The local celebration of International Women’s Day on Friday will include a free movie highlighting female accomplishments against bias and injustice, a fundraiser and fun walk, and words from area successful women in the arts, business and nonprofit worlds about having an impact.
Plus, a children’s poster contest will be highlighted.
The International Women’s Day 2019 campaign theme of Balance for Better is “a call-to-action for driving gender balance across the world,” according to the website internationalwomensday.com. The day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, according to global leaders of the designation. It also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
The first National Woman’s Day was observed in 1909 in the United States. The Socialist Party of America designated this day in honor of the 1908 garment workers’ strike in New York, where women protested against poor working conditions.
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A Columbus Newcomers Club event beginning at 10 a.m. (with doors opening at 9:30 a.m.) at YES Cinema, 328 Jackson St., will include speakers Jan Hexamer-Gardner of Century 21 Breeden Realtors and local artist Aline Chevalier. Then, a free presentation is planned of the film “Hidden Figures,” focusing on how a team of female black mathematicians were instrumental in NASA’s launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit in 1962.
“It highlights how these women overcame setbacks,” said Hailey Hennessey of the Columbus Newcomers Club. She emphasized that the event is open to all.
At Cummins Technical Center, three female executives will speak at an employee-only gathering Friday during a panel discussion about the strides women have made at Cummins and the work that is still left to do, according to a company spokesperson. Those three are Mary Chandler, vice president of corporate responsibility and chief executive officer of the Cummins Foundation; Jennifer Rumsey, vice president and chief technical officer; and Cathy Choi, an engineering leader in Power Systems.
This International Women’s Day marks the first anniversary of the initiative Cummins Powers Women, focused on advance equity for women and girls around the world.
At Faurecia Clean Mobility, a group called Women@Faurecia recently organized an “Inspiring Women” poster contest at Faurecia Clean Mobility for students in grades three through 8, said Alexandra Iordache, branding and communications lead for the company. The contest is part of the firm’s other women’s day activities.
Faurecia will display the more than 100 entries at The Commons Friday through Sunday. Then the posters will then be moved to the Bartholomew County Public Library for the rest of the month.
And the Columbus Indiana Accueil that helps French citizens assimilate locally has organized a free fun walk for all at 11 a.m. at Mill Race Park and is hosting a fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Just Friends Adult Day Services at Mill Race Center, 900 Lindsey St. in Columbus. The Accuweil group is selling $5 International Women’s Day wristbands to benefit Just Friends and also the Columbus-based Turning Point Domestic Violence Services.
The wristbands are available at the offices of both Just Friends and Turning Point. Grace Kestler, the community outreach coordinator for the nonprofit Advocates for Children, is one of two speakers for the event.
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Friday events
10 a.m. — Speakers and free film "Hidden Figures" at YES Cinema, 328 Jackson St. in Columbus.
11 a.m. — Columbus Indiana Accueil free fun walk at Mill Race Park and fundraiser for Just Friends Adult Day Services and Turning Point Domestic Violence Services via the selling of $5 wristbands. The fundraiser lasts through 2 p.m., and the gathering will include two speakers.
All day — Women@Faurecia Inspiring Women student poster display at The Commons, 300 Washington St. in Columbus.
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