SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Elected officials in Maplewood and South Orange, in partnership with township departments, divisions and organizations, join with local business districts to celebrate the achievements of women. The focus for 2021 is “Women Lifting Women,” which will be realized through more than 45 unique events including safe, socially distant and/or virtual concerts, performances, author events, exhibits, classes, fundraisers, drives, projects and initiatives.
“We invite residents to celebrate our mothers, daughters, sisters, educators, first responders and front-line workers during these very challenging times,” Maplewood Township Committeewoman Nancy Adams said. “Our two-town leadership is filled with support for the contributions of women throughout the years and especially today! Women are carrying the weight of the pandemic in ‘sheroic’ ways: juggling their careers, families, homes, elderly parents and their children’s education — which became virtual almost a year ago.”
Sheena Collum, the first woman to hold the title of village president in South Orange, is proud that despite the limitations due to the ongoing pandemic, SOMA will honor its women in a variety of ways.
“Our goal is to elevate, empower, support and showcase women throughout our community — in the news, via Zoom, and sprinkled in the windows of our brick-and-mortar businesses in our two towns,” Collum said.
“When we reflect on the events of the past year, Women’s History Month has taken on new meaning in 2021,” Maplewood Mayor Frank McGehee said. “With 55 percent of U.S. jobs lost in 2020 accounted for by women, COVID-19 has not only further exposed the pre-existing gender inequities that continue to exist in our society, the pandemic has deepened them. This cannot stand. We need women and girls to continue to lead and to thrive at all levels of our society and in our local community so that we do not run the risk of unwinding decades of hard-fought progress for generations to come.”
For a complete list of the many, many events planned, visit www.somawomen.org.
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