Students Brewed up Special Event for Women's History Month

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AIKEN, SC (04/04/2018) The University of South Carolina Aiken Women's History Month Steering Committee hosted a Women's Empowerment Tea, which featured Stephanie Franklin as the keynote speaker.

"We should not just celebrate during one month; we should celebrate ourselves every day because we make history each and every day," Franklin said.

The tea was a first for USC Aiken and caps off a series of engaging, provocative and inspiring events throughout the month of March.

"Women's History Month is important because it allocates time and space to make women feel capable, brave, and most importantly, significant," said Amethyst Marroquin, chair of the steering committee which planned the month-long observance.

"Throughout this month, we wanted to ensure that we educated students at USC Aiken on how to be better advocates for themselves and their peers."

For the tea, student leaders chose the national theme of Women's History Month: "Nevertheless, She Persisted."

In Time magazine earlier this month, Katie Reilly quoted the executive director and co-founder of the National Women's History Project on the 2018 theme.

"'Nevertheless, She Persisted' is really about every woman who really had to use her tenacity and courage to accomplish whatever she set out to accomplish. It's universal," said Molly Murphy MacGregor.

"You think about our mothers and grandmothers - they've been persisting for a very long time."

As part of her remarks during the tea at USC Aiken, Franklin introduced strong women in her life who persisted and made an impact on her, both at a young age and as a professional at the Savannah River Site. These inspirational ladies were: Irene Curtis; Cissy Brodie; her aunt, Ann Curry; and her mother, Bea Bell-Thompson.

She encouraged the attendees to support one another and shared how her mother's words from many years ago still inspire her today: "I believe in you."

"Those words were very powerful words and encouraged me to be who I am today," Franklin said.

"It's important to affirm one another," she added.

"When you don't have someone to affirm you, you have to have the courage to affirm yourself. Believe in yourself and what your abilities are."

She also challenged the students, faculty and staff to protect their "brand," or reputation.

"I respect myself. I carry myself like a lady. I believe in excellence. How do you conduct yourself?

"Have discretion and don't undermine one another. Give constructive feedback and be an advocate for one another."

Franklin also explained that women are empowered when they have financial freedom and shared that early in their careers they may have to make sacrifices to ensure financial stability.

In addition to these empowering suggestions, Taifha Baker, assistant director of student life for diversity initiatives, quoted G.D. Anderson as a reminder of the strength women possess.

"Feminism isn't about making women strong," according to Anderson. "Women are already strong.

"It's about changing the way the world perceives that strength."

Organizers say that's what the tea was all about.

"[It is] a culmination event that will help us help the world recognize our collective strength," Baker said.

To view photos from the USC Aiken Women's Empowerment Tea, go to: https://usca.smugmug.com/Events/Womens-Empowerment-Tea/