Mayor Jim Darling and the McAllen City Commission proclaimed the month of March as Women’s History Month in McAllen,  and March 8 as International Women’s Day in McAllen, in celebration of the of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.  City leaders were proud to point out that the City of McAllen is unique among Rio Grande Valley and border municipalities, with an equal number of men and women who are directors of the City of McAllen departments.    The world of work is changing, and with significant implications for women.

“The City of McAllen is an organization where women flourish and is proud to boast an equal number of women and men in positions of leadership, influence, and decision and policy-making as directors within the organization, helping to bring new vision and perspective to the growth and direction of the municipality and more importantly, the community,” said Mayor Pro Tempore Aida Ramirez, after she read today’s proclamation.  MPT Ramirez was the first Hispanic female elected to the McAllen City Commission.

According to Mayor Jim Darling, women have been an important part of the fabric of the growth and progress of society.

There have been staggering changes for women in religion, in government, in employment, in education and even in financial freedom that have come about in over eight generations, since 1848, when that that first women’s meeting to begin organizing for the right to vote was held in Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s kitchen in upstate New York. These changes did not just happen spontaneously. Women themselves made these changes happen, very deliberately. Women have not been passive recipients of miraculous changes in laws and human nature. Eight generations of women have come together to affect these changes in the most democratic ways: through meetings, petition drives, lobbying, public speaking, and nonviolent resistance. They have worked very deliberately to create a better world, and they have succeeded hugely.

“Women are not only an integral part of nurturing families but often times, also serve as breadwinners and role models for their community, said Mayor Darling.   “Whether on a small scale in their home, on a larger scale in jobs such as education, medicine or science, or in the political or academic arena, those cultures where women have played a role in the advancement of, or been a major part of the innovation and responsiveness of government, those societies have flourished.”

Concluded Darling, “It is an honor to be a part of the City of McAllen where women have such key roles in moving our city forward.”

In celebration of Women’s History Month (March) and International Women’s Day (March 8), the City of McAllen will also host a series of events that will help promote and encourage the contributions of women to the city.    Below is the schedule of activities that the City of McAllen will host in honor of these initiatives:

• Women’s History Month Proclamation, February 25;
• International Women’s Day Breakfast Symposium, McAllen Convention Center, featuring a panel discussion of female trailblazers in the McAllen community, March 8, open to all female City of McAllen employees only; and
• Speed Mentoring Session, March 28, where female employees will have an opportunity to ask questions of and gain insight from identified women trailblazers within the City of McAllen.

This year’s theme for the City of McAllen Women’s History Month celebration is “Empowered Women Empower Women.” In honor of the tireless and unfailing work, women have accomplished to bring about the social, economic, education, religious, and personal equality they now enjoy, and more importantly, to help fellow women.

“I am honored to not only recognize the leaders in our organization but also, to stress to all of our female employees that there is no limit to their potential here with the City of McAllen,” said City Manager Roel Roy Rodriguez, P.E.  “It is also important to encourage our next generation of women in the workforce to seek a career in public sector work, to help take our city and our region to the next level.”