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Tag: Women's History Month 2024

  • ‘Compositions by Her’: Concert celebrates Women’s History Month

    ‘Compositions by Her’: Concert celebrates Women’s History Month

    DURHAM, N.C. —  An orchestra in North Carolina is working to honor marginalized voices in the music world, starting with a tribute for Women’s History Month.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Durham Symphony Orchestra put together a concert honoring women in music

    • In 2016, works by female composers and composers of color made up only 4% of orchestra programming, according to the Orchestra Repertoire Report

    • The Durham orchestra’s concert featured works by marginalized and suppressed voices

    As part of its 48th season, the Durham Symphony Orchestra put on a special concert at the beginning of March titled “Compositions by Her – A Celebration of Women in Music.” 

    Members of the Durham Symphony Orchestra rehearse for a concert. (Spectrum News 1/Rachel Boyd)

    Maestro William Henry Curry, the music director for the orchestra, has been working to include neglected pieces by marginalized composers since he accepted the position in 2009.

    “When I think of the amount of female or women composers that have been suppressed, their content,” Curry said. “They still compose despite being lost in oblivion, ignored. Your heart breaks over that.”

    Founded in 1976, the symphony has always aimed to be “Durham’s People’s Orchestra” — reflecting the diversity of the community in its programming.

    “This is an era now where if there’s anything positive, we’re having an awakening to these treasures, like these female composers that never should have been buried in the first place,” Curry said.

    Maestro William Henry Curry champions the cause of marginalized composers and musicians. (Spectrum News 1/Rachel Boyd)

    According to the Orchestra Repertoire Report in the 2022-23 orchestra season, more than 87% of pieces performed were composed by men. Curry said the power of his podium comes in moments like this when he gets to be what he calls a “composer’s advocate.”

    “To root for the underdog and bring forward the unjustly neglected pieces and performers, to me is kind of a natural, innate,” Curry said.

    He said you can feel that these women are saying things through their music that words couldn’t convey and believes sometimes you have to play what people need to hear even if it’s not comfortable or easy.

    The report also shows that in 2016 works by female composers and composers of color made up only 4% of programming — today that number has increased to 24% thanks to efforts like those of the Durham Symphony Orchestra. 

    “These are people that could have given up and they would have been forgiven for giving up, but they wouldn’t have forgiven themselves,” Curry said. 

    The orchestra’s next concert is a free outdoor performance the first weekend in May called Pops in the Park. It will conclude the season with a performance with the Choral Society of Durham on May 19 at Duke University. 

    The Durham Symphony Orchestra curated a concert to honor women in music. (Spectrum News 1/Rachel Boyd)

    Rachel Boyd

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  • Military high schooler honored during Women’s History Month

    Military high schooler honored during Women’s History Month

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — Joining the Florida Army National Guard is a commitment that few take on. 

    It’s even more unusual to enlist while still in high school, but that’s the commitment Alexandria Goodin, a senior at Hollins High School in St. Petersburg, took on. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Alexandria Goodin joined the Florida Army National Guard at 17 years old

    • Goodin got to take part in a special ceremony as the shortest-serving member at the event

    • Phyllis Wilson, the President of the Military Women’s Memorial, is excited to see what Goodin accomplishes in the future

    She joined shortly after turning 17 years old.

    “I was told that I couldn’t, so I did,” she said. “That’s why I went to join the military. I wanted to push myself to the greatest point I could.”

    Now 18, she spent the night of March 28 surrounded by other women in the military who left their mark, like Phyllis Wilson. 

    Wilson, the President of the Military Women’s Memorial and one of the keynote speakers at the Tribute to Women in Defense event, is someone Goodin looks up to. 

    “These women have fought so hard in the challenges and breakthroughs that they have gone through to allow me to be in the army today, and to allow the comfortability and the safety of today’s society is something I’m so grateful for,” Goodin said. 

    As the shortest-serving member at the event, Goodin spent a special moment with Wilson, the longest-serving member, passing two coins between the two of them.  

    “To be recognized by her is something I’ll forever cherish,” Goodin said. 

