Written By: Lila Nuñez, Staff Writer
POWERFUL: Many women have broken barriers in history and March is the month to recognize these women.
There are three major women in history here in California that have overcome many obstacles. Despite some having challenging childhoods, they became strong and brave women that have had their voice heard. Each has had the bravery to strive for change in their community, consequently creating a complete change in the state of California. Upon making an impact in this state, they are widely recognized. These women have broken barriers in science, politics, law, and even writing.
Isabel Quintero is an American writer of young adult literature, poetry and fiction. An extra bonus is that she was born and raised here in Riverside. In her writing, she implements a piece of her childhood as a daughter to Mexican immigrant parents living in California. She connects with the readers using her personal experiences. She is a young adult fiction writer, although most recently, she has written for children with her book “ My Papi Has A Motorcycle” and her series of “ Ugly Cat and Pablo.” The first book mentioned is also translated into Spanish and is named “Mi Papi Tiene Una Moto.” My favorite book of hers is “Gaby, A Girl In Pieces,”which is about a girl in high school figuring out her purpose and finding true self confidence in her self image. The book covers many topics that are not regularly talked about. Quintero adds hints of Mexican culture as well which is inspired by her life experiences. In her stories, she adds phrases and words in Spanish which I find make her even more relatable. Isabel Quintero has also had many positions in education especially with children, truly making a difference in the young people in the community.
Another Latina that made a difference in California is Dolores Huerta. She was an activist best known for her work with UFW (United Farm Workers), which is a labor union for farmworkers in the United States. Along with Cesar Chavez, she organized workers, negotiated contracts, advocated for safer working conditions including the elimination of harmful pesticides, and fought for unemployment and healthcare benefits for agricultural workers. Despite being discriminated against not only as a hispanic, but as a woman she became the cofounder of one of the most important associations of the US and a leader in the Chicano civil rights movement. She organized consumer boycotts which led to the ground-breaking California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, which allowed farm workers to form unions and bargain for better wages and conditions. In the 2000s, she was a major aid in voting more Latinos and women to political offices. Huerta received the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award in 1998 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. As of 2015, she was a board member of the Feminist Majority Foundation, the Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus of the United Farm Workers of America, and the President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation.
Born in Encino, Los Angeles, California Sally Ride was the first and youngest American woman in space. This incredibly intelligent woman attended Stanford University, earning a Bachelor of Science in physics and a Bachelor of Arts in English literature. Two years later, she earned a Masters of Science and a doctorate in Philosophy. Not only did she venture into space, while in training, she says, “I worked on the development of the shuttle’s robot arm. I also worked in mission control as a capsule communicator (CAPCOM) on the STS-2 and STS-3 missions.” She founded her own company as well named Sally Ride Science. She created this foundation to pursue her long-time passion of motivating girls and young women to pursue careers in science, math, and technology. Sally Ride Sciencecreates science programs for girls in order to spark imagination and an interest in a variety of science. The final purpose is to encourage these girls to continue their passion on the subject even as they grow older. Despite her passing at a young age, her legacy continues to inspire women everywhere.
Another incredibly smart woman that came from California was Clara Foltz, becoming the first woman to join the bar and practice law in California at age 29. She became the first female Deputy District Attorney for the City of Los Angeles. Despite having such large achievements, she faced very heavy backlash for her pursuit in law. When attending University of California’s Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, she was gravely judged and mocked as being one of the only women at the school. After the Board of Directors prohibited her from attending the school, she chose to file a suit. The judge justified the school claiming that she distracted the students. Eventually, her case ruled in her favor though by that time she had already created a successful legal practice. She continued to educate on women’s rights and pushed for the doors to be open for women seeking education at other schools in California. Her bravery to stand up to this board is admirable. She essentially paved the way for the future of women in law in the State of California.
These women are an inspiration for all. The month of March is dedicated to brave, courageous women, and the above are just a few. Thank those women in your life who deserve the recognition.