imcista | 03.03.2005 17:14

The International Women's Day, or International Woman's Day, is on 8 March every year. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. Amongst other relevant historic events, it commemorates the Triangle Factory Fire (New York, 1911), where over 140 women lost their lives.

The idea of having an international women's day was first put forward at the turn of the 20th century amid rapid world industrialization and economic expansion that led to protests over working conditions. Women from clothing and textile factories staged one such protest on March 8th, 1857 in New York City. The garment workers were protesting what they saw as very poor working conditions and low wages. The protesters were attacked and dispersed by police. These women established their first labour union in the same month two years later. More protests followed on March 8th in subsequent years, most notably in 1908 when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. Even so, the first International Women's Day was observed on 28 February 1909 in the United States following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. In 1910 the first international women's conference was held in Copenhagen by the Socialist International and an 'International Women's Day' was established. The following year, IWD was marked by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. However, just six days later, the Triangle Factory Fire in New York City killed over 140 garment workers. A lack of safety measures was blamed for the high death toll. Furthermore, on the eve of World War I, women across Europe held peace rallies on March 8, 1913.

Demonstrations marking International Women's Day in Russia proved to be the first stage of the Russian Revolution. Following the October Revolution, the Bolshevik feminist Alexandra Kollontai persuaded Lenin to make it an official holiday, and during the Soviet period it continued to celebrate "the heroic woman worker". The day remains an official holiday in Russia, and is observed by men congratulating women (any woman) and giving them gifts. In the West, International Women's Day was commemorated during the 1910s and 1920s, but dwindled. It was revived by the rise of feminism in the 1960s. In 1975, the United Nations began sponsoring International Women's Day.
((excerpted from wikipedia))

Check out all the incredible events happening right here in San Diego:

Thursday, March 3rd - Women Who dare

Friday, March 4th - International Action Center with Gloria Verdieu

Saturday, March 5th - 'Revolutionary Women Past and Present"

Sunday, March 6th - Las Colinas action - V.A.G.I.N.A. fest!!

Tuesday, March 8th - Gracia Molina at the Centro Raza - Women PeaceMaking Program - Tune into radioActive sAn Diego today for songs, shows, and talk all about International Women's Day.

Wednesday, March 9th - Sisters 77

Saturday, March 11th - Red CalacArts Collective

Sunday, March 12th - Palestinian American Women's Association International Women's Day Banquet

THURSDAY, March 3rd:
WOMEN WHO DARE Opening Reception with Special Guest County Supervisor Pam Slater-Price Thursday, March 3, 2005 4:00pm-6:00pm Location: UCSD Cross Cultural Center The Women's History Museum, UCSD Cross Cultural Center and the UCSD Women's Center present "Women Who Dare: Shaping the Americas." This multicultural exhibit is a visual walk through the life work of 22 trailblazing women whose daring and courage altered the course of history through their art and action. The exhibit will be on display March 3rd - 24th, 2005 at the Cross Cultural Center. Celebrate Women's History Month and join us for the Opening Reception featuring special guest County Supervisor Pam Slater-Price.


FRIDAY, March 4th:
SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER
Please Join us on Friday, March 4th 7 p.m.(Refreshments available at 6:30 p.m.) at the International Action Center office 3930 Oregon Street #230 (just a few doors above University Avenue in North Park) This week our featured speaker will be Gloria Verdieu. Her presentation, in honor of International Women's Day, will focus on the struggles of working women. Please come and join in on the discussion. For more information, call 619-692-4422 >E-mail: iacsandiego@sbcglobal.net


SATURDAY, March 5th:
'Revolutionary Women Past and Present" International Women's Day Conference and Celebration Sponsored by the San Diego International Action Center Saturday, March 5, 2005, 9:30 - 3:30 pm, Southwestern College, Room 751, Guest speakers, cultural and musical performances, Suggested $2 donation, For more info email: S_F_C_A@hotmail.com or call (619) 692-4422


SUNDAY, March 6th:
1) Supporting our sisters insdie international womyn's day action Las Colinas Women's Detention Facility, Santee, CA, Sunday, 6th of March, 12noon-5:00pm

2) V.A.G.I.N.A. Fest is a free women's health festival that provides health services and education in a friendly and fun atmosphere. Join Vibrant Activist Grrls Invoking National Attention this Sunday!from 12pm - 5pm at Bienestar in North Park (one block south of University) between 30th and Ray St.

Free workshops! Free entertainment! Free health tests!Yummy food and much, much more!

Meet fellow radical feminists, check out the resource tables, meet and learn about powerful local organizations, visit the Clothesline Project... Volunteers are still needed!

