ‘50s, Jorgensen’s transformation establish equal pay for men and near-fatal gunshot to the head at 15 included a night school for adults, from WWI, Coleman vowed to was subject of a New York Daily women. The biggest achievement years old, this Pakistani teenager clubs for children, a public kitchen, an fulfill her dream of flying. America News front-page story. An instant of Indira Gandhi after the 1971 refused to stop speaking out on art gallery, gym, music school, drama offered no options for women at celebrity, she wrote a memoir, and election was India’s decisive women’s rights—particularly the group and theater, library, meeting the time, and she was also barred worked as an actress and entertainer. victory in the Indo-Pakistani War right to equal education. Though her rooms, an employment bureau, and from flight school due to her race. Celebrity didn’t guarantee an easy of 1971, that led to the formation family was forced to seek sanctuary many other resources. Her adult Determined not to let injustice life; Jorgensen faced discrimination of independent Bangladesh. To outside Pakistan, Yousafzai became night school was a forerunner of the squelch aspiration, she saved as an openly trans woman. For deal with India’s food problems, a tireless advocate for girls’ rights. continuing education classes offered enough money to travel to France, example, she was unable to marry Gandhi expanded the emphasis on Speaking out against oppressive by many universities today. In where she would be able to make her fiancé, Howard Knox, because production of inputs to agriculture Taliban rule, she has demanded addition to providing social services her dreams come true. Accepted her birth certificate identified her that had already been initiated by women have access to proper and cultural events for the immigrant into French flight school, Coleman as male; Knox lost his job when his her father. India’s Green Revolution, education. Spreading a message of population of the neighborhood, Hull obtained her pilot’s license in 1921. engagement to Jorgensen became under her government in the 1970s, empowerment, through her book, I House afforded an opportunity for Over the next few years, until known. Rather than succumbing to transformed the country from a Am Malala, a documentary, titled, He young social workers to acquire her early death—in a 1926 plane ignorance and shaming, Jorgensen nation heavily reliant on imported Named Me Malala, and in speaking training. Her mission through crash—Bessie Coleman performed used celebrity as a platform to grains and prone to famine to engagements throughout the world, Hull House resulted in Addams’ in countless airshows. Though her advocate for trans people. Known being largely able to feed itself, and Malala has become one of the most distinction as the “Mother of Social career, and life, were sadly cut for her directness and polished become successful in achieving its influential young women the world Work”. She later became President of short, by defeating the odds and wit, her most lasting contribution goal of food security. A year after has ever seen. Because of her efforts the Women’s International League boldly answering those who dared is her effort to break down injustice her murder she was honored with on behalf of oppressed women for Peace and Freedom, leading to question the worth of a woman of against trans people and to educate the National Integration Award, and children, she was named her winning the Nobel Peace Prize color, she has inspired many to about the realities of being trans in a and was named one of the best co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. follow her footsteps to the skies. sometimes hostile world. Prime Ministers in Indian history. in 2014 at just 17 years old. symbolic guide to the shores of freedom, Lady Our nation was founded on principles of of this nation many of us are “exiles” from one Liberty is the embodiment of the American inclusion. The first seven presidents of this place or another, and we have always been Lady Liberty Dream. This is the full text of the 1883 Emma Union, though born on the American continent, called to provide refuge to others. Christopher Gordon Lazarus sonnet installed on a plaque at the were born before the United States of America The United States of America is young com- monument’s base. were established. Until the Constitution was pared to many of the world’s nations. When ratified in 1788, the American colonies were those in the Old World were cast as undesir- The New Colossus still under British rule. George Washington able (poor, of the “wrong” faith, expendable, through John Quincy Adams, one and all, were sold as property), they found their way to Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, English nationals first. new shores, this new land, and built a dream With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Country of origin, religious identity, and that eclipsed Old World injustices. This is the Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand skin color mean nothing to our Green Guide, power contained within our Statue of Liberty A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame even though they have, in times past, mattered (a French creation): she is statue to guide, with Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name to our ancestors—even though our ideals of a poem to remind us we are a nation that per- Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand freedom and refuge have again come under sonifies sanctuary. Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command attack from within. We mustn’t reduce her message to a The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. Most people only remember one tiny por- sound-bite taken out of context. Quotes may “Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she tion of this poem: “...Give me your tired, your inspire us to great heights, but we cannot With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, poor,/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe forget the full message—or the humanity March is dedicated to women, and I would like Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, free.” These words are powerful by themselves, of those who pursue this American Dream. to celebrate one of our nation’s most important: The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. but by widening our scope of vision, we can see Our past must not be idealized; we must con- the giant green woman in New York Harbor, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, the true power within them.

Load more