In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, the Colorado State University community will come together to share experiences of empowerment and advocate for gender equality.

The Office of International Programs will partner with offices across campus, to celebrate International Women’s Day in 2019 with a collaborative project titled “Portraits of Resiliency: Reflections of CSU Women.” With an emphasis on the global experience of women, the photo exhibit will be unveiled March 5 at 5 p.m. in the Lory Student Center North Ballroom featuring guest speakers sharing their own stories of resiliency.  

“In honoring International Women’s Day, we’d like to promote the stories of CSU students, faculty, staff, and alumna that highlight their resiliency to challenging moments and for whom their gender identity as women were/are central their trials and triumph,” said Shauna DeLuca, the assistant director of Global Co-Curricular Initiatives.

International Women’s Day is a global event that unites individuals from across the globe in celebration of women’s achievements while also displaying the need for gender parity. This day has occurred for over a century nationwide, with the first gathering in 1911 gaining the support of over one million people across Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland and building on the ideas of women’s equality.

This year, CSU will be focusing on the theme “More Powerful Together” and how people of all genders and backgrounds play a role in the advance towards equality. Though this day celebrates women and their accomplishments, it encourages collaboration among everyone to overcome stereotypes and create a world of equal rights and opportunities. 

“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,” said DeLuca.