Women’s equality event celebrates 105 years of voting

RAPID CITY – A women’s equality day event in Rapid City is bringing together a diverse panel of women leaders to celebrate the Nineteenth Amendment while addressing contemporary challenges facing women in politics and society.

The Rapid City event, Celebrating Women’s Equality Day: Women in Politics Town Hall will be held at The Dahl Tuesday August 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM with free admission.

Passed by Congress June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920, the Nineteenth amendment granted women the right to vote. While it had been ratified a constitutional amendment must be certified. That happened on August 26, 1920. Twenty-six million adult female Americans became eligible to vote but full electoral equality was still decades away for women of color and Native Americans, both men and women, who were excluded because the federal government did not recognize Native Americans as citizens.

The Rapid City event, which is sponsored by the Pennington County Democrats and the Black Hills Center for Equality, League of Women Voters (LWV) Black Hills Chapter, Democracy in Action (DIA), and Tampon Tuesday Social Club, will recognize the contributions of women to politics, including their varying perspectives and experiences, which research indicates can influence governance.

“All women are welcome,” explained Ranee Haglund Chair of the Pennington County Democrats, noting the importance of having Republican voices. “This is after all a non-partisan event. I did invite a couple of Republican ladies who weren’t able to accept the invitation for various reasons, but we do have former state Representative Jacqueline Sly who will be sitting on the panel.”

The eight-person panel includes a diverse array of voices: city councilors, former legislators, advocates, and community leaders. Panelists will be the advocacy manager for the ACLU of South Dakota Samantha Chapman, newly elected City Council member for Ward 5 Callie Meyer, District 32 State Representative Nicole Uhri-Balk, Dr. Valeriah Big Eagle who leads NDN Collective He Sapa Initiatives, He Sapa Otipi Director Cante Hart, Amy Sazue founder of Remembering the Children Memorial and Eltina Three Stars director of a local non-profit and small business owner, former Representative Jacqueline Sly and District 10 Representative Erin Healy. Former USDA Rural Development Director Nikki Gronli, who is on the Executive Board of the South Dakota Democratic Party (SDDP), will moderate the event. The town hall format is designed to encourage audience participation who will be able to ask questions of the panel.

Three Stars ran for City Council against Ward 4 incumbent Lance Lehman in the Rapid City municipal election in June. While she lost that race, she said she was inspired by the need for adequate representation of everyone in the community, but particularly from the Indigenous community. Three Stars explained that lack of representation can lead to feelings of exclusion and discouragement. Her participation underscores the event’s commitment to highlighting women from all backgrounds who are making change in their communities.

Gronli emphasized the inclusive nature of the gathering and said the timing of this year’s event carries particular significance given recent national developments. Gronli referenced the controversy surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who recently posted a video of his pastor criticizing women’s right to vote. “I just never thought I’d see a moment in history where we’d see something like that from a defense secretary,” Gronli reflected, emphasizing why protecting women’s rights remains crucial.

The concern about protecting hard-won rights threads through the event’s mission. “With Women’s Equality Day, we’re celebrating the United States adopting the Nineteenth Amendment and giving women the right to vote.” In a quieter voice she added, “And it’s so important to me at this point in time, that it seems like we have to protect it again”

Organizers are looking to highlight the economic dimensions of gender equality. Gronli said that countries with gender equality are more economically prosperous. “Women in positions of power contribute significantly to economic growth and national development. So, it’s kind of shocking to think that at this point in time, we would have someone at the national level who doesn’t view it that way.” .

A key focus of the town hall will be supporting women who choose to enter politics, acknowledging that “it can be tough to be a woman in politics.” The panelists plan to discuss how women can support each other in political arenas and share their experiences of inspiration, successes, and challenges. “We want to talk about why it’s important for women to be in those positions and participate in that and what some of the challenges are for women in politics.

As the event approaches, organizers emphasize its role in both celebration and call to action. The town hall format allows for direct engagement between panelists and community members, fostering dialogue about how to continue advancing women’s equality in all spheres of life.

The Women’s Equality Day event represents more than historical commemoration – it serves as a platform for contemporary women leaders to share their experiences, inspire others to seek office, and address the ongoing challenges that make their advocacy necessary. It also demonstrates that women’s equality remains both an achievement to celebrate and a goal requiring continued vigilance and action.

The day Gronli talked with Native Sun News Today was the same day the Nineteenth Amendment had been ratified in 1920. “So, today, as you and I are talking,” said Gronli, “we are 105 years from having that right, which may seem like a long time ago, but my grandma was born prior to that. And when she was born, women did not have the right to vote, and it came about during her lifetime. I just think how we haven’t had that right for very long. I felt so comfortable growing up that this right is an amendment to the Constitution. I believed it was safe. And yet here we are in 2025, 105 years later, and we’re seeing and hearing people say they don’t’ think our voices matter. This event is a great opportunity to bring women together and remind ourselves that we have to continue this fight for that right. I would love to see an election where we just have women all across the state say, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna step forward. I’m gonna run.’”

(Contact Marnie Cook at cookm8715@gmail.com)

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