Posted 3/30/2011 Updated 3/30/2011
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by Diane Betzler
Staff Writer
3/30/2011 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Women's contributions past and present were the focus of guest speakers Kristine Parsons and Patricia Gracia at this year's Edwards Women's History Month celebration that took place at Club Muroc, March 24.
Celebrating the history of women's accomplishments started out as a week-long observance in the late 1970s, but because of women's extraordinary undertakings, today the entire month of March has been designated by Congress as National Women's History Month.
Col. Gregory Schwab, 95th Air Base Wing commander, said Edwards is surrounded by accomplished women.
"Women are working here as engineers, doctors, scientists, aviators and much, much more," he told those attending the event.
Both speakers called the celebration an information fair. The theme was "Our History is Our Strength." Mrs. Parsons and Ms. Gracia talked about the roles women played in American history from the birth of the nation through today.
Mrs. Parsons, a long-time Antelope Valley resident and a history teacher at Antelope Valley High School who also teaches civics and economics, was introduced by Master Sgt. Christine Partigianoni, from the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Detachment 5.
Mrs. Parsons focused on a word that was new to many - polyphonic - which, she explained is mostly used when talking about music. It means consisting of many voices or sounds. She says American history needs to be more polyphonic when describing women's roles and contributions in history.
"When we look at American history, often times it written in an Anglo-Saxon white male perspective."
She said women were in the west carving out a place in history, but we seldom think of them as anything other than wives and mothers, and American history needs to be written in more voices.
"Women played many important roles in American history, and in addition to seeing them as wives and mothers it's important that we see them as successful businesswomen and leaders as well," she said.
She talked briefly about the early 20th century attitudes about women and how they were told not to worry their pretty little heads about business or politics, and how they were assured their fathers and husbands would handle those kinds of issues.
In the 1800s women weren't allowed to own anything of value. "If they were given money or property as a dowry, it all became their husband's property when they married."
Mrs. Parsons said society has come a long way with its attitude toward women, but said America still has a long way to go, "We rarely hear of women being depicted as intellectual giants," she said.
She spoke of the way the Disney studios portray women and said it's disconcerting to her to think that a little girl watching films like Snow White, Cinderella and The Little Mermaid can grow up thinking that all she has to do is wait for her prince to someday come along and rescue her.
"Women should not be stereotyped like that. We are far more complex."
Mrs. Gracia, the following speaker, immigrated to America from Lima, Peru when she was 18. She developed a vision of how the American dream related to her almost immediately.
"I was drawn to the bright San Diego lights and I told myself that someday I would sit at the center of that energy and draw on it to create my success and the future of others."
She said in her adopted language that didn't take long for her to conquer.
After earning a degree in Public Relations from UCLA, Mrs. Gracia set out to realize her part of the American dream and in 2001 formed her own advertising agency, which she named The Power Media Group.
Following the success of that venture, Mrs. Gracia started another company, The Power Women Business Center, which is described as an incubator for women who want to start their own business.
"You have the vision, we add the power," she said of her company.
Mrs. Gracia said when she first started in business she saw a lot of competition between men and women, so she strived to turn that competition into partnerships. It worked for her. She turned her male counterpart away from a competitive attitude and into a team player and today her business partner is also her life partner, and together they are happily raising their two children in Santa Clarita, Calif.
"Immigrant women entrepreneurs are rapidly making their mark in the U.S. business sector, in every region of the country and across a large range of industries."
She said women of the post-1960s wave of immigration comprise one of the fastest growing groups of business owners in the U.S.
"When you work hard, things will happen," she said.
She advised women everywhere to take advantage of opportunities when they are handed to them.
"Women are making a change, we're no longer here just to raise our children, we're doing it all," she said.
The event closed with Thomas Berard, Air Force Flight Test Center executive director, presenting both speakers with a token of appreciation from both the flight test center and NASA Dryden Research Center for sharing their knowledge and personal experiences.
"I learned two new words today, polyphonic and Latina," he joked with a grin.
On a more serious note Mr. Berard said he doesn't know how anyone can talk about the birth of a nation without talking about women.
"Nothing wrong with having that polyphonic view, we all need to recognize the role of women in our nation," he said and reminded everyone that the second highest civilian position on base is held by a woman, Eileen Bjorkman, who is the AFFTC technical advisor.
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