We Can Do It

Up for a quick history lesson?

During World War II, the United States faced labor shortages as millions of men left their jobs to serve in the military. As a result, the government launched the "Get Women to Work" campaign in 1943, aimed at tapping into the "vast reserve of woman power" to fill the void.

The U.S. Secretary of War (what would now be considered the Secretary of Defense) Henry Stimson declared that to win the war, the country would need to "fully utilize, immediately and effectively, the largest and potentially the finest single source of labor available today—the vast reserve of woman power." The statement was a call to action for American women to step up and help their country by taking on jobs traditionally reserved for men.

Despite obstacles like gender discrimination, job training, and societal pressures to conform to traditional gender roles, women from all walks of life answered the call to serve. This was an incredible moment in time where it's as if you could see the world changing before your eyes - where everyone, regardless of gender, was coming together for the good of their country.

Some of the most recognizable symbols of this era were Rosie the Riveter and Wendy the Welder, fictional characters created to represent the women who worked in factories and shipyards during the war. They became legends on their own, icons of strength that I think all women today can appreciate. 

Today, we can look back at the women who worked these tough jobs with admiration and respect - they paved the way for the women of today to never let our gender stop us from pursuing a career we aspire to have. We can do it- and we will! 

With love,
Kara