Celebrate Women’s History Month with music, art and talks in Broward and Palm Beach counties (updated)

This month marks the 36th time the United States has officially celebrated Women’s History Month, but women have been making monumental accomplishments and contributions in our country for decades. From civil rights and science to business and government, women have been trailblazers in every facet of culture and society, along the way making sacrifices, facing barriers and dealing with disparities.

The National Women’s History Alliance, which led the charge for March being declared National Women’s History Month, has chosen “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories” as the 2023 theme. Women involved in the media and storytelling, past and present, including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts and more will be in the spotlight this year.

Here’s how organizations in Broward and Palm Beach counties are planning to celebrate women this month.

Broward County’s Office of Economic and Small Business Development will have a virtual event at 10:30 a.m. March 24 featuring prominent women sharing their stories of overcoming challenges, breaking down walls, best practices, and what they wish someone would have told them when they started. Yineth Sanchez Aslan, attorney and community leader is the moderator. Speakers are Maribel Feliciano, assistant director OESBD; Sheryl Dickey, president and CEO of Dickey Consulting Services; Burnadette Norris-Weeks, Esq., partner at Austin Paimes Norris-Weeks, LLC, and chairperson of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce; and Maggie Gunther, vice president of marketing and communications, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance. Free. Register at bit.ly/3ZmMf0d.

The City of Deerfield Beach Parks and Recreation Department will have its fifth annual City of Deerfield Beach Women’s History Hall of Fame Inductee Breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. March 25 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Deerfield-Boca Raton, 100 Fairway Drive, Deerfield Beach. Influential Deerfield Beach women who have served as role models, demonstrated a commitment to the city, and invested time, talent and resources to make a difference will be inducted, including Karen Hardy, Maureen Kenny, Flora Philpart and Joan L. Williams. Emily Lilly is the keynote speaker. A breakfast buffet and entertainment is included. Tickets are $15 per person and may be purchased at Hillsboro Community Center, 50 Hillsboro Technology Drive, Deerfield Beach. Call 954-571-7550 or email [email protected].

The educational exhibit features photographs of Black women educators, activists, artists and more from the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Over 30 photographs tell a story as each photograph is accompanied with a caption with a short bio of the women portrayed. The exhibition is available to view by appointment March 25 through September at the Blanche Ely House Museum, 1500 NW Sixth Ave., Pompano Beach.

Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, which is dedicated to celebrating and preserving the cultural heritage of the Caribbean community, is showcasing the accomplishments of exceptional Caribbean women with exhibits and program activities including a fine art show, a one-woman play on the life and times of Shirley Chisholm, and speaker and performance events. The series will be based at Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, Broward Mall, 8000 W. Broward Blvd. #202, Plantation. Visit islandspacefl.org/womensmonth.

Hard Rock Cafe has partnered with Women Who Rock and Gibson Gives to spread awareness and raise funds for Magee-Women’s Research Institute & Foundation, which is dedicated to women’s health and reproductive biology. Throughout March, Hard Rock Cafe locations around the world, including those in Hollywood and Miami, are featuring concerts by women artists. “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks had a performance at the Hard Rock Cafe at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood recently to kick off the initiative. Limited-edition Rock Women’s Health T-shirts as well as special food and beverage items are available for purchase with proceeds going to the cause. Visit hardrockcafe.com/international-womens-month.aspx.

Learn about women in the visual arts through a Fine Arts Series talk, find out about civil rights leaders, watch and discuss a documentary, attend a career seminar or read for book club during Women’s History Month at Broward County Library branches. To find an event that interests you, visit broward.org/Library and click on “Events.”

Trivia contests, book discussions, story time, film screenings and reading sessions are on the schedule at Palm Beach County branches throughout Women’s History Month. Visit pbclibrary.org and type in “Women’s History Month” in the “Classes and Events” search bar.

Pembroke Pines residents are asked to nominate a special woman in their lives and explain in 300 words or less why she is a SHEroe (doctors, teachers, police officers, firefighters, nurses, mothers and soldiers, among others). Email the nomination to [email protected] by 9 p.m. March 31. All nominees will be honored at a Pembroke Pines City Commission Meeting in April. Visit ppines.com.

A free photography exhibition celebrating modern women’s achievements alongside their historical pioneering predecessors is on display through March 31 at Fort Lauderdale’s Galleria, 2414 E. Sunrise Blvd., in celebration of Women’s History Month. This year’s honorees are Lori Wheeler, vice president of Marine Industries Association of South Florida; Barbara Sharief, former Broward County commissioner and founder and CEO of South Florida Pediatric Homecare Inc.; Heather Geronemus, senior director, social equity, opportunity and impact at UKG; Stephanie Toothaker, chairwoman and chief strategist of Toothaker.org; Joy Satterlee, executive director of Art and Culture Center/Hollywood; and Ramola Motwani, chairwoman, Merrimac Ventures. Visit historyfortlauderdale.org/museum for information about the exhibit.

The women’s volunteer organization is honoring Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day with a week full of events.

As part of its Alliance for Period Supplies Program, the group is partnering with some Winn-Dixie locations for a Period Supply Drive. Drop off sanitary pads, liners and feminine wipes through March at the following Winn-Dixie stores: 6600 Hypoluxo Road in Lake Worth Beach; 1135 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach; and 5060 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road in Westlake.

This library, at 400 NW Second Ave. in Boca Raton, is offering several events to celebrate Women’s History Month. Visit myboca.us/2020/Library and click on “Calendar” for more information.

“Half the Picture,” directed by Amy Adrion, will be shown from 6 to 8 p.m. March 30. The documentary is about discriminatory hiring practices concerning women directors in Hollywood. Admission is free.

Housed in West Palm Beach’s Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, 300 N. Dixie Highway, the county’s Historical Society is offering several ways to celebrate Women’s History Month.

For the third year, it will bring together women leaders in Palm Beach County to discuss their journeys and how they operate during a “Women’s History Initiative – A Portrait of Leadership” event. Moderated by WPBF-Ch. 25 morning news anchor Nathalie Pozo, the panel includes Ava Parker, Laurie Silvers, Nancy Brinker and Penny Murphy. The cocktail reception is at 5:30 p.m., with the panel discussion at 6:30 p.m. March 22. Visit pbchistory.org/events/2023-a-portrait-of-leadership-325-243 to register for free.An exhibit recognizes the first Black female attorneys in the Palm Beach County legal community with “Famous Firsts: Celebrating the Achievements of Black Female Attorneys in Palm Beach County.” Find it on display through March. Admission is free ($5 suggested donation). Open daily, except Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit pbchistory.org and search for Famous Firsts.An online exhibit, “Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote,” from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibit Service, highlights the relentless struggle of diverse activists throughout U.S. history to secure voting rights for all American women, according to the museum. Visit pbchistory.org/rightfully-hers-american-women-and-the-vote.