Contact: http://vaginasd.org
For a bit of V.A.G.I.N.A. history:
http://www.thelavenderlens.com/Vfest.html

For info about the Clothesline Project:
http://www.clotheslineproject.org/


TUESDAY, March 8th:
1) The Centro Honors Gracia Molina de Pick for her 75th Birthday on International Women's Day March 8th at 6pm The event will honor Gracia Molina de Pick a local Chicana feminist activist and patron for the arts, women, glbt, voters, indigenous peoples, laborers and immigrants. She is an educator and mentor to hundreds of local leaders. She is loved and respected and is always there as a friend of the San Diego community. She agreed to allow us to honor her only if we would raise funds for the Centro Cultural De La Raza of which she has served on the board of trustees for 5 years. Gracia has given so much to San Diego and this will be our chance to thank her with art, history, culture and music.
Gracia Molina de Pick 75th Birthday Celebration, Tuesday March 8th will include: An opening blessing by La Huerta Tribal Leader Teadora and Chicana Elder Tecihtzin Sra Enrique. A Gift of Song by Olivia Puentes Reynolds, President, Women’s History Museum and Education Center A showcase of Mexican Traditional Costumes by the Ballet Folklorico en Aztlan An exhibition of Gracia’s personal Mexican dress collection Sandra Ruiz Reading “The Making of an Activist” an oral history performance originally written by Rose-Yvonne Urias based on interviews with Gracia for “LifeStages” a program of the Playwrites Project A buffet dinner catered by Stella on 3rd. The Centro Cultural de la Raza is a very special place. With a mission of creating, promoting, preserving, and educating about Mexicano/a, Chicano/a, Latino/a and Indigenous art and culture in the San Diego/Tijuana Border Region, the Centro stands alone. But in order to continue our 35-year tradition, the Centro needs help from friends like you.

2) International Women's Day!
The 22nd annual celebration in San Diego!
Tuesday, 8 March: Please join the Women PeaceMaking Program at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice (IPJ) and the Women's Equity Council of the United Nations Association for an International Women's Day Celebration Breakfast entitled, Women Together Change the World. Media presentations include a video on women peacemakers ("Women. . . Making Peace, Seeking Justice") and the very latest, "Global Dispatches: Women Reports from International Hotspots," highlighting the current status of women in such countries as Afghanistan, India, Iran, Iraq as well as the continents of Africa, the Americas, and Europe.

The IPJ is located on the campus of the University of San Diego in Linda Vista. The buffet at the IPJ begins at 7:00 A.M., with the film, presentations, and discussion from 7:20 to 8:30 A.M. A $10 breakfast donation must be paid when you RSVP; free IPJ garage parking. A tour of IPJ will be offered at 8:45 A.M. RSVP to 619,260,7568 or ipj@sandiego.edu by 4 March. Cosponsors include: African-American Business Women of Vision, Foundation for Women, International Interests Committee of the American Association of University Women, International Museum of Human Rights at San Diego, International Relations Committee of the League of Women Voters, San Diego Baha'i Community, USD Women's Center, and Voices of Women.


WEDNESDAY, March 9th:
"Sisters '77", March 9th, 7pm, a film on the first National Women's Conference in Houston with special guest delegates Evelyn M. Clark, Gracia Molina de Pick and Sandy Atkins. Linking Generations-Pursuing Equality! In collaboration with the Women's History Museum and Education Center at 2323 Broadway, #107, 619-233-7963


FRIDAY, March 11:
The Red CalacArts Collective presents our 5th Annual International Women’s Day Celebration Celebración del Día de la Mujer Internacional - an evening of socially conscious word honoring the murdered women of Ciudad Juarez, México -

Friday, March 11, 2005 @ 7:00pm
Memorial Academy Auditorium in Barrio Logan 2850 Logan Ave, San Diego, CA 92113

This event is FREE, open to the public, and handicap accessible.

- Featuring spoken word by - Amalia L. Ortiz of San Antonio, TX (member of the Chicano Messengers of the Spoken Word and seen on HBO’s Def Poetry)

Leticia Hernández-Linares of San Francisco, CA (author of Razor Edges of My Tongue)

Irene Castruita of SD (member of Los Able Minded Poets)

Marissa Raigoza of SD by way of the Central Valley (featured on the spoken word CD: The Central Chakrah Project)

Sara Rebeca Durán Garibay of Chula Vista (member of Red CalacArts Collective and author of Machetes y Mariposas)

Liz Ochoa of SD (member of the Comité de Mujeres Patricia Marin)

Directions from Trolley: Harborside station, walk 4 blocks north up 28th, corner of 28th and Logan.
Directions from I-5: Take I-5 and exit 28th St. north. School is on corner of 28th & Logan.

Organized by the Red CalacArts Collective and hosted by Memorial Academy.
For more info visit http://redcalacartscollective.org, email RedCalacArts@cox.net or call (619) 434-9036.
This event is part of Razafest, for more info visit http://saveourcentro.org.


SATURDAY, March 12:
Palestinian American Women's Association
International Women's Day Banquet, 6 PM, Hyatt Regency Hotel, 11999 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove Los Angeles
Palestinian American Women's Association of Southern California (PAWA) International Women's Day Banquet - Right of Return, Featuring Keynote Speaker Dr. Karma Nabulsi A PLO representative from 1977 to 1990 and an adviser at the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks 1991-1993, Dr. Nabulsi is now is a Research Fellow in the Politics group at Nuffield College, Oxford.

International Speakers, Children's Poster Art Contest and Prizes, Entertainment! Special Performances by: Arab American Comedian Maysoon Zayid, Monologue by Dina Omar, Spoken Word Artist Mark Gonzales, & Stories shared by Generations of Palestinian Refugees
Buy Your Tickets Today! $35 Students, $45 adults in advance, $50 per ticket at the door. For more information call: (909) 861-8645, (949) 369-6510, or (949) 584-6433 or email Ha9105@aol.com or aabed@socal.rr.com


((and in Boston, there's a wild anarcho-femipunk festival going called La Rivolta


For more general information on International Womens Day, check out the wikipedia story