International Women’s Day

International Women's Day has its roots in the early 1900s, when women workers and suffragettes organized for fair pay, safer factories, and the right to work and vote. In 1975, the United Nations recognized March 8 as International Women's Day and helped bring it to the global stage with a focus on equity, peace, and human rights.

That history matters. It reminds us that this day was never meant to be purely symbolic. It grew out of people pushing for better working conditions and a more just society.

We have come a long way since then. Today women lead hospitals, classrooms, businesses, research labs, and public institutions. They raise families, care for neighbors, and help keep our communities functioning in ways that often go unnoticed.

But progress does not mean the work is finished.

Our local history shows that the last woman to represent Rochester and Rochester Hills in the State House served in the 1990s. In a generation, a lot has changed in this community, but that part has not.

International Women's Day is not about elevating one group over another. It is about making sure our institutions reflect the people who actually keep our communities running.

It means electing leaders who are thoughtful, willing to listen, and able to work across differences. We need people who are serious about solving problems and moving the state forward in ways that respect human dignity and expand opportunity.

We have made a great deal of progress over the last century. But there is still more to do, and that work belongs to all of us.

— Rhonda