WOMENS HISTORY MONTH

admin |

Stories of Inspiration come from local girls who get to compile book.

by Thelma Sardin

In recognition of Womens History Month, AARP has partnered with Harold Washington Elementary School for an inter-generational project that will concentrate on story sharing between women. Over the next few weeks, twelve female upper grade students from Washington School will interview women in their families or communities that have had a positive impact on their lives. The students will compile the stories into a book titled, Women in Our Community and Their Stories.

Before the girls began working - last Thursday - Illinois State Senator Jacqueline Collins visited the school. Collins, who prior to her political career worked as an editor for Citizen Newspapers and an award-winning editor at CBS-TV, gave the students lessons on proper journalism and interviewing skills just to get the students prepared.

At press time, the students had not officially identified the women they plan to interview.

According to Laurinda Dodgen, Associate State Director of Community Outreach for AARP Illinois, AARP decided to partner with Washington School for the project to celebrate Womens History Month. In the context of this program, inter-generational means the collaboration that brings two or more generations together, Dodgen told the Citizen.

Dodgen said, Harold Washington Elementary was chosen [for the project] for several reasons. One was because the principal, Dr. Louis, was very accommodating with our tight time-line [and] the students excelled in school and were interested in doing something different. Lastly, the parents and teaching staff were also very accommodating by allowing us to have access to their students during after school hours, she added.

Additionally, Dodgen said that AARP also hosted a Black History Month project taught by Lasana Kazembe, owner of Bridge Educational Services at the school. AARP thought the Womens History Month project would be easy to do, we were already in the school it was a seamless transition to add another (female) based program, she said.

Dodgen says the students are excited about profiling women who have done extraordinary things. It is not often that women, especially of color are recognized by younger generations. The project is meant to uplift and inspire women by telling their phenomenal stories.

Collins said she not only gave the young women journalism pointers but also a media culture lesson. She wanted the students to understand their self-worth in comparison to the misogyny that pervades many rap videos.

When you talk to young people you have to engage them, Collins said. She continued by saying that it is important for the young women to find out who they are because they have an obligation to fulfill their God given potential. Collins also says she wanted the girls to understand their self-worth because youth are bombarded by stereotypes in media.

Through the lessons, Collins said she wanted the students to know that she identified with them. I came out of the same environment as you did, Collins said she told the girls. In essence, seeing a successful Black woman will inspire the girls and also help them conduct their community interviews.

The state senator believes it is highly significant for stories to be told such as the ones the students are creating. The project allows African-American women across generations to bond and find out interesting things about one another. The assignment also helps young Black females gain motivation from women without looking outside of their neighborhoods.

Collins said the inter-generational project allows the students to become more engaged and it creates a cross generational and cross-verbal exchange with people from their environment. Essentially, the young girls are able to experience living history in their own communities.

The students work will be presented during a Womens History celebration on March 25t at 6-8pm. The event will be held at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church - 1259 West 111th, St. While the affair is free and open to the public, interested parties should RVSP to attend. For more information, please contact Laurinda Dodgen by calling 312-458-3621 or send an email to ldodgen@aarp.org.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.