March is Women’s History Month! From Juliette Gordon Low to Amanda Gorman, women have made world-changing contributions to politics, science, technology, education, the arts, and so much more through the years. We invite our members to join us in recognizing inspirational female leaders in our region and beyond, including our very own Girl Scouts and volunteers.
Keep reading for resources to help inspire your Girl Scout to make their own history!
What is Women’s History Month?
In the United States, March has been annually designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation for over 40 years. This observance is an opportunity to celebrate the vital role of women in American history. Women’s History Month started out as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California; in 1980, thanks to an alliance of women’s groups and historians, the month achieved national recognition.
Resources for Celebrating Women’s History Month
Here are some great ways to celebrate Women’s History Month with your Girl Scout or troop.
Celebrate Women's History Month with Mill City String Quartet (MCSQ) at the Minnesota History Center! MCSQ, based in the Twin Cities since 2007, recently won Third Prize in the International Clara Schumann Competition, Professional Chamber Music category. Come hear these outstanding women promote outstanding music composed by women! Admission is free.
An empowering event that brings together dynamic women from print, digital, radio, and television to share their stories, triumphs, and insights. This panel discussion will dive deep into the unique experiences of women of color in media—highlighting the challenges they face and celebrating their remarkable contributions to the industry. In addition to the powerful conversation, guests can enjoy shopping with local vendors, engage in fun games, and connect with fellow community members.
The theme for Women’s History Month this March is, Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations. All are invited to attend and hear from a panel of trailblazing women. Learn the stories of local women who have worked to create change for our communities.
Let’s #InspireInclusion together at North Hennepin Community College’s International Women’s Day celebration! This free, family-friendly event will include a community dinner catered by a woman-owned restaurant, a women-led business expo, and a multicultural fashion show. Pre-registration is encouraged.
Join the Minnesota Historical Society for a panel conversation that focuses on Japanese American experiences of girlhood during this significant moment in history. Dr. Ka Wong will provide historical context around the WWII incarceration and relocation/resettlement to the Twin Cities, and what the Twin Cities Japanese American community looked like between mid-1940s-1960s, followed by the oral histories of Sally Sudo and Anna Tanaka Murakami. Admission is free.
Join the Minnesota Historical Soceity for a beaded fringe earring workshop led by mother-daughter duo Janice Asinikwe LaFloe and Brook LaFloe from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, ND. Janice Asinikwe LaFloe is the founder of the Montessori American Indian Childcare Center. This is a beginners level beadwork class geared towards youth ages 10+ and will include light refreshments and a community conversation related to Indigenous girlhood. Admission is free.
Calling all Swifties! Sing and dance along to Taylor Swift songs at this family-friendly concert. Taylor Swift has won the most American Music Awards in history and just wrapped up her sixth concert tour that spanned 149 shows across five continents! Founded in 2014 by independent concert promoter Peter Shapiro and educator Amy Striem, The Rock and Roll Playhouse is the largest national kid-friendly live concert series, having performed to hundreds of thousands of kids and their families.
Join the director of the National Center for Children’s Literature, Dr. Lashon Daley, for a talk about representations of Black girlhood in children’s literature. In this talk, Daley pinpoints how African American female middle-grade and young adult authors depict Black girls as vital figures within the Black Lives Matter movement. Daley's talk sparks an important conversation about how Black girls are characterized as symbols of Black rage, resistance, and rebellion in the contemporary movement for Black civil rights. Admission is free.
See how girls have spoken up, challenged expectations, and been on the front lines of social change throughout history. Explore the ever-evolving concept of girlhood in the United States and how young women have influenced politics, education, work, health, and fashion. Featuring over 100 artifacts from the Smithsonian Institution, interactive displays, historical photographs and more, Girlhood (It’s complicated) isn’t just for girls; it’s for everyone.
Support Local Woman-Owned Businesses and Organizations
First Avenue: This historic live music venue in Minneapolis, made famous by Prince’s 1984 film Purple Rain, has endured for more than 50 years. On top of it being a great place to catch a show, First Avenue blazed trails in March 2020; in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which threatened the future of the live music industry, First Avenue owner Dayna Frank organized the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), a group of independent venues and promoters across the country. The group’s tireless efforts led to the largest arts investment in U.S. history.
