| R 164 |
| 2020 -- S 2762 Enacted 03/05/2020 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| RECOGNIZING MARCH 8, 2020, AS "INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
| Introduced By: Senators Nesselbush, Goodwin, Quezada, Crowley, and Lawson |
| Date Introduced: March 05, 2020 |
| WHEREAS, International Women's Day has been observed since the early 1900s, at a |
| time when women's oppression and inequality were causing women to become more vocal, |
| active, and demanding of change; and |
| WHEREAS, The first National Women's Day was observed in the United States on |
| February 28, 1909, where women protested and demanded shorter hours, better pay, and voting |
| rights; and |
| WHEREAS, The first countries to honor International Women's Day in 1911 were |
| Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, with more than one million women and men |
| attending International Women's Day rallies, demanding women's rights including the right to |
| work, vote, to hold public office, and an end to discrimination in general; and |
| WHEREAS, In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 8th as |
| International Women's Day throughout the world, a day that is celebrated in the United States and |
| globally; and |
| WHEREAS, International Women's Day has grown exponentially, nationally and |
| internationally, in developed and developing countries alike; and |
| WHEREAS, The United Nations declared the 2020 theme for the International Women's |
| Day to be #EachForEqual, exalting the fact than an equal world is an enlightened world in which |
| gender inequality, pay inequality, sexual harassment and sexual violence will no longer be |
| tolerated in business, in boardrooms, in State Houses or the White House, and not even in |
| Hollywood; and |
| WHEREAS, In a world where gender parity and equality remain elusive, the world will |
| continue to see sweeping and revolutionary movements like #TimesUp and the #MeToo |
| Movements; and |
| WHEREAS, Although those statistics can be daunting and dim, there are nonetheless |
| numerous bright spots which we can now recognize and celebrate. Today, the Rhode Island |
| General Assembly recognizes International Women's Day 2020 by celebrating "Doctors of |
| Distinction," honoring seven Doctors of Distinction who, in particular, have changed the world |
| through their advocacy, care, passion and diligence. They are: Doctors Jody Underwood, Angela |
| Anderson, Maryellen Butke, Megan Ranney, Iris Tong, Lindsay Orchowski, and Carolina |
| Fonseca-Valencia; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
| hereby recognizes these seven prestigious, smart, elite and distinguished women who have blazed |
| educational trails and broken glass ceilings to land at the top of their institutions. This Senate |
| furthermore encourages all citizens to celebrate and pay tribute to the contributions of these |
| women, and all women, nationally and in the State of Rhode Island; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby recognizes March 8, 2020, as "International |
| Women's Day" in the State of Rhode Island; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the first woman Governor of the State of Rhode |
| Island, the Honorable Gina Raimondo. |
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| LC005183 |
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