In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, special events, guest speakers and lectures will be held.

Cerritos College has hosted the occasion since 1977 that has recognized women who have impacted American society locally, and in the following year, Congress passed a resolution designating March of every year as National Women’s History Month.

This resolution continues to be reaffirmed by Congress.

To find out more about the scheduled events for the month of March, go to www.cerritos.edu/whm

At Cerritos, Maureen May, re-entry resource specialist and Gender Equity coordinator, initiated the Women’s History Month program in 1987. Maureen spent 10 years coordinating this celebration until her retirement in 1996.

It will start off, on March 5th-8th a film festival “Water,” a film directed by Deepha Mehta about a Hindu girl who is suddenly widowed.

Followed by “Yesterday,” a motion picture about a woman living in a remote village in South Africa.

After that is “Leila,” a film set in contemporary Iran.

In addition,”Maria Full of Grace,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004, written and directed by Joshua Marston will be shown.

“Maria Full of Grace” depicts a young woman who accepts a business deal and traveling to the United States smuggling heroin.

A panel discussion will follow afterward.

Newcomer Esther Choi, re-entry specialist in the career services, explained why it is important for the continued recognition of the month itself.

She worked with Diane Keenan, social sciences chairperson on the organization of the events.

Keenan could not be reached for comment.

“These events that will take place will hopefully be learning for every student that would go beyond the classroom,” Choi said.

People who have come to Cerritos in celebration of Women’s History Month and spread the importance of their contributions have been actress and writer Tiffany Theissen who screening an independent film she wrote and directed.

In addition, she hopes that students who have never attended any of the lectures, discussion or films before that after seeing and hearing guest speakers talk about the reason behind the celebration it will be relevant to their lives in the end.

“The Cerritos faculty focus is in shaping the lives of students who come to college,” she added.

Cerritos students like Elizabeth Silva, animal heath science major, said that she had been aware that the celebration would take place.

“I have seen flyers in the women’s bathroom to the bulletin board in the buildings about the events that will take place.”

As a student, Silva said that students will have an appreciation for women who have effected change in society not only women like Angela Davis but women of today like Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA) and labor rights activist Dolores Huerta.

Betty Velasquez, nursing major, agreed. She said that she too will attend some of the events and hopes to learn more about the origin of Women’s History Month.

But for Silva, it was more than just about women and said that men can be educated to about what it all means.

Women understand women well about the struggles there were represented Silva explained, “so it is easy to see a connection among all women but men can learn a thing or two.”