Women’s History Month and the Work of Justice

Women’s History Month is often framed as a time to look back, to remember the pioneers who opened doors and challenged systems of injustice.  Remembering matters because the stories we tell shape the future we imagine and remind us of what is possible.

In many African traditions there is a concept called Sankofa, often symbolized by a bird looking backward while moving forward.  The word is often translated as “go back and get it,” or “looking back to look ahead,” reminding us that we must retrieve the wisdom of the past in order to move faithfully into the future.

Women’s History Month invites this kind of posture.

For people of faith, history is not simply a record of what has been, it is a testimony to the ways courage and conviction can move the world toward greater justice. Throughout our own tradition, women have been organizers, theologians, pastors, educators, and advocates, often working in spaces where their leadership was not fully recognized or welcomed.

The United Church of Christ has long been part of that story. From early advocacy for women’s ordination to ongoing commitments to gender justice, our denomination has sought to live out the belief that every person bears the image of God and deserves dignity, safety, and opportunity.

That work is far from finished.

Across our nation and around the world, women and girls continue to face barriers to education, healthcare, safety, and leadership. Gender-based violence persists, economic inequities endure, and the intersection of race, class, immigration status, sexuality, and disability often deepens these challenges.

At times, the scale of these injustices can feel overwhelming. It can be easy to wonder whether individual actions make a difference.

This is where history becomes more than remembrance, it becomes encouragement.

The women whose stories we honor this month did not begin their work knowing how history would remember them.  They acted because they believed change was possible. They organized communities. They spoke truth to power. They built movements. They imagined a more just world and took steps, however small, to move us closer to it.

Their courage reminds us that justice work is not reserved for a few extraordinary individuals. It is sustained by ordinary people who choose, again and again, to act in solidarity with one another.

In this season of Women’s History Month, perhaps the invitation is not only to celebrate the past, but to ask how we participate in the story still being written.

How do we support the leadership of women and girls in our communities?

How do we listen to those whose voices have been historically marginalized?

How do we continue the long tradition of faith communities choosing to remain on the side of justice?

These questions do not require perfect answers. They simply require our willingness to remain engaged, to keep learning, showing up, and working together for a more just and equitable world.

The good news is that opportunities to participate in this work are all around us. The story of women’s leadership and justice is still unfolding, and each of us has a role to play.

Ways to engage This Women’s History Month

If you’re looking for ways to learn and participate, consider exploring events and resources such as:

• Local library programs and community discussions honoring women’s history. Events hosted by your local library, like those offered through the Cleveland Public Library, are a great example.
• Virtual talks and educational resources from the National Women’s History Museum
• Community conversations, panels, or book discussions hosted by local organizations and faith communities.

Even small acts, attending a lecture, supporting women-led organizations, or mentoring younger leaders, help keep the movement for justice alive.

Women’s History Month reminds us that the work of justice is not finished, but it also reminds us that we do not begin from nothing. We are part of a long tradition of faith and collective action.

….and, together, we continue the story.

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