International Women’s Day has been celebrated for 109 years since it started in Feb. 1909.
The United States was the first country to celebrate International Women’s Day. In 1911 it was recognized as a celebration in other countries such as Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
It was because of the International Year of the Woman in 1975 that March 8th was declared the official International Woman’s Day by the United Nations. 
Jessica Curtis (graduate student, Art History) is currently studying Baroque art in Stan State’s graduate program. Her favorite feminist painter is Artemisia Gentileschi “solely for her act of portraying female figures in a strong light,” Curtis said. An stylistic aspect, she added, that many male painters did not include during that period. 
Susan Brumm, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor at Stan State said “Women are at least 50 percent of the population, so why are we still marginalized?” said Brumm.
She added that a day is great to celebrate women, but it should be every day.
Dr. Jenny Cooper, Biology Professor, said “Everywhere in the world, women have the power to change their own lives, if only they realize it.”
Haley Steel (junior, Communication Studies) encouraged women to focus on themselves first. “Before there can be a change, women need to work within themselves,” Steel said. 
Dr. Vickie Harvey, Communication Studies Professor, said that International Women’s Day is important because “women get the recognition that they deserve… Without women in the workplace, the economy would collapse.” 

Jeffrey Huettenhain (junior, Kinesiology) said “International Women’s Day kinda puts it in bold for everyone, not just something you read in social media, everyone can kinda recognize. It’s not just one person saying it, it’s a lot of people saying it.” 
Robin Lombardi (junior, Anthropology) is driven to do better in college to inspire her boys, which empowers her. Rosio Ruiz (junior, Psychology) is a first generation student of a four year university, which is empowering to her.
Brenda Pedraza (senior, Social Science) believes that the day helps inspire and empower women should feel empowered, especially in this “political climate, women feel discouraged by a leader that doesn’t represent them.”
Contributing writers: Nicole Dunlap, Megan Lavilla, Juan Ruiz-Olguin, Emily Hake, Emiliann Parga, Adino Byrd, Sarah George, Andrew Cabrera, Noor Miqbel.