October 2020: Year of the Woman

2020 has been a YEAR! A year of resilience. A year of persistence. A year of continuing the journey forward because you have no other choice. I imagine our foremothers felt similar fear and frustration as they tirelessly fought for equal rights and the opportunity to cast a vote to have their voices heard. Unfortunately, The Year of the Woman may have taken a sideline to other events happening around us, but we still have time to take a moment and reflect on the struggles and unyielding efforts that brought us the 19th Amendment. 

Election House by Dana Keiner

I remember when I was in fourth grade, I had to give a presentation on a famous person in history. As my friends researched queens and movie stars, I was at a loss for who to talk about. My mom asked me if I knew who Susan B. Anthony was and what she did for my future. Next came a week of reading my Encyclopedia Britannica (this was pre-Google, mind you!) and learning everything I could about Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, and the protests and hunger strikes that eventually led to the passing of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote. 

Many women who were involved in this movement died before they were able to cast a ballot. With the upcoming election, I feel a great responsibility to honor all of the women who risked public beatings and imprisonment for the approval to participate in democracy.

It’s not all doom and gloom! As a resident of Maryland District 30A, I have the privilege of being represented by women. My state senator and both of my delegates are females. We live in an age where women not only have the right to vote, we are able to make and enforce laws, and be our own leaders. I encourage all of my Maryland Park Service family to thank those that came before us and continue the fight for equality for all. 

Guest Blogger: Ranger Kayla Frank - Sandy Point State Park

Kayla is the Park Ranger Lead at Sandy Point State Park after working six years at Pocomoke River. As a lifelong nature nerd, she enjoys hiking, gardening, looking at random bugs, reading, and travelling. She traded in her Buckeye State residency and enjoys living and working in Maryland.