Pelosi Celebrates Women's History Month

Pelosi Celebrates Women's History Month

Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Contact: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. â€" House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today in honor of Women’s History Month:

â€Å"As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we remember those who have contributed to our progress, we recognize those who are changing our communities today, and we rededicate ourselves to expanding opportunities for women.

â€Å"In the past year, we have grieved the loss of remarkable women who agitated, struggled and remained committed to equality and progress.  Rosa Parks embodied an indomitable spirit that sparked the fire of the civil rights movement and continues to remind us that the power of one person, driven by the ideals of justice, is infinite.  Coretta Scott King was not only a keeper of the flame, but a civil rights leader in her own right, and with her singularity of purpose and sheer tenacity, she often triumphed.   Betty Friedan recognized women's desire for opportunity, recognition, fulfillment and success, and her hard-fought battles to fulfill these dreams opened the nation’s eyes to gender equality.

â€Å"These women embodied this year’s theme, Women: Builders of Communities and Dreams. But there are dreams, and communities left to build, particularly on our Gulf Coast. Many of the women of this region have lost their homes, their communities and their livelihoods in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  These women demonstrated strength and resilience, and as the region begins to rebuild, they continue to be vital agents of survival, recovery, and change for their families and communities.

â€Å"Still, six months have passed since Hurricane Katrina swept through the Gulf Region, and tens of thousands of Katrina survivors are struggling to make ends meet.  The idealism, courage and faith of the women in the Gulf Coast region reignites the urgent call for action to rebuild a Gulf Coast region that is healthy, strong and prosperous.

â€Å"Women’s History Month reminds us that women can, and do, change the course of history for all of us.”