Women's History Month and Showing Up For Our Girls

This Month, we honor the trailblazing women who have shaped our communities, challenged barriers, and expanded what is possible for the generations behind them. We are also excited to gather for several meaningful events that will spotlight women’s leadership and stories. From engaging discussions to community celebrations, each moment offers us an opportunity to learn and to show up.

This season, I have been reminded of the power of showing up in a deeply personal way. When my petite 10-year-old daughter, who is often mistaken for a 7-year-old, expressed a desire to join a recreational girls' basketball team called The Belles, I admit that I was not thrilled. I have NEVER enjoyed watching sports; I prefer to play them—and have done so as a marathon runner, rugby player, and dancer (dance is incredibly athletic, and don't let anyone tell you any differently). Aside from the anxiety associated with being a Mama Bear whose child plays a contact sport, I put my emotions to the side to support my daughter and her teammates.

Before every game, I led the team in stretches and warm-ups and used that time to speak life into them. At the end of each warm-up, they repeated, "I am powerful. I am beautiful. And I am victorious!" This season, the all-Black team of 7 to 11-year-olds faced discrimination, rude and triggering comments, and poor sportsmanship from the opposing team. They learned to be sisters on the court and to use their voices. But what I observed was that while they looked to their coach on the left, they looked more to the largest and loudest group packing each gym during EVERY game, their family. Sadly, most families from the other teams only appeared during the finals.

The Belles, a group of girls who had never played on a team until this season, lost the championship by one point when the opposing team intercepted a pass and scored with only two seconds left on the clock. But they walked away with their heads held high, ready to confront other challenges and critics.

This season was a reminder that when we show up at games, recitals, and parent-teacher meetings, we affirm that their dreams are valid, their efforts are seen, and that what we invest in the girls in front of us today matters. As we reflect on Women's History Month, let us celebrate boldly in 2026, support intentionally, and remember that history is still being written. And it is being written, in part, by the girls we cheer for today.