Last year on International Women’s Day, people filled Omaha’s streets fighting for women’s rights. This year, that fight looked a little different.
You Go Girl Omaha, a women’s organization, switched its Women’s Day March to a virtual event because of COVID.
“Just because we’re going virtual does not mean we’re taking the year off; we were determined to make this happen,” said Brandi Bothe, co-chair of the Omaha Women’s Day March. “Women, femmes and girls should always be celebrated.”
Bothe said the Women’s Day March has always been a defining cultural event since it began in 1911, and it’s important to bring national attention to women’s rights and gender equality.
“I’ve secured my seat at the table,” she said. “And now sometimes I may come in and break two or three more seats for some other people. There is enough room for all of us at the table.”
She said because women were among the most hit hard by COVID in the last year, their message is important now more than ever.
According to CNN Business, the U.S. economy lost 140,000 jobs in December 2020, and all of them were held by women.
“In light of these hard times, we wanted to give Omaha women and girls an event celebrating them and provide ways to get involved, take action and be the change they want to see,” she said.
Over the next two weeks, You Go Girl Omaha, along with the Omaha Women’s Day March, will host 10 virtual events and popups to celebrate, uplift and inspire women and girls.
“This year’s theme represents the change-making power we have when we are brave enough to see it and brave enough to be it,” she said. “If we can see ourselves in her shoes, we can take action, being the change we want to see.”
Precious McKesson, finance director for the Nebraska Democratic Party and the chair for the Black Caucus, joined the march with her online webinar, “Our Seat, Our Time” on March 9.
Her message fits into this year’s theme, “Be It to See It,” as she focused on the power of representation. She discussed how women can elevate their voices in politics so rather than just having a seat at the table, they actually own their seat.
As a black woman in politics, she said she has been labeled as angry or loud, and she often took it personally. But every day she makes a choice to remind herself they don’t know the real her and her life mission is important enough to fight for.
“I’ve secured my seat at the table,” she said. “And now sometimes I may come in and break two or three more seats for some other people. There is enough room for all of us at the table.”
She said there is so much more women can do politically and socially for Nebraska, especially Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Women need to use their voice and get more involved.
“There’s a place here in Nebraska for you,” she said. “We just have to keep fighting the fight, knowing that we’re progressing, it’s going to work.”
McKesson’s webinar is one of ten events that will happen over the course of the next two weeks, but their fight doesn’t stop there, Bothe said.
“The march will live beyond March through event recordings, continued training offerings like voter registration training, upcoming election communications and more,” she said. “We’ve lost zero momentum in this movement.”
