The Nineteenth

A leader in an American community that is commonly overlooked, Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz is a growing, strong woman that will insist that Puerto Rico is not forgotten. She may bring Puerto Rico into statehood, and I hope to see that day with her at the helm. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States of America. Serving as the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico since 2013, Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz has dealt with significant issues within her country, and she is the current candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico. Mayor Cruz graduated Cum Laude from Boston University and received a Master of Science in Public Management and Policy at the Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University. Her service and contributions were a significant part of her life, earning the Spirit Award. She quickly went into politics of her country, winning her first election in 2008, and elevating her to the Ranking Member of the Woman Affairs Committee. She gained support for each of her elections and w...

Washington D.C. may not have official statehood, nor do they have representation in Congress or the Senate, but they are a wealth of revolutionary women with stories to tell. Noor Al-Hussein, Queen Dowager of Jordan, has two degrees of separation from me! Can you believe it! If I met her, I could say, "Do you remember Jon Pettit?" She may say no. But I could ask.  Washington D.C. is not a state, but the actions of the country in this year during our quarantine has moved the needle more than ever before. Per Wikipedia, " On June 26, 2020, the House of Representatives passed the D.C. Statehood Act 232–180 largely along party lines; ...  It is not expected to pass the Republican-controlled Senate.  It was the first time statehood was ever approved by either chamber." Maybe we will be entering a time when we have a union of 51 states. After we talk again next week, maybe we can convince the Country to be 52. Born Lisa Najeeb Halaby, her father was an aide to the US Secr...

The organization that brought women together 100 years ago has continued to grow and develop over the past 100 years. Today, I am officially a member of the LWV Seattle - King County chapter! Let's make some change in 2020! In 1920, the League of Women Voters was founded to help women be more active in public affairs. Its goal was to support women to be strong voters. Today, the organization has been opened to men (since 1973) and operates at local, state, and national levels. It does not support candidates or parties, but it does advocate for public policy decisions. Their current platform includes health care reform, education, increasing voter registration, the environment, and immigration. The organization was conceptualized by Emma Smith DeVoe in SEATTLE! (WOOT!) at the National American Women Suffrage Association convention in 1909. They were fighting for education about the voting system and lobby for women’s issues. It did not take hold at the convention, and she w...

Hawaii is my tropical land that I have been lucky to frequent regularly. It is a beautiful state full of culture and life. As the last monarch of Hawai'i, her life worked to maintain the culture of  Hawai'i as American came to the land more and more. Hawaii became a state on August 21, 1959 as the last of the 50 American states. It is hopeful that we may have a #51 and #52 in my lifetime. Lydia Kamakaeha was born to a high-ranking family. Her mother, Keohokalole was an advisor to King Kamehameha III. Marrying an American ship captain, John Owen Dominus, in 1862, he became governor of Oahu and Maui. She was named heir to the throne when her older and younger brothers passed away in 1874 and 1877. As queen, she worked to organize schools for Hawaiian youth. As a musician, she wrote many songs and chants including the national anthem of Hawai’i, Aloha Oe. She was received by Queen Victoria at the Crown Jubilee in London with President Grover Cleveland and Kalakaua’s wif...

Alaska became a state after the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, so was required to accept the Nineteenth Amendment in their constitution. But that did not mean they did not have issues and reasons to fight for equality of all people. This issue is rampant. And Ms. Peratrovich was at the helm. Alaska became the 49th State of the United States of America on January 3, 1959. Ms. Peratrovich was born a member of the Lukaax.adi clan in the Raven Moiety of the Tlingit nation. Orphaned at a young age, she was adopted by a fisherman and minister. The Peratrovich family was discriminated against as a Native in public facilities. The family advocated to ban signs for “No Natives Allowed”and lobbied for organizations. Governor Gruening passed a bill to provide full and equal accommodations for all citizens, 20 years before the US Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Living in Juneau with her husband and family, they found more extensive social and racial discrimination agai...

I was so impressed by a presentation of Pelicia Hall at a conference I attended in October 2019. She spoke honestly of her position as Commissioner of the Department of Corrections for the State of Mississippi, and learning about her role and experiences on the professional side of corrections beyond the built environment. Mississippi was the final of the 48 states to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment because in 1920 there were only 48 states. They adopted the Nineteenth Amendment into their constitution on March 22, 1984. Pelicia Hall was the first woman Commissioner of the Department of Corrections for the State of Mississippi from 2017-2019. Appointed by the Governor following Marshall Fisher whom she was chief of staff to before he was promoted to commissioner of Public Safety. Ms. Hall was a lawyer with Page< Kruger & Holland of Jackson, MS, leading cases on personal injury claims, employment discrimination, contract disputes, product liability, general tort litigati...

Bringing up one of the singers of my young adult life ... college would not have been the same without Tori Amos. North Carolina adopted the Nineteenth Amendment into their constitution on May 6, 1971. Tori Amos was born to play and write music. She was replaying songs at the age of 2 after only needing to hear them one time, and composing music by the age of 3. Her honed ear was able to replay songs after hearing them one time. She describes feeling music as seeing a “light filament” when it has come clear to her. The chord progressions provide a “kaleidoscope” of images, and the more she focused, the more detailed the light became. At five she was admitted to the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins where she studied until she was 11. Her “rebellion” of traditional music had her dismissed from the program, and she went her own way. She began performing in bars and venues with her father’s support at thirteen, and by 1979 she began her career with her band “Y Kant...

