I am delighted to have this opportunity to recognize all the amazing women who have worked to make this world a better place. Far too often, the contributions of women go unnoticed, and I am thrilled that Congress has designated March Women’s History Month to celebrate the accomplishments of women.

Despite incredible obstacles, African American women have been quietly changing history for hundreds of years. By simply refusing to get up, Rosa Parks helped launch the civil rights movement. Dr. Mae Jemison proved that with hard work you really can touch the stars. Women have been tearing down obstacles and paving the way for other women to realize their dreams since the beginning of time.

Every time I cast my ballot, I think of the many women who fought so hard to give me a voice. We must use that voice to encourage the next generation of female warriors to enter the political arena where they can help preserve and expand the rights we've fought so hard to obtain.

Women like Shirley Chisholm paved the way for a new generation of female leaders by becoming the first women to run for president, and Senator Carol Moseley Braun became this country's first female African American senator.

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge C. Delores Tucker, the woman who opened the doors of opportunity to allow me to become the chair of the DNC Black Caucus. As the first chair of the DNC Black Caucus, Tucker taught us how to make sure that the voices of all African American women are heard.

As the saying goes, we come a long way, baby, but we have a long way to go. Women still make 77 cents for every dollar paid to men, and Republicans continue to try to take away our right to choose. So we must keep fighting injustice and inequality. It is imperative that we defeat candidates who trivialize the impact of violence against women and put more people like Sonia Sotomayer on the Supreme Court to protect what we have accomplished.

There are a plethora of opportunities waiting for us, if we continue to break down barriers and work toward realizing true equality in our lifetimes.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it’s important to take stock of how far we have come in our fight for fairness and equality.  And thanks to the President’s leadership, we have begun to see the change that women have been fighting for. 

In my 30 years in public service as a public management official and an elected official, I have seen firsthand how difficult the struggle for gender equality has been, and how quickly we have progressed since the President was sworn in.  For almost 15 years, I was a budget and research manager in the Clark County, Nevada department of Social Service, and later a personnel manager at the Department of Aviation.

But my political career began, like so many female politicians, in 1985 on the school board for Clark County looking out for the education and well-being of children in Las Vegas.  In 1992, I won a seat on the Clark County Board of Commissioners, and put my special insight and understanding of the changes and growth experienced in the community to work on behalf of the hard working families of Clark County.

And throughout my experience in public service, I’ve seen just how important it is to have leaders who know what families are going through and understand the important role women play in our society.  Thankfully, we have one of those leaders in the White House.

From day one, President Obama has been fighting for women and we have seen the fruits of his labor.  The very first bill he signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which goes to the heart of the equal pay issue, giving women the power to challenge discrimination where they work.  The President also passed the health care bill, which ensures that being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition.

We still have a lot of change left to accomplish, and that’s why it is vital that President Obama gets another four years in office to finish the job.  In November, I’m casting my vote for Barack Obama because he has been a true ally for women, and he understands that our country will be better when all women are treated equally.  

To learn more about the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and the President’s other accomplishments that benefit women, click here.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it’s important to take stock of how far we have come in our fight for fairness and equality.  And thanks to the President’s leadership, we have begun to see the change that women have been fighting for. 

In my 30 years in public service as a public management official and an elected official, I have seen firsthand how difficult the struggle for gender equality has been, and how quickly we have progressed since the President was sworn in.  For almost 15 years, I was a budget and research manager in the Clark County, Nevada department of Social Service, and later a personnel manager at the Department of Aviation.

But my political career began, like so many female politicians, in 1985 on the school board for Clark County looking out for the education and well-being of children in Las Vegas.  In 1992, I won a seat on the Clark County Board of Commissioners, and put my special insight and understanding of the changes and growth experienced in the community to work on behalf of the hard working families of Clark County.

And throughout my experience in public service, I’ve seen just how important it is to have leaders who know what families are going through and understand the important role women play in our society.  Thankfully, we have one of those leaders in the White House.

From day one, President Obama has been fighting for women and we have seen the fruits of his labor.  The very first bill he signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which goes to the heart of the equal pay issue, giving women the power to challenge discrimination where they work.  The President also passed the health care bill, which ensures that being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition.

We still have a lot of change left to accomplish, and that’s why it is vital that President Obama gets another four years in office to finish the job.  In November, I’m casting my vote for Barack Obama because he has been a true ally for women, and he understands that our country will be better when all women are treated equally.  

To learn more about the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and the President’s other accomplishments that benefit women, click here.