by Anayely Moreno

As we realize that March is Women’s History Month, perhaps because your friend mentioned it, or the person in class who seems to have a lot of random facts mentioned it, we might begin to question whether women do much? The answer is undoubtedly yes! As a student at the School of Public and International Affairs, I have had the privilege of taking courses, such as Women in World Politics, which look beyond traditional history narratives to expose the role women have played and continue to play in our political and public sphere.

SPIA goes above and beyond to provide courses that critically analyze our political climate and the history that got us to this point. SPIA offers courses, such as War and Gender, Women in World Politics, Global and Distributive Justice, Human Rights and so many more that highlight the experiences of many underrepresented groups, particularly women, and the role they play in the international stage and domestic policy, despite the many barriers placed upon them.

Behind the courses are the many strong, intelligent, and dedicated Professors that give me hope for women who chose to go to politics. As a Latina, I constantly have doubts about how far I can make it in politics. I wonder about the assumptions that come with my name, or the wage cut that comes with my identity. I look at our representatives in Congress and I feel both extremely proud at the historical records we set in the last election and immediately sad when I remember that those numbers are still not great.

It’s moments like hearing Dr. Gallagher’s or Dr. White’s lectures, hearing a male professor address gender inequality, having a conversation with Dean Auer on inclusion, or seeing the number of women in my classes that remind me that SPIA is here to help me. I know that the many lessons I have learned from SPIA are what have prepared me for my career. I know the skills and opportunities, that SPIA helped me cultivate, will help me wherever I chose to go next.