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The month of March marks the month for women. This is the month where women are celebrated for their efforts, contributions and resilience.

Women’s history month started in 1978 in Santa Rosa California by Sonoma county’s Education Task Force. Originally, it began as an honorary week, but after gaining national momentum, it eventually came to represent the entire month. 

As a black woman, I take pride in my culture and aim to shine a light on the women who inspire me and have influenced my goals and dreams. These women: Marie Van Brittan Brown, Shaina Rainford, Etta James, and Donyale Luna are those who I find incredibly important due to their contributions to society and deserve more recognition for their efforts.

Who created the Home security system?

Growing up in a violent urban neighborhood, Marie Van Brittan had a vision for extra security. It was the 1960s in Brooklyn, New York. Brittan did not feel safe given the non urgency of the police officers in her neighborhood, so she thought of a different way to keep herself safe. As a nurse coupled with her husband working during irregular hours, Brittan was often home alone leading to her heightened unrest. 

The early stages of the system worked with a camera that would move through four peepholes that hooked up to monitors inside her home. Much like home security systems today, the idea was to know who is at and around your home without having to get up. Her idea was patented in 1966 and has become a staple in many homes since. ¹

Bask & lather slick back

A few years ago, Shaina Rainford, the CEO of Bask & Lather had a younger sister who lost her hair to a ringworm that spread across her scalp. After being misdiagnosed and told it was just dandruff, her hair ended up not being able to regrow. 

Rainford then took things into her own hands and formulated a hair growth oil made from natural ingredients. Soon after getting her oil patented, Rainford came out with different products for black hair. She now has an edge control, conditioner and shampoo, lash serum, and even liquid vitamins. I use Bask & Lather myself and it has truly become one of my tried and true products.. Her passion for creating products formulated for hair that looks like hers and mine has allowed a black woman to have her own hair care line which at one point was not possible for black and brown girls but Rainford continues to be an inspiration, building upon her successes.²

Graceful blues, soul and jazz.

Born in 1938, Etta James soon became one of the greatest rhythm and blues singers of all time. Growing up she was a part of a girl group called the Creolettes. The group had a hit called “roll with me Henry” and this song put James on the map. After gaining more recognition, she became the opening act for the rolling stones in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

In the ‘60s, she became an addict to heroin and cocaine which was stifling to her career but due to that her voice changed over the years and soon her voice created a new genre of music we now know as soul. 

Some of her achievements include receiving four grammys and being in the hall of fame in the ‘90s and the start of the 2000s. James’s music was particularly impactful because of its heavy soul and spunk presence that was very different for the time period. Also winning her awards as a woman of color was especially difficult during the time period.

Throughout the years she got the recognition she deserved and is now an inspiration to a lot of current artists today. She inspired the genre neo-soul, rock and roll and blues. Due to her craft she has left a spunky mark on the world.

Who pioneered modeling?

Donyale Luna was often described as an ethereal woman and her beauty soon came to become recognized on a global scale, leading her to pioneer the fashion industry. In 1963, Luna got an offer from David McCabe, a photographer, to go to Manhattan and start her modeling career. She had a successful start off but because there was a lack of women of color in the industry, Luna faced heavy discrimination. Unable to handle the adversity, she moved to Europe where discrimination and racism was not as heavy. 

In 1966, Luna had a successful debut in British Vogue and became one of the first black women to become a model. She pioneered the way so that other women of color like Anok Yai, Jessica White, and even Zendaya can have a space in the modeling world. Luna was so inspirational that Zendaya did a photoshoot that was inspired by some of Luna’s late 1960s photoshoots.

What to remember

Representation, during a month dedicated to women, is especially important as it serves as a reminder that women of all colors deserve to share the spotlight this month. The women aforementioned have taken up space in a variety of different occupations, showing that women can be business owners, entertainers, educators, and more. As we look back on this month, let us also look back on all of the women who have paved the way for us today.