Communities across the world will celebrate International Women’s Day on Sunday.
In Richmond, the Virginia Museum of History and Culture will open an exhibition that pays tribute to those who’ve led the fight for women’s rights.
The Agents of Change exhibition comes on the heels of a General Assembly session that saw a host of historic firsts for women in Virginia.
One of the highlights will be a recent portrait of local activists. The photograph recreates a similar shot of the Equal Suffrage League taken five years before the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.
Among the women pictured in the reboot is Angela Patton, CEO of Girls for a Change. Her mission, she says, is to empower black girls living in a society that doesn’t always acknowledge the accomplishments of their ancestors. "A lot of people are where they are today because of the backbones and the strengths of black women," Patton said.
When she started in the nonprofit world, Patton, a black woman, struggled to find role models who looked like her. Her journey to success has been decades in the making and, now, she wants to inspire younger generations with the promise of possibility. "Dreams can come true," Patton noted.
Visitors can learn more about Patton atthe Agents of Change exhibition, which runs through September 27.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
