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| Dr. Maha Gingrich receives flowers from Phin Xaypangna, chairperson of the planning committee of the 2018 Charlotte International Women's Day. |
by Susan Palmes-Dennis
Charlotte, North Carolina—The hundreds of participants to this year's Charlotte International Women’s Day were challenged to serve as mentors to the next generation of women in their respective communities.
In her speech, the event's speaker Dr. Maha Gingrich told the diverse crowd of women attendees at the International House to sow trust in their community and help lead the women to become achievers in their own right.
“I challenge you to get a young professional, friend or a colleague and help them professionally. I tell you it is rewarding,” said Gingrich, the vice president of the Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC).
Gingrich, who also serves as the International liaison officer for the CPCC, came in her native Indian costume. Her dress is colored purple, the designated color for this year's International Women's Day which is held at the International House for the third year in a row.
Dr. Gingrich came from South India and is also a TV host who focuses on immigrant success stories.
“As women we want to be everything, we are super women,” Dr. Gingrich said, earning enthusiastic applause from the women participants.
She said this generation's superwomen are expected to care for everyone, with their right hand holding a child, the other hand clutching a phone and her feet soothing the family pet.
Gingrich also talked about her childhood and her father's role as her mentor, instilling in her principles and values that would shape her character. “Father instilled in me the ambition to succeed in life ,” she said.
John Autry, the Democratic party candidate for the North Carolina House of representatives District 100 welcomed the attendees in behalf of Ella Scarborough, chairperson of the Board of County Commissioners.
Phin Xaypangna of Mecklenburg County, who is this year's chairperson of the
planning committee for the event, reminded everyone present that while much had been done to advance women's welfare, a lot of work still lays ahead to improve their status.
Xaypanga is the chairperson of the event's planning Committee for the past three years. For her part Alexis Gardon, chief protocol officer of the City of Charlotte said women should not be relegated as objects.
“I am a noun, not an adjective,” she said. Gordon said women should not remain content in being labeled through adjectives that describe her beauty but also as leaders.
A call to action later followed after the speech, with each participant given a Press for Progress ballot and asked to check the boxes in the ballot for a pledge of support to initiatives to improve women's welfare as explained by Phin Xaypanga.
These boxers consist of pledges to register to vote in the November elections, educating oneself on the candidates and the issues they support. This commitment for civic engagement drew enthusiastic feedback from the participants.
Among the cultural performers during the event were harpist Chiara Capobianco, Shefaleenpatel who performed an Indian folk dance, Mimoouna and Kim who performed an African dance, Molina and the Crew who performed a Latin American dance and the Philippines Cultural Dance troupe of Charlotte led by Maria Corazon Benrokiya and Dorena Reynolds who did the Ifugao dance.
She said she is grateful for having helped the celebration of International Women's Day for the past three years.
Among the Filipino Americans who attended the event were incumbent FACC Treasurer Mildred Cordova and Auditor Gloria Cagadas Grifenhagen, Roditha Fuentes Terado, Sony Krupp, Janet Hixson, Aurea Barbee, Maria Corazon Benrokiya, Dorena Reynolds and FACC member Ronnie and Susan Dennis.
Also in attendance Leigh Altman, Meckklenburg County Commissioner candidate. Barbee and Krupp helped Lee in the food committee.
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