A comedian, humanitarian, and honest person, showing that you can be just who you are. Ellen DeGeneres has taught me a lot. I don't avidly follow her, but I have seen her throughout my life. Louisiana signed the Nineteenth Amendment to their constitution on June 11, 1970. Television comedian and actress, Ellen DeGeneres, opened America to LGBT issues coming out to the public in 1997 on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Starring in her self-named TV sitcom “Ellen”, the fourth season revealed her personal and show character’s lesbian truth. The theme and storyline of the show developed around issues of LGBT community, focusing on the coming out process. The show was canceled in 1998, but she continued to develop her stage presence, starting the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Her personal style, humor, and character segments make her show popular in daytime television, winning 61 Daytime Emmy Awards, surpassing The Oprah Winfrey Show with eleven best show awards. She advocates for many human...

A simple gesture and sentiment that grew to be a century long tradition helping disabled veterans in the world, Moina Michael created the silk poppy memorial pins and brought awareness, compassion, and therapy to people. Georgia adopted the Nineteenth Amendment to their constitution on February 20, 1970. While Ms. Moina Michael was vacationing  in Germany in summer of 1914, World War 1 broke out, leaving many tourists stranded or frightened. She traveled to Rome to get return passage to America, and as working to get home assisted around 12,000 US tourists. As America entered the war in 1917, she took a leave of absence to volunteer with the overseas YWCA workers. In 1918, she shared a poem “We Shall Keep the Faith” and vowed to wear a red poppy as a symbol of remembrance for all veterans of the war. To raise money to support disabled veterans in her classes after the war, she began to sell pins of silk poppies, and by 1921 the poppy was adopted as a symbol of remembrance ...

As organizations have been posting things to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment, there are many comments noting that this did only benefit white women. In light of the protests this week, it is an ideal time for me to educate myself on why this is the case. And the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is at the core of this. The Nineteenth Amendment allowed women to vote. The wording of the order fell prey to the current social issues of not addressing “all” women. This wording left many women from the polling booths. Only white women and a small number of northern states that already allowed women of race to vote in 1920. On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 into law. This allowed millions of people, men and women, to register to vote. State by state laws could no longer disenfranchise African Americans to vote, typically done with poll taxes, literacy tests, and violence at polling stations. States like ...

This weekend was a huge and impactful step in racial issues of the United States. This battle has been going on for over 400 years. And 100 years ago ... there were people pointing to the solutions. Working to make a difference and bring all people to the same view across America. It hasn't taken hold yet. But here is one woman that dedicated her life above and beyond all other issues to make the difference.  South Carolina adopted the Nineteenth Amendment to their constitution on July 1, 1969. Ms. McLeod Bethune spent her life promoting education and respect for African American people. She started working in fields with her family at age five, her parents being slaves. Her early interest in education began as a white friend challenged her because she was unable to read. She fought through the limitations and was able to attend college. She started the Bethune-Cookman School for African-American girls ...

Whether you believe it is true or not, Amy Dumas, WWE Hall of Fame Wrestler, is legit. She fights and she wins. Florida ratified the Nineteenth Amendment to their constitution on May 13, 1969. Ms. Dumas, known more commonly in her most notable profession as “Lita”, is also an animal welfare activist and singer. Wrestling from 2000-2007, she joined the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014. She was part of “Team Xtreme” with Matt and Jeff Hardy where she developed her alternative style, and a heel wrestler in 2005-6. She was an overall four time champion for WWE. Ms. Dumas struggled through school, graduating high school after transferring many times and starting Georgia State University for a short bit, never to graduate. Her interest in wrestling stemmed from watching Rey Mysterio Jr., a Mexican-American luchador. She moved to Mexico to be trained and developed her style before returning to USA in 1998. The “story” of her career began as the on-screen girlfriend of Danny Doring. She conti...

Helen Keller spoke more than most Americans through the pain and hardships that she lived every day. She was an inspiration to everyone. To me. Alabama was the 42nd State to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment on September 8, 1958. Ms. Keller lost her hearing and sight before she turned two years old in what is now thought to be meningitis or scarlet fever. Being too young to understand the concept of words and speaking, she struggled to communicate with people. She spoke brokenly with the young daughter of the cook until Anne Sullivan was directed to them as a teacher and partner to Ms. Keller. Anne Sullivan taught Helen that every object or item had an associated word which she “wrote” into Helen’s hand. The epiphany of what words meant was mind blowing to Helen as she finally felt the power of communication and community around her. A modern columnist summed a tour of Helen and Anne Sullivan saying, “According to those who attended, Helen Keller spoke of the joy that life gave ...

