Women’s Equality Day
Women’s Equality Day isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a checkpoint. It’s a day to pause and ask how far we have really come and how far we still have to go. As a first generation Guyanese woman in university, building my way into the communications world, this day reminds me that my voice matters and that I have a responsibility to use it.
When I think about equality, I don’t just think about voting rights or big legislative milestones, though those matter deeply. I think about the day-to-day moments where women, especially women of color, are still navigating rooms that were not built with us in mind. It’s in the salary gaps we are told to quietly accept, the leadership tables where we are still the only one, and the assumptions that our ideas are somehow less valid until they are repeated by someone else.
In communications, those dynamics can feel even sharper. This is an industry that thrives on storytelling, branding, and influence, yet often overlooks the voices that bring the most unique perspectives. I have been in classrooms and networking events where I hesitated to speak up, not because I didn’t have something to say, but because I wondered if anyone would hear me the way they heard others. That is why Women’s Equality Day is personal for me. It is not about waiting for permission to be equal, it is about stepping forward even when it feels uncomfortable.
I think of women like Issa Rae, who refused to wait for the entertainment industry to give her a seat at the table and built her own instead. Or Maria Hinojosa, who created an entire space for underrepresented stories through Latino USA when mainstream media would not. These women remind me that equality is not handed out. It is claimed, often with courage that comes before confidence.
As a student, I am learning that equality is not just about policy. It is about practice. It is in showing up for other women, mentoring each other, sharing opportunities, and being loud about the things that still are not fair. Equality means making space for women who do not fit the expected mold, whether that is because of race, culture, accent, or lived experience.
Women’s Equality Day is both a celebration and a challenge. It is proof that progress has been made, but also a reminder that we are still in motion. For me, it is motivation to keep telling stories, to keep raising my hand, and to keep pushing for a communications industry that values all voices, not just the ones that have always been amplified.
We cannot afford to be quiet. Not today. Not any day. Equality is a story we are still writing, and I intend to make sure my voice is on the page.