    Wilson spent nearly 40 years in the military before taking on her current role for the Military Women’s Memorial. She said this is a special tradition and can’t wait to see what Goodin takes on in the future.

    “It’s so much fun to watch the wide-eyed, the excitement that she has in her eyes, what she’s looking forward to, and what she certainly can yet imagine she’s going to do,” she said. 

    Goodin said the coins shining in her hands are a reminder that her journey is just starting.

    Next up, she will be studying political science at the University of South Florida, followed by law school.

    Matt Lackritz

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  • Bay area woman joins history makers with her very own bourbon

    Bay area woman joins history makers with her very own bourbon

    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A Bay area woman is joining a small group of women who are changing the face of whiskey and bourbon.

    Women and whisky, in this case, it’s women making whisky, specifically a Black woman making whiskey.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Bay area woman just launched her own bourbon, Sinuous Bourbon

    • Erica Sutherlin said her dream of creating her own brand of bourbon dates back to her childhood and family gatherings

    • “So sinuous means windy and curvy and I think bourbon for me, reminds me of a brown woman,” Sutherlin said

    For decades the whiskey and bourbon making business has been male-dominated, but that’s changing with brands like Uncle Nearest, created by women, named after enslaved African American, Nearest Green.

    Green was the first known African American master distiller.

    Meanwhile, a Bay area woman just launched her own bourbon, adding her to the list of female history makers.

    Erica Sutherlin is the owner of Sinuous Bourbon. She said her dream of creating her own brand of bourbon dates back to her childhood and family gatherings. When she shared this dream with her mentor, who just happens to own Dunamis Premium Spirits in Zephyrhills, they began working to make that dream a reality.

    After months of work, her unique brand and recipe were born.

    “The smell is soft and sweet,” Sutherlin said. “You can smell the caramel and the vanilla coming right off the top.

    “When it’s on the palette, it’s just a little bit of pepper on the top of the tongue and then it opens up really soft and wide and then it finishes very smooth.”

    It’s a uniquely named bourbon blend.

    “So sinuous means windy and curvy and I think bourbon for me, reminds me of a brown woman,” she said. “The color and on the palette, the passion, just a little peppery but it’s also smooth and soft.”

    The bottle has her women-influenced, custom-made, signature logo.

    “We went into understanding the gears and wanting the gears and the lightbulbs and all of that, to celebrate or to bring focus to women and their innovations, and how they’re always creating,” she said.

    Creating life, memories and the perfect bourbon is now a dream realized for Sutherlin.

    “I remember being young on Friday nights and my mom and the neighbor would get together and pour a drink and listen to the blues, and I just thought that was so fascinating,” she said.

    What was once just a fascination is now bottled up at a Black owned distillery, Dunamis in Zephyrhills, owned by her mentor and run by Jerome Warren. “It may sound cliché but being Black owned and operated shows other individuals that want to do things, that want to try things that yes, son, you too can do this,” he said.

    Now it’s yes, “daughter” you can do this. And for Sutherlin hearing that it’s about as sweet as that first sip of bourbon, as fascinating as her family enjoying a glass and as good as it gets when it comes to telling a story. A woman’s story.

    “I think that’s what it’s about, right? I see you, you open the door, you create the path, I walk the path. I open the door for other people to create the path and we continue to build and grow that. And that’s how our voices become one. And that’s where the power is,” Sutherlin said.

    All of that bottled up to inspire women for generations to come.

    Sinuous is in its early stages, so it’s available for now at the Dunamis Premium Spirits tasting room in Zephyrhills. But Sutherlin is hoping to be in the stores of businesses around the country, starting in the Tampa Bay area in women-owned bars and liquor stores.

    Saundra Weathers

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  • Nutritionist helping people live healthier lives

    Nutritionist helping people live healthier lives

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina woman is channeling her passion into teaching people how to live healthier lives. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate the contributions of women across the globe 

    •  A North Carolina resident is being recognized for her efforts to keep people healthier 

    •  She hopes her story inspires others to live their life to the fullest 


    Ini Isangedighi, known as the Naija Goddess, is a board-certified holistic nutritionist and chef. Every Sunday, she leads a two-hour nutrition and cooking class for residents. 

