Academy reflects on women's history

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Academy reflects on women's history

Posted 4/1/2011 Updated 4/1/2011

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by 2nd Lt. Meredith Kirchoff
U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs

4/1/2011 - U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Academy women and men gathered Wednesday to reflect on women's historical and present-day contributions at the Women's History Month luncheon held at the Academy's Falcon Club.

Attendees heard guest speaker Dr. Adis Vila, Academy chief diversity officer, talk about her background as a Cuban immigrant, and the contributions immigrant women have made to their adopted country. She used singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and philanthropist Gloria Estefan to illustrate her message.

Dr. Vila emphasized that she was much more than an international singing sensation. She was a woman who overcame tremendous adversity, did meaningful work in her community and in the business sector, and even fought to recover after a bus accident that paralyzed her entire body.

"I wanted all of us here to relate to someone who we have seen on television or whose music we may have listened to," Dr. Vila said. "I wanted us to dig deeper beyond the surface of people like her to see what they actually mean to the fiber that is this country."

Dr. Vila and event organizers expressed their intent to make the event a more interactive experience for participants. Each table was given trivia and reflection questions to generate conversation and questions for a panel discussion following the keynote address.

The panel consisted of Dr. Jeanne Heidler, professor of history; Dr. Fran Pilch, a political science professor; and Col. Mark Wells, permanent professor of the Academy's history department.

Topics ranged from the panelists' favorite first lady to the most important domestic and international issues facing women today.

"One of the things we tend to do when we talk about women's history is we talk about them in groups," Dr. Heidler said in response to an audience member's question. "But, when we look at history in general, we look at individuals. I think people will gain a greater insight about women's importance in history if they start looking at some of the individuals in our past because that is what brings the history alive."

Dr. Heidler went on to talk about a diary of a South Carolinian woman she had recently read who was a widow, mother, farmer and businesswoman; Harriett Horry became incredibly wealthy through her own effort and talents. Dr. Heidler said reading about women like this can shed light on, and bring to life, the experiences of a whole group of women.

Luncheon committee members said they gained from the experience of planning and organizing the commemorative event.

"What I gathered from working on the committee is why we celebrate women's history, and the milestones we've had to cross to get here," said Staff Sgt. Athena Ballard. "Celebrating the women of today and what the women of yesterday had to go through to get us where we are now. It has been an eye-opening experience."

March was proclaimed National Women's History Month in a joint resolution passed by congress in 1981.