5 ways you can #InspireInclusion this International Women's Day

As sure as the earth orbits the sun, we are once again approaching March 8th, AKA International Women’s Day (IWD).

IWD has been observed in one form or another since the early 1900s. In 1908, 15,000 women marched through the streets of NYC demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

Today, IWD is a global event geared at both celebrating and raising awareness about the hard-won social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It is also a day to educate and mobilize people about the ongoing struggle for gender equality, gender equity, and bodily autonomy—to name just a few.

The theme for this auspicious year of 2024 is Inspire Inclusion: a call to pay heed to the importance of meaningful diversity and legit empowerment in all facets of society. And a reminder that achieving gender equality calls for breaking down barriers, challenging stereotypes, and cultivating environments where all women are valued and respected. Not just those with favorable positions who manage to take up space in the world, but those from marginalized communities as well. To meaningfully include women means to genuinely welcome their diversity of race, age, experience, ability, faith, body image, and orientation—to name just a few. 

How to #InspireInclusion this IWD

Ultimately, IWD is worthy of observation and/or celebration in whatever form one deems fitting. Organizations, groups, and individuals can all play an important role in marking the day—whether in the community, at work, at home, or in the street.

Need a little inspiration? Consider the following 5 ways to #InspireInclusion this March 8th:

1. Take part in the #InspireInclusion photo challenge

This year, IWD organizers are encouraging organizations to take photos of their staff striking the IWD 2024 pose (simply making a heart-shape with their hands). That being said, individuals can absolutely take part in this challenge as well. The idea of course, is to share the photos or videos on social media, along with relevant resources, presentations, or articles—using the hashtags #IWD2024 and #InspireInclusion. This is a great opportunity for workplaces to get on board, show solidarity and support, and engage meaningfully within as well as beyond their networks. True story: sometimes important conversations begin with a hashtag. You can also submit your team's photos to be featured on IWD's global social media channels.

2. Host or attend a panel discussion

Listening to women share their life experiences, struggles, knowledge, and expert advice is one of the best ways to get motivated to take action. Whether online or in-person, there is no shortage of truly inspirational events planned for IWD, with fantastic speaker line-ups. If you’re planning to host an event at your workplace, congrats! Organizing a learning session of any kind will help inform employees about the significance of the day and show the women in your biz that they’re acknowledged and supported. Be sure to get the word out across the multi-channel universe! Otherwise, you might research some interesting events in your industry or community and encourage your staff (or your friends!) to attend with you. The International Women's Day Event Showcase Page is a great place to start, but you might also see what’s happening at your local universities, libraries, or community centers.

3. Review your internal D&I strategy

While in-the-moment photo ops and attendance at events fortifies us with deeper knowledge and awareness which we can then pass on to others, long-term advocacy is foundational to any real change. If you are in a leadership and/or decision-making role at your workplace, you can play a key role in pushing for more transparent and participatory decision-making processes, more women in leadership positions at C-suite, and improved pay structures to ensure pay equality. While there is still endless work to be done, you can (and should!) still play a part in pushing that proverbial boulder forward by working with your team to build a super solid D&I strategy for women—and for everyone.

4. Support more women-owned businesses

Whether you’re in charge of purchasing decisions at your business or you simply pride yourself on being a socially conscious consumer—or both—you can and should empower women-owned businesses (like Bellesa!) by purchasing products and services from them. Not just on IWD, but all year round, of course. By doing this, you help contribute to more inclusive economic opportunities and overall empowerment. Ya heard it here first! Go one further by sharing your purchases with friends and family on social media, using it as an opportunity to educate others about where you bought them from. Like the idea but not sure where to start? You might begin with a simple search for “women-owned businesses near me.” 

5. Take to the streets

Sometimes, the most powerful way to inspire inclusion—and indeed, to feel included—is to march in large numbers with likeminded women, men, and allied people of all genders. IWD marches don’t take place in every city, but you can check the IWD event database to see if there’s already one being planned locally. If there is, you and/or your family, friends, or coworkers might all join in. Make it fun by hosting a banner or sign-making gathering beforehand. If there isn’t, and you happen to have a dedicated and inspired team at your disposal, you might just consider spearheading the organization of an IWD march next year, in 2025!

And ultimately, why not take #InspireInclusion to heart in the day-to-day, by cultivating a more sincere sense of welcoming for the badass women and girls in your life? Hot tip: start with yourself! After all, a little self-love tends to ripple outward, and can go a long way toward making the world a stronger, more inclusive place. <3