    The event is sponsored by the Arts & Science Council Culture Blocks of Mecklenburg County, which allows people to attend the classes for free. 

    Isangedighi says it’s important to give back in ways that will help others live life to the fullest.

    “I just know I suffered for 25 years,” she said. “I’m spreading education [about] nutrition, giving tasty plant-based recipes people will actually enjoy and want to prepare.”

    Isangedighi says for years, she struggled with being sick.

    “It was almost like a normal part of my life,” she said. 

    She says her health worsened when she started her undergraduate education. 

    “I gained about 80 pounds in the span of about three months with no change to my diet or physical activity level, and I couldn’t figure out what was going on,” Isangedighi said. “I went to a host of doctors; they didn’t know what was going on.”

    Isangedighi says she was later told she had several serious health conditions, including high cholesterol and pre-diabetes. 

    “They said all these things were not reversible and could be managed with medications,” Isangedighi said. “I didn’t want to live that life anymore. It never sat well with me.”

    Things changed for her when she reached her mid-30s. 

    “I watched a documentary wth my father that changed my life,” she said. “I changed my diet to a whole food plant-based diet and 80 pounds melted off of me with no effort. All my illnesses went away. No doctor [I visited] ever told me food is medicine.” 

    Isangedighi made the decision to go to school and become a certified holistic nutritionist. 

    She now runs her own company, The Naija Goddess. Her brand is dedicated to teaching people how to live healthier lives. 

    “Naija means Nigerian,” Isangedighi said. “I was always called Nigerian Barbie Doll growing up. I changed it to goddess to represent the God in me, so that’s why the Naija Goddess is my company name.” 

    She says her father and husband played pivotal roles with motivating her to become the leader she is today. 

    “I started this journey with my father,” she said. “Unfortunately, he was taken from us. My dad, his last years were his best years, I’m grateful for the time we did share. Since he’s been gone, my husband has been my rock, my inspiration. He’s my muscle, he carries all the stuff [I need] in. I always say I couldn’t do this without him.” 

    Ini Isangedighi with her husband, Demond Carter, left, and her father, Kpoto Okon Isangedighi. (Courtesy Ini Isangedighi)

    Deborah Carson lives in Charlotte. She recently made the decision to stop eating meat. 

    Carson and her mother started attending Isangedighi’s classes to learn more about plant-based meals. 

    “It’s going to help me to live longer and to be here,” Carson said. “I can’t be of service to anybody if I’m all broke down with diseases. It helps us think about cutting down on disease, the prevention of cancer. I don’t have them, but I think about all those things because those things have been in my family. This is going to be beneficial all around. [Plus] the food is good.” 

    Carson says she’s grateful for the work Isangedighi is doing to enrich so many people’s lives. 

    “She gives us homework, and she tests you the next time, but she makes it fun,” Carson said. “She’s very knowledgeable, very supportive.”

    “At 41, I feel like I’m 21 because at 21 I felt 91,” Isangedighi said. “It was my loving obligation to share [what I learned] with the community. I’m not saying it’s the only way, but this is a way you can live a healthier and happier way where you’re fulfilled. It’s an honor to see the impact it’s had on our community.” 

    Isangedighi’s nutrition and cooking demonstration class takes places 3-5 p.m. Sundays at Love in Action Cafe. The classes wrap up on June 30. 

    Jennifer Roberts

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  • Manatee County performer reflects on her family’s history in the circus

    Manatee County performer reflects on her family’s history in the circus

    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Germana Meluzzi is an eighth-generation circus performer who lives in Myakka City, and for her every day is different when you work in the circus.

    What You Need To Know

    • Germana Meluzzi is an eighth-generation circus performer who says performing runs in her blood

    • Her mother, Silvana “Cha Cha” Meluzzi, was also a circus performer and made history 

    • Both she and her family have always felt that the circus is their home and they have always felt included in a diverse group of people

    But she says she wouldn’t have it any other way.

