Women’s History Month celebrated at Community Transit
Each March, we have the opportunity to honor the women who have made substantial impacts to our society and our personal lives. In the transportation industry, women such as Helen Schultz and Marilyn Jorgenson Reece innovated and increased the efficiency of all modes of transportation.
Women have been trailblazing throughout history, but it wasn’t until 1909, that they received the national recognition they deserved. In March of 1909, the first Women’s Day was honored by 15,000 women protesting their working conditions, just one year after the anniversary of the historic garment worker’s strike. In 1978, an education task force kicked off Women’s’ History week, and in 1987, Congress declared March as Women’s History Month.
The National Women’s History Alliance designates a yearly theme for Women’s History Month. “Women have long been instrumental in passing on our heritage in word and in print to communicate the lessons of those who came before us. Women’s stories, and the larger human story, expand our understanding and strengthen our connections with each other.” Therefore, this year’s theme for Women’s History Month is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.”
At Community Transit, we are grateful to the women driving our buses, maintaining our fleet, and keeping the agency running in the various administrative roles. Women make up half the population, and half of all transit passengers, so we know the importance of having women’s voices heard throughout all aspects of Community Transit.
In 2019, the agency was awarded an exceptional project advancing transportation award for Community Transit’s Swift Green Line project, by WTS’, Puget Sound Chapter. The agency received the award due to the number of women in key leadership roles and having over 50 women working on the project. You can read more about the award by clicking here.
Community Transit recognizes the importance of being a gender-diverse organization, and how that influences an equitable workforce.