Colorado women have been instrumental in forging paths for social change, equity, and innovation. Women’s History Month is a great opportunity to reflect on achievements that have rippled out across the Centennial state and the country. Here are a few women who made a difference and some events to celebrate this month.
Making a Change
Western women led the movement for women’s voting rights. Colorado voters marked their ballots for equal suffrage in 1893, making it the first state where men voted to extend that right to women. Ellis Meredith and Elizabeth Piper Ensley helped lead the movement in Colorado and later nationwide.
In the 1960s, women fueled the civil rights movements. Helen Giron-Mushfiq is among the women who joined Denver’s Brown Berets during El Movimiento. She and other Brown Beret women led community programs providing food, clothing, and other essentials all while confronting sexism and risking their safety for the cause.
American women couldn’t get credit from banks until 1974 – Denver became the second city in the nation to open a bank dedicated to serving women in 1978. Women deposited nearly $1.2 million on the day the Denver Women’s Bank first opened its doors. Before then, even prominent women like the state’s first female Congressional representative Patricia “Pat” Schroeder were denied access to credit cards.
Ways to Celebrate
The History Colorado Center has many exhibits this month highlighting the work of Colorado women. In the Borderlands of Southern Colorado exhibit, the stories of Mestizo and Indigenous women who lived on the borderlands during a time of shifting power and land ownership are told. Before the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, wealthy and prominent Hispano women had more rights than their white counterparts, and sometimes owned property.
Celebrate International Women’s Day on March 7 with free entry on both Saturday and Sunday at the Center for Colorado Women’s History. View the exhibits in the historic house, take part in a women’s history scavenger hunt, and celebrate the accomplishments of women both past and future. Register ahead for free admission.
International Women’s Day Reception & Proclamation is happening March 3 from 3-5:30pm in Fort Collins.
Women’s Day Maker’s Market at Odell Brewing Co on March 8 will feature local women entrepreneurs, artisans, and makers.
Women’s History Month Public Art Tour is a self-guided tour of Denver Public Art pieces by and about women.
CU Denver Women’s History Month Celebration on March 5 from 4-7pm is a great way to celebrate talent at CU Denver. Go to see fellow female identifying students showcase their talents and enjoy crafts, food, drink, and other fun community activities to celebrate girl power on campus.