    “I love the circus, because I love working with all the animals,” she said. “They are my family, and we get to travel and meet different people.”

    Meluzzi has been in the circus since she was a kid. Performing runs in her blood.

    She even earned national recognition, advancing to the quarterfinals of Americas Got Talent, and says her family is the first to train a llama to go through a hula-hoop.

    While training these animals is a form of therapy for Meluzzi, she says it’s her fellow circus performers that truly became her second family.

    “I think everyone should live their lives like circus families. We are all-inclusive, don’t judge. We don’t discriminate, we love everyone equally. Just like my animals, we are just all mixed up together,” she explained.

    Her mother, Silvana “Cha Cha” Meluzzi, made history as the first woman to be shot out of a double-repeating cannon in the Ringling Brothers Circus.

    “I think she was 14 in this picture,” Germana Meluzzi said, looking at a photo of her mother.

    Parts of their family history, including her mom’s belongings, are celebrated inside the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art. There is even a video of her mother shooting out of the cannon.

    “It’s such an honor,” Meluzzi said. “I’m so proud of her and our family legacy.”

    Her family even donated their original compressed-air cannon to the museum.

    “She was a great performer, and after her shot, after the show, she would stand outside and give people her autograph,” Meluzzi said.

    Meluzzi said her mother wanted to treat everyone with respect, and make her fans feel included — it’s a legacy she carries on today.

    “I still perform,” she said. “Circus is my life, and my kids’ life.”

    The Meluzzis perform in 49 U.S. states, and anyone interested in seeing their act can find them at the Fort Myers Fair until March 10.

    Julia Hazel

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  • Study reveals financial security disparities women face

    Study reveals financial security disparities women face

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A study shows fewer women in the U.S. feel financially secure or confident in their retirement readiness plan than men.

    What You Need To Know

    • During Women’s History Month, Spectrum News 1 is looking at disparities women face when it comes to building generational wealth
    • A 2023 study from Northwestern Mutual reveals fewer women in the U.S. feel financially secure or confident in their retirement readiness plan than men
    • That study shows four in 10 women feel financially secure and 44% think they will be financially prepared for retirement, while 61% of men feel they will be financially prepared for retirement
    • Gen Z and millennial women are more optimistic than previous generations about the future and most likely to say their financial planning needs improvement, the study found



    Northwestern Mutual’s Planning and Progress Study in 2023 found four in 10 U.S. women feel financially secure and 44% think they will be financially prepared for retirement. Sixty-one percent of men feel they will be financially prepared for retirement.

    The study also found Gen Z and millennial women are more optimistic about the future than older generations and most likely to say their financial planning needs improvement.

    Martha Cooper Hudson, an adviser with Northwestern Mutual in Charlotte, says there are many barriers women face, such as the pay gap, while trying to gain generational wealth.

    “For women, certain life factors can alter their financial plans compared to their male counterparts. Life expectancy, retirement age, maternity leave, caregiving responsibilities and a variety of other considerations ultimately influence how many women prepare for their financial futures,” Cooper Hudson said.

    She recommends women keep the following points in mind when asking for a pay raise:

    • Provide evidence of positive performance and successes to validate why a raise is deserved
    • Instead of asking for a raise spontaneously, decide when raises and promotions are typically discussed and reevaluated at your company and plan accordingly
    • Keep the conversation about yourself and your salary private rather than discussing and comparing coworker salaries
    • Rather than accepting a promotion without a raise, do not be afraid to have a discussion about also getting a raise. It’s important to keep in mind that promotions may be necessary to get a raise – these tend to be higher than performance-based raises

    Cooper Hudson says there have been successes with women in business and finance.

    “Women are opening up businesses at rates higher than their male counterparts. According to eCommerceTips.org, women owned 42% of businesses in the U.S. Between 2014 and 2019, the number of companies owned by women grew by 21%, while all businesses increased by only 9%. Women of color own 50% of women-owned businesses in the U.S.,” she said.

    Siobhan Riley

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