By Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch

Indiana ratified the 19th Amendment in 1920, making last year the centennial anniversary of this important milestone in our state's and nation's history. Countless Hoosier women and male allies worked tirelessly during this movement to pave a new path for women in the future.

The celebration doesn't have to end there, as each March is Women's History Month. This annual event highlights the contributions of women in society, which should include the progress women are making in cybersecurity.

Recently, I spoke with the relatively new group, Government Women in Technology. Comprised mostly of women in state government, this group is supporting their fellow colleagues who work in an industry that has historically been a male-led field. In the past year, this group has grown to more than 100 people who work in information technology, cybersecurity, and other computer-related fields. At the same time, this group is lighting a path to encourage the next generation of women to seek a career in technology. These women are reaching out to schools and working with young female students to keep the interest alive in STEM classes.

This kind of interaction can have a lasting impact on our workforce.

The same was true for suffragists who worked for change to get women a spot at the polls. As part of the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, I chaired the Indiana Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission, an effort catalyzed by Indiana Humanities.

This partnership between a statewide network of women's and history organizations was such an eye-opening experience. We worked to ensure the important pieces of history are not and will not be forgotten because the suffrage movement demonstrated that ordinary people when working together, can make an extraordinary impact. The Commission developed and supported programming aimed at unearthing untold or lesser-known stories, as well as those that both educate and preserve the individual and collective legacies of women whose efforts were instrumental in the movement.

Some highlights from 2020 include:

• Jan. 16 Statehouse Celebration - Hundreds of people, from General Assembly members and suffrage commissioners to Girl Scouts, League of Women Voters members, and ordinary citizens, gathered to recognize Indiana's ratification of the 19th Amendment.
• Preserving Women's Legacy Grants - One-time grants allowed Indiana Main Street organizations in Angola, Michigan City, and Peru to discover, preserve and tell stories about the contributions women have made in their communities.
• Suffrage Block Party - In August, the Indiana Historical Society, Indiana State Museum, and others hosted a weeklong, virtual celebration featuring talks, and workshops highlighting the work of suffrage scholars, thinkers, and artists around Indiana.
• New Artworks Unveiled at the Statehouse - Two original works of art, a quilt titled "Together" by Indianapolis artist Kassie Woodworth and a painting titled "niNeteenth" by Decatur artist Shelby Nower, were unveiled as part of the state's permanent public art collections.
• New Discoveries - Thanks in part to the Indiana Humanities' May Wright Sewell Fellowships, we learned more about how Indiana women shaped suffrage and politics, including the lives and work of Black Hoosier suffragists and Monroe County and South Bend-area suffragists, and the participation of Black Hoosier women in the 1920 elections immediately following the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

I encourage all Hoosiers to learn more about these activities and more at: IndianaSuffrage100.org.

During Women's History Month, let's not only remember those who committed themselves before us but let's also continue to come together to equip future generations. And, remember, too, the legacy of women leading the way in Indiana is not a new phenomenon, rather it is a part of the fabric of who Hoosiers are.

#WomensHistoryMonth