By: Anna Lee and Kiley King

Fresh off the heels of The Women’s March in Washington, DC, came a holiday many people have never heard of. Women and men all over the world celebrated International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8th. It is a day to celebrate social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

February 28, 1908, was the first time International Women’s Day ever observed. 15,000 women marched in New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay, and the right to vote. This march continued on the last Sunday of February until 1913, when it was changed to March 8th. Women even marched in Petrograd, Russia, in 1917, which sparked the Russian Revolution.

Locally on March 8th, Prince George’s County Public Schools had to close due to lack of staff. 1,700 teachers and 30% of the transportation staff requested to have the day off. This act is an incredible achievement for the special day because it shows how hard it is to go through daily life without women.

However, some students who wanted to participate in this event were unable to because they couldn’t skip school. “I have three tests today, so I can’t miss school,” Stella Zodet, Oakdale High School sophomore, said about why she couldn’t celebrate International Women’s Day. This is a problem that many students faced, and was also among older women. Missing work means no pay for that day and possibly being fired.

The people who did celebrate participated in events such as global gatherings, conferences, awards, exhibitions, festivals, fun runs, corporate events, concert performances, speaking events, online digital gatherings and more. Sponsors included women’s networks, corporations, charities, educational institutions, government bodies, political parties, the media, and further communities.

However, there is a new factor to the involvement in International Women’s Day Sophomore Kayleigh Dayton explains: “Social media let’s people know what’s going and how to participate.”
Was your day harder on March 8th? If so,  then tell a woman how much you appreciate her and next year you can join in on the roar!