Women and women-volunteers take spotlight in Women’s Month celebration

The lawn and courtyard of the CNMI Museum was ground zero last Thursday for the International’s Women’s Month and Volunteerism Recognition Ceremony that saw many in the community converging for this colorful event that also saw representatives of the diverse community that makes up the CNMI. To kick off the event, there was a roadside waving with many supporters displaying various countries’ flags.

“Today we recognize extraordinary women in volunteerism and appreciate them for their countless time and [generosity] and giving what they do best because they’re passionate and dedicated to giving back to our community,” said Claudia Flores of the Women’s Affairs Office. “This is what we mentor and what we coach to our young women and to our volunteers who decide to spend time giving back to their home and community.” 

The event was organized by the Commonwealth Women’s Association, CNMI Women’s Affairs Office, in cooperation with first lady Dianne Torres and the Lady Diann Torres Foundation and the CNMI Museum. The CNMI theme for the 2022 Women’s Month is “Gender Equality: Key to Sustainable Development” and the International Women’s Day theme is “Break the Bias.”

Shirley Camacho-Ogumoro from the Women’s Affairs Office said the celebration has a different theme every year. “For this year we have our different international women representing a different country, or island, but you’re here traveling around the world at the museum, with no need to buy a plane ticket.”

This year, though, they invited small business women entrepreneurs to sell their products at the event. “We’ve got different kinds of products… and we have some refreshments and snacks and dinner,” said Ogumoro.

There were many awareness groups at the event as well. The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. talked about public health, health issues for women, breast and cervical cancer, and also gave out COVID-19 booster shots. The Northern Marianas Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence and the CNMI Miss Earth, Fire, and Water were also present.

“The organizers give a lot of our appreciation to our generous sponsors, partners and volunteers in helping every way to make it all exciting for us all tonight… to the nominees that we are recognizing today; to their families, friends, supporters, and for all their time, hard work and dedication in making tonight an amazing reality,” said Flores in her speech.

One of the spectators at the event, Peachy Quitugua, a certified nurse midwife, said that celebrating Women’s Month means a lot to her “being a woman and being raised by my mother and especially my grandmother. Celebrating women is essential because not only do we continue to lead in our communities, we continue to endure and to be role models to everyone, not only other girls in our community.”

Some of the women volunteers recognized in the event were Michelle Olita, Rhine Russell, Angelica Bautista, Marlene Camacho Crus, Mary Grace Bautista, and Dee Clayton, to name a few.

Overall, Ogumoro says the event was successful and hopes to have another event celebrating women next year.