Happy Women’s History Month! From three women-serving organizations, we hope you will take some time to celebrate and recognize the women and girls in your life by getting involved in gender equity efforts actively happening here in Vermont. Check out our list of ten ways you can get engaged, choose one or more, and share with friends and family.
1. Learn about child care and paid family and medical leave policies - Access to affordable child care and paid family and medical leave supports working families in Vermont. Learn more about proposed initiatives to provide these supports in the Green Mountain State.
2. Shop woman-owned - Did you know you can support women-owned businesses in your neighborhood and across the state? Look here for businesses you can support in the best way possible, with your dollars. (Sign up here to get your business on the map.) Brought to you by This Way UP and the Vermont Women’s Fund.
3. Join the Gender Equity Advancement Roundtable - GEAR members receive invitations to four virtual sessions each year hosted by Vermont Works for Women (VWW) where they have the opportunity to hear from gender and equity experts about best practices and policies for creating inclusive work and learning environments. GEAR is a growing network of Vermont businesses and professionals who are equally invested in advancing equity at work.
4. Celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th - There are events in communities across Vermont, including this virtual panel on 3/8 hosted by the Center for Women & Enterprise and this one in Burlington on 3/9 hosted by the Vermont Council on World Affairs. Learn more about the accomplishments and challenges of women around the world, and what we can do as Vermonters to support equity work at the global scale.
5. Attend a LUNAFEST® film screening - LUNAFEST is an award-winning traveling film festival showcasing short films directed and produced by women filmmakers. This year Vermont Works for Women is hosting three in-person screenings of the 2023 films, in the Upper Valley, Burlington, and Waitsfield. Proceeds support VWW’s mission to promote economic justice by advancing gender equity and supporting women and youth at every stage of their career journeys.
6. Sign on to the Equal Pay Compact - The Vermont Commission on Women’s Equal Pay Compact is a voluntary pledge for Vermont employers to show their commitment to closing the gender wage gap. By signing on, employers agree to implement tangible action steps to improve gender equity in their workplace and help reduce barriers to women’s economic achievement in Vermont.
7. Sharpen your business skills - Check out classes and seminars held by Mercy Connections, the Center for Women & Enterprise, and Vermont Womenpreneurs for great information and connections.
8. Recognize (Un)Equal Pay Day on March 14th - The Vermont Commission on Women, along with partners in the legislature and beyond, are hosting an Equal Pay Visibility Day in the State House. Wear red (because women’s earnings are in the red!) and join us.
9. Sign-up your middle schooler for Rosie’s Girls Summer Camp - Rosie’s Girls® is a week-long career exploration and empowerment summer camp open to girls and gender-expansive youth who are entering 6th, 7th, or 8th grade. Rosie’s Girls will be offered in seven communities across the state this summer. Registration is now open.
10. Download the Leaders for Equal Pay and Equity (LEEP) Toolkit - Advocate for gender and racial pay equity at your place of business with the LEEP Pay Equity Toolkit. This innovative resource was developed for small to mid-sized companies to eliminate the wage gap. Best of all, it’s free! Learn more and download here.
The Vermont Commission on Women (VCW), the Vermont Women’s Fund, and Vermont Works for Women (VWW) were founding partners of Change The Story, a seven-year initiative designed to fast-track women’s economic status in our state. Since the sunset of Change The Story in 2022, the three organizations have continued to collaborate to support women and advance gender equity in Vermont.