We almost had a new amendment to the constitution in 2020. I wanted it. To share the 100th anniversary with a chance to make everyone free all the time. Anyone. It makes a difference. But alas, it needs to start over from the beginning. Virginia accepted the Nineteenth Amendment into its constitution on February 21, 1952. Ms. Foy is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 2nd District. Born and raised in Virginia, she was in the third class of female cadets to attend the Virginia Military Institute with a full scholarship. After graduating law school, she spent a small time as a litigation associate in Los Angeles. She moved back to Virginia to be open practice for criminal defense. She ran for office in 2017 on a platform of expanding Medicaid, raising the minimum wage, teacher pay, and criminal justice reform. Winning her race, she now sit on the Courts of Justice, Finance, and Public Safety Committees. On January 15, 2020, Foy succeeded in working with the Virg...

Harriet Tubman holds my heart for a woman that fought for all people. She protected her family and friends. I can't imagine an America without people like Harriet Tubman fighting for people. Maryland accepted the Nineteenth Amendment on March 29, 1941. Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland. She was thoroughly abused as a slave, with scars as reminders for the hardship she was treated for her entire life. In 1849, she escaped without her family to Pennsylvania. As she crossed the state line into the free Northern state, she is quoted as saying, “When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven.” Once free by traveling through the Underground Railroad, she felt she needed to return to free her remaining family and friends. Laws constantly changed through the times making it harder, and allow...

One of my favorite 1980s actresses comes to the list for Delaware. My childhood would not be the same without the films she was in. Love them! Delaware ratified the Nineteen Amendment on March 6, 1923. Ms. Shue is a pretty standard growth through her acting career. She grew up in a well off yet broken family with her parents divorcing when she was nine. Her three brothers and she were a supportive and close group. She grew through school and was accepted to Wellesley, and transferred to Harvard before leaving to start her acting career. She did complete her degree in political science in 2000. Her acting career started similarly to many with commercials and television features until her debut role in the Karate Kid in 1984. She continued on many light hearted popular film classics throughout the 1980’s including “Cocktail”, “Back to the Future (II&III)” and “Adventures in Babysitting”, just to name a few. In 1995, her career defining role in “Leaving Las Vegas” received an...

Jody Williams is one of the few woman that have achieved a Nobel Prize. She has fought for justice and human rights in every aspect of her career. Her strength continues in every endeavor she takes on. Vermont ratified the Nineteenth Amendment on February 8, 1921. Ms. Williams advocated for three main issues winning a Nobel Prize in 1997 for her work banning and clearing of anti-personnel mines. Her training was extensive, earning a Master of International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and Masters teaching Spanish and English as a Second Language from the SIT Graduate Institute in Vermont. Starting in 1992, she founded the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and served as Chief Strategist and spokesperson to collaborate with over 90 countries and 1,300 non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The Ottawa Treaty that banned land mines is directly attributed to ICBL, leading to her Nobel Prize award three weeks later. She was the tenth woman, third American, to r...

This week's woman is more than a woman in many people's legacies. She is more impactful than I ever registered or gave credence to. And it is unfortunate, because reading about Katharine Hepburn shows an image that I can relate to. She paved the way for me to be me. Connecticut is the first state after the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. They are the 37th state to ratify the 19th Amendment on September 14, 1920. Ms. Hepburn represented the image of cinema throughout the 20th Century. Beginning acting after graduating Bryn Mawr College, she jumped into an acting career on Broadway and then to film. She declared her worth and fought for contracts she deserved. She started in film in 1931 with major hits, jump starting her career, winning the first of four Academy Awards. In the growing height of her career, she was shut down for a few years due to her “haughty behavior off-screen” and refusal to fold into the typical Hollywood type. She wore her notable style of...

There are many quilters in my family. They may not tell the family history through their patterns, but their passion brings the quilts to the forefront as artistry, skills, and gifts to others. This craft became a strong story that I felt compelled to bring to this story of women's history. It is passion. It is community. It is our world to be shared by all. The crafts of women, rooted in the survival of their communities and families, have created a cultural symbol protecting people and history. The art of quilting is more than just a home skill to be a historical keeper or unifying tool for a community. In my research of New Mexico, I advocated to find a woman that led through the “Walk of the Navajo”. The records, especially of woman, are very limited until you reach into the history of alternative sources, in this case the legacies memorialized in Susan Hudson’s quilts. A member of the Kin Yaa aanii (Towering House People) Clan of the Navajo Nation, her grandmother and mot...

Tennessee! The last state needed to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment! This was the turning point. And I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than with the women of the Grand Ole Opry. They shared the vibrance of life and helped to create a world to share music and culture for all. Tennessee was the 36th and final required state to reach the majority, and ratify the Nineteenth Amendment on August 18, 1920. The Women of the Grand Ole Opry The longest running radio broadcast in history, the Grand Ole Opry started in 1925 to honor country music and its history. Mixing singers and chart toppers of country, bluegrass, Americana, folk, gospel music and comedic performances, hundreds of thousands of visitors and millions of listeners share in the community. Known as “the show that made country music famous”, the show quickly grew through the 1930s to a Saturday night tradition in 30 states. In 1943, the Opry moved to the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, then known as America’s ...