March is officially here, and you know what that means: It’s Women’s History Month, a worldwide celebration that meant to highlight the contributions of women to society.
In spite of the fact that our culture has historically both celebrated and denigrated women’s roles, Latina women have shaped their own lives, our culture, and community through mutual assistance and collective action. Already a powerful force within our own culture, they are leaving their very original imprint in US society. Their history, and by extension, our Latino history, will become more integral to a full understanding of the American experience as the Latino population of the U.S. continues to grow.
At the same time, as Latinas in the United States, they are forging new identities for themselves and, as a consequence, for our people. Many find themselves on a metaphorical journey where they are exploring and redefining the traditional cultural values passed down to them as they embrace U.S. mainstream values and the freedom these provide. With these changes, of course, come additional barriers and challenges but also new measures of personal and professional success.
And tonight, we’ll discuss and celebrate it all women’s lives in their many incarnations: mamás, wives, daughters, hermanas, comadres, business women, landowners, community organizers and world leaders… and why not? those modest, oft-ignored accomplishments like educating the children, opening and running a home and a business and holding community and family together.
- What does it mean to be a Latina in the United States?
- What are the most important issues facing Latinas?
- How are Latinas changing the structure of Latino society?
- What is the historical, social, political and economic positioning of Latinas within the context of American society?
- What issues surface from the Latina experience for the community at large?
THE USUAL PARTY POINTERS:
- You’ll need a Twitter account (free) to join the party on Tweetchat.com. If you don’t have one, you can sign up here.
- Be sure to follow Elianne Ramos [@ergeekgoddess] before the party so you can follow the flow
- Also follow @ergeekgoddess1 and @ElianneRamos [I tend to get into “tweetjail” for reaching my API limit]
- Use the hashtag #latism in all of your party tweets
- Have fun!