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NCS Observes International Women's Day for 4th Consecutive Year

In the lead-up to International Women's Day on March 8, the NCS Upper School engaged in a week of discussions and conversations to raise awareness of gender-parity issues.
 
This is the fourth consecutive year that NCS has developed educational programming around the global day. This year, several speakers came to the school and addressed the need for women's equality.
 
In Tuesday's keynote address, Assistant Secretary of State Mary Elizabeth Taylor '07 discussed her path from NCS to now working as Capitol Hill's emissary to the State Department.
 
On Wednesday, Upper Schoolers heard from three mid-career professionals whose remarks drew from the 2020 International Women's Day theme, Each for Equal.
 
  • Shagufta Ahmed, a senior policy analyst in the federal Office of Management and Budget, highlighted the importance of identifying advisers ("Mentors are invaluable") and pushing through self-doubt—in her case, as a woman working in a male-dominated field and as a first-generation college graduate. Ahmed urged the students to find opportunities to unite with other women, adding, “Equality starts with compassion.”.
  • Ashley Fox, the deputy chief of staff for D.C. Councilmember Elissa Silverman, spoke about stereotypes and the challenges involved in fighting them. Fox encouraged each student to create a statement of purpose, in order to to remember who she is and what she wants to do in life, and to work with one another on identifying strategies that can enhance gender equality.
  • Callan Walsh, a vice president of i2 Capital, discussed the lack of diversity in corporate governance and how boards of directors still are predominantly male. Walsh noted approvingly that this is not true for NCS, where a majority of the Governing Board is female.
Other NCS programs used community time as an opportunity to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. And the week's culminating event on Friday was to be a screening of the 2018 Oscar-winning documentary short film Period. End of Sentence.
 
Many thanks to Jessica Clark, who coordinated this year's International Women's Day celebration, as well as to Rachael Flores, Dolores Hamilton, Melody Fox Ahmed, Alison Seese, and the Parents Association's International Committee for helping to facilitate our events!
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    • Mary Elizabeth Taylor '07 delivers the keynote address.

    • Ashley Fox

    • Shagufta Ahmed

    • Callen Walsh

    • Taylor answers students' questions after her address.

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