Moving Forward Together: Celebrating Women’s History and Shaping the Future
Moving Forward Together: Celebrating Women’s History and Shaping the Future
This year’s Women’s History Month invites us to reflect on the ongoing journey of empowering women through education, representation and partnerships. The theme, Moving Forward Together: Women Educating & Inspiring Generations, captures the power of collaboration and the importance of building a collective strength among women. As we acknowledge the accomplishments of women throughout history and continue to push forward, it becomes clear that the most profound advancements are often driven by unity and mutual support.
To educate and inspire future generations, we need to hear about the accomplishments of women in history. Women have always held the power to inspire, educate, and lead, yet too often, their stories have been overlooked or underrepresented, leading to a lack of recognition for the achievements of women. As Frédérique Irwin, president and CEO of the National Women's History Museum, explains, “That mindset begins to set in right around six years old, where there's some subliminal messages—or sometimes not so subtle messages—that boys do this and girls do that. While we’ve made progress in encouraging young girls to pursue education and careers, the impact of not telling these incredible stories of women shows up later—not just in young women, but also in young men who received the same education.”
This lack of representation in education is evident in the numbers. As Irwin points out, “If you look at what we teach across the country and each state’s standards of learning, only 15 percent of what we teach is actually about women's accomplishments.” This underrepresentation sends a powerful message about what is valued in our society and limits the potential of both young women and men in imagining the full extent of women’s abilities.
“The perception of what both girls and boys believe women can achieve is often skewed,” Irwin continues. “Changing the cultural paradigm of what women can do based on what they have done is a critical part of the solution.”
And as we continue to do the important work of highlighting and sharing women’s individual accomplishments, there’s something just as powerful at play: the ability to come together and collaborate. Women in Manufacturing’s (WiM) partnerships with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and with the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) are setting a vital example by partnering to amplify the voices of women. These partnerships create a more inclusive, accessible and supportive environment for women in all industries.
Karen Horting, executive director and CEO of SWE, reflects on the importance of SWE’s collaboration with WiM, which will allow for joint membership, offer cross-organizational educational programs and expand the opportunities for networking. “Networking is really the important piece because we know the value of role models, of mentors, of finding peers who are at your same career stage. Particularly as you go higher up as a woman in manufacturing and engineering, there are fewer women. So having that peer network is so important. We felt like by coming together, we were going to grow that network that women had access to exponentially.”
These collaborations not only create stronger networks, they also foster a sense of camaraderie. They break down stereotypes and barriers that have long kept women from reaching their fullest potential. As Horting notes, “We do a lot of outreach with young girls and parents and educators, and when you say manufacturing, they picture dirty, dark and dangerous. And that is so not manufacturing today. It’s very clean. It's very safe. It's very automated in most cases. So again, as we work together, as we profile women working in these fields, we start to break down those stereotypes that keep women out. You've got to change the narrative. You move the needle a lot faster when you're working together.” Women no longer need to navigate these industries alone, and their chances of success multiply when they have a community cheering them on.
Irwin echoes this, noting that not only are organizations more powerful together, but meaningful progress depends on collective effort. The NWHM has over 60 National Coalition Partners, including WiM, each dedicated to education, empowerment and equality, supporting the museum’s mission. “The truth is that there is no one organization that can be responsible for doing everything. When I think of your organization, our organization, lots of other organizations, we have a shared overarching objective and mission, which is to be in support of women and girls, to encourage them to continue pursuing whatever it might be that they want to pursue. But this idea of I'll just do it myself — it's just antiquated, right? That’s not how we're going to improve representation of women, whether it's in manufacturing or whether it's in education or in health care or in politics, we've got to try to do that together.”
Internationally, these efforts are equally important. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Accelerate Action,” seeking to highlight the reality that at the current pace, full gender parity won’t be reached until 2158—five generations from now. To change this, swift, decisive steps need to be taken to break systemic barriers and biases. As Allison Grealis, founder and president of WiM, shares, “Our goal is to create that same movement that we've created here in the United States overseas, to help women have a community that they can tap into for support, advice, guidance and resources. We know no one should have to go it alone, so the goal is to have a community that they can engage with internationally and then know that there are women in the United States who have their backs and want them to be successful too.”
Horting emphasizes the critical role of SWE’s international outreach, highlighting the universal need for community and professional development. “Everywhere I go with SWE, I hear the same thing: ‘I didn't realize how much I needed this community until I got access to it,’” she shares. Women across the world are spreading the word about their organization, fueling growth in regions like India, Europe and Latin America. “They need a network, they need a community of support. While cultural nuances exist, the need remains the same—no matter the country, women in STEM benefit from what organizations like SWE and WiM provide,” Horting explains. With women making up only 13% of the engineering workforce in the U.S. and a similar statistic in many countries globally, she stresses the urgency of expanding support opportunities. “I don't know of any place where we go where they don't need more STEM. We can’t ignore half the population in these fields because the jobs are there.”
Horting also emphasizes the role of male allies in the effort toward gender equality. “Through these partnerships, we bring in the male allies—the champions in workplaces and universities,” she explains. “This isn’t an either-or situation; we need to work on this together. Given the demand for skilled workers in these fields, we need everyone.”
The power of collaboration cannot be overstated. By bringing together organizations like Women in Manufacturing, the Society of Women Engineers, and the National Women’s History Museum, we create a vast, supportive community for women to thrive. These partnerships amplify each other’s efforts, whether it’s in advocacy, education, or the celebration of women’s accomplishments. Together, we’re not only educating and inspiring the next generation of women leaders—we’re setting the stage for a future where women can access the resources, mentorship, and recognition they deserve.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day this year, let’s remember the power of unity. It’s when we come together, support one another, and share our wisdom that we can truly move forward. Women educating and inspiring generations is more than just a theme—it’s a collective call to action. The future is brighter when we work together.
Click here to learn more about the Women in Manufacturing Association.
Click here to learn more about the National Women’s History Museum, and click here to learn more about their She is Not a Footnote campaign.
Click here to learn more about the Society of Women Engineers.