The University of North Georgia (UNG) will honor Women’s History Month with the Frida Kahlo Traveling Exhibit, on display from March 3-7 at the Gainesville Campus. The exhibit, featuring five panels showcasing the iconic Mexican artist’s work, will be located outside the Language Lab on the fourth floor of the Martha T. Nesbitt Academic Building.
UNG’s Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) office and Latinx Committee will kick off the exhibit with a reception at noon on March 3 in the Language Lab (Nesbitt room 4201). The event is free and open to the public.
Fatima Santillan, a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, and president of the Latino Student Association, sees Women’s History Month as a time to reflect on the work of trailblazing women like Kahlo, whose art delved into themes of women’s empowerment and cultural identity. Santillan also highlighted the work of labor leader Dolores Huerta in advocating for women and farm workers’ rights.
“Women’s History Month is a way to honor the work of so many women and the contributions they have made in trailblazing,” Santillan said. “They have allowed us to follow in their footsteps and helped us make a larger path for others to walk. As a university, it’s important for us to look back at those contributions and continue to climb the ladder and also put out our hands to help others up.”
Shabnam Rezai, a sophomore from Hoschton, Georgia, and vice president of the Student Government Association at UNG’s Gainesville Campus, also emphasized the importance of recognizing women’s contributions, both past and present. She pointed to the underappreciated work of chemist Rosalind Franklin in the discovery of DNA. Rezai is also inspired by her mother’s resilience as a refugee from Afghanistan and the sacrifices she made for their family.
“The opportunities I have today aren’t just for me. They’re for other women around the world whose voices can’t be heard,” Rezai said. “There are people who would die to have the opportunities we have.”
Evelyn Magana, a junior pursuing a degree in art with a digital arts concentration, draws inspiration from lesser-known women like Mary Anning, a 19th-century paleontologist, and Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani education activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
“Younger girls can look up to these women,” Magana said. “It gives them that confidence that they can do anything.”
n addition to the Frida Kahlo Exhibit, UNG is hosting several events throughout the month to celebrate Women’s History Month. Faculty, staff, and students can participate in Paint and Sip activities, where they can create artwork while enjoying mocktails. Another highlight will be StrongHER at the Rec, a women-only event at the Dahlonega Recreation Center on March 28 from 7-9 p.m., featuring staff-led fitness sessions and healthy refreshments.
The origins of Women’s History Month date back to 1978, when Sonoma, California, organized a week-long celebration of women’s contributions to culture and history. The movement gained momentum, and in 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8 as National Women’s History Week. Congress later expanded the celebration to the entire month of March in 1987.
UNG’s celebration of Women’s History Month underscores the university’s commitment to honoring the significant contributions of women in shaping our world.