Repair Lair: Repair Lair is a Minneapolis shop that specializes in fixing outdoor clothing and camping equipment. They believe that outdoor adventure should be sustainable and affordable. Fun fact: Nancy Ford, the owner and operator, has been a train conductor, a wilderness therapy instructor, and an Antarctic ice core driller!
Silk Road Wellness: Silk Road Wellness is a handcrafted, halal-certified natural beauty and wellness brand inspired by Islamic traditions, halal principles, and Pakistani herbal remedies. Based in Rosemount, the brand was co-founded by Annie Qaiser, who wanted an alternative to skin care products containing synthetics.
She Rock She Rock: She Rock She Rock is a Twin Cities nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering girls, women and gender-expansive folks through the art of music. Founded by musician Jenny Case, the nonprofit aims to open doors, broaden mindsets and smash gender inequality in the music industry!
Larissa Loden: Larissa Loden is a Saint-Paul-based jewelry store with a mission to help customers look good, feel good, and do good through expressive and unapologetic accessories. The store started as owner and namesake Larissa Loden’s side hustle, and it has morphed into a dream-come-true small business.
Flava Cafe: Flava Café, located in Saint Paul, is more than just a coffee shop—it's a space where dreams are nurtured, and futures are built. Since their inception, they've been dedicated to empowering young women of color and gender-expansive youth, providing them with the skills, confidence, and community support they need to thrive.
Read Books and Watch Films that Spotlight Inspirational Women and Girls
Give that special girl in your life wings to fly with this enchanting book about all the things a girl can do. Whether she dreams of being a vet that heals people's pets, a firefighter that braves the flames, an astronaut floating in deep, dark space, or a fearless jungle explorer, there's nothing that a girl can't do.
The brainchild of three women-of-color sociologists, this book is a smooth, gleeful entry into intersectional feminism. The nine interconnected characters proudly describe themselves and their backgrounds, involving topics that range from physical disability to language brokering, offering an opportunity to take pride in a personal story and connect to collective struggle for justice.
Inspire your inner powerhouse with empowering broadsides with quotes from history's most influential women. With 30 inspirational posters at your disposal, you can cover every inch of your home or dorm room in motivational statements from powerful women who helped change history.
Stories of powerhouse women who pushed for justice in politics, medicine, art, music, religion, tribal leadership, and more. This timely collection of mini biographies highlights 25 champions for justice, includes colorful portraitures of each, and presents actual photos of the individuals.
The history of feminism? The right to vote, Susan B. Anthony, Gloria Steinem, white pantsuits? Oh, but there's so much more. And we need to know about it, especially now. In pithy text and pithier comics, this graphic engages us, educates us, makes us laugh, and makes us angry.
Films
Becoming (PG): Join former first lady Michelle Obama in an intimate documentary looking at her life, hopes and connection with others as she tours with her book "Becoming."
I Am Greta (TV-14): This documentary follows Greta Thunberg, a teenage climate activist from Sweden, on her international crusade to get people to listen to scientists about the world's environmental problems.
Knock Down the House (PG): Four working class women (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Amy Vilela, Cori Bush and Paula Jean Swearengin) run for Congress, overcoming adversity to battle powerful political machines in very different American landscapes.
He Named Me Malala (PG-13): This inspiring documentary tells the story of teenager Malala Yousafzai, who survived a Taliban attack in Pakistan to emerge as a global voice for the education rights of children.
Women’s History in the Girl Scout Movement
GSUSA blog – Doses of inspiration from five famous Girl Scout alums! Published March 2022Read more
GSUSA blog – Get inspired by Girl Scouts making history in their communities! Published March 2023Read more
Two women. Half the population. Several thousand years of history. About an hour. Hosted by Beckett Graham and Susan Vollenweider, this entertaining podcast about notable women throughout time bears no resemblance to a boring history class.