The Nineteenth

Lucky to see one of my selected women to also have a very intense week of debate and news. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has stood up strong this week. And makes her more interesting to learn about. New York was the eighth state to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is known as one of the largest upsets in the 2018 midterm primary election as she won her seat against 10-term incumbent, Joe Crowley. She is the youngest woman at 29 years old to serve the US Congress, and has shared her experience openly through her social media network. Her Puerto Rican culture and community has shaped her views on diversity. Following her advocacy for Bernie Sanders campaign in 2016, she fought for causes of America including the Flint, MI water crisis and Dakota Access Pipeline, the latter being the most significant issue that inspired her to run for Congress. She used outreach and support to defeat the incumbent who spent 18x the amount of funds she had available. According to CNBC, ...

The adventuring heart of Amelia Earhart intrigues me to imagine her feelings sitting at the end of her life. What did she see? Did she feel adventure, fear, confusion? The legacy she shared with the world is remarkable and my replay of her emotions sends goosebumps throughout my arms. Kansas quickly jumped on board to ratify on June 16, 1919. Amelia Earhart started a journey of challenging gender boundaries and exploration quickly. Six months following her first flight, she bought her first airplane, and coined it “The Canary”. On December 28, 1920, pilot Frank Hawks gave her a ride that would forever change her life. “By the time I had got two or three hundred feet off the ground, I knew I had to fly.” On May 20, 1932, Ms. Earhart took off for her first flight, and the first for all women, across the Atlantic. She landed near Londonderry, Ireland after troubles of winds, weather, and mechanics. Earhart felt the flight proved that men and women were equal in “jobs requiring inte...

The Legend that changed the music and video culture, not just for women performers, but for all. Born in Michigan, she took the world by storm continuing to define her sound and music. Even days ago releasing her fourteenth (14!) album, Madame X ! See information about the album here . Michigan was the third of three states to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment on June 10, 1919. Madonna Louise Ciccone took over the music scene in the 1980s as the music video and expression grew to a pop culture epidemic. She trained among dance leaders throughout New York with Alvin Ailey and the Patrick Hernandez Revue. She met Dan Gilroy, and together they formed “the Breakfast Club”, a pop/dance group. She played in multiple groups until being signed by Kamins to Sire Records in 1982 to begin her solo career. Her image, sound, and personality grew, taking over a heavily male-dominated music scene. She also entered the film industry with her debut film “Desperately Seeking Susan” with many films ...

Today is the start of the blog for 100 years of women being able to vote. Cheers to the women of America and my life. This is a great milestone in American History and a great reflection of the women that paved the way for me to be me. On June 4, 1919, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by Congress, guaranteeing women the right to vote. Each state would begin the ratification process of accepting the amendment in their state. Ratification is the confirmation by each state through the public vote to accept the amendment. The government required two-thirds of the states to ratify to make it a national amendment. Many people, men, feared the impact that women would have on the vote. How could women be educated enough to understand the complexities? Now, one hundred years later, more women are registered to vote and more likely to turn out at the voting booth. According to the US Department of Commerce in 2013, 67% of women were registered to vote and 58.5% tur...