{"id":39131,"date":"2025-08-22T21:44:50","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T02:44:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/womens-equality-event-celebrates-105-years-of-voting\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T21:45:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T02:45:09","slug":"womens-equality-event-celebrates-105-years-of-voting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/womens-equality-event-celebrates-105-years-of-voting\/","title":{"rendered":"Women\u2019s equality event celebrates 105 years of voting"},"content":{"rendered":"
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RAPID CITY \u2013 A women\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

The Rapid City event, Celebrating Women\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll women are welcome,\u201d explained Ranee Haglund Chair of the Pennington County Democrats, noting the importance of having Republican voices. \u201cThis is after all a non-partisan event. I did invite a couple of Republican ladies who weren\u2019t able to accept the invitation for various reasons, but we do have former state Representative Jacqueline Sly who will be sitting on the panel.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s commitment to highlighting women from all backgrounds who are making change in their communities.<\/p>\n

Gronli emphasized the inclusive nature of the gathering and said the timing of this year\u2019s 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\u2019s right to vote. \u201cI just never thought I\u2019d see a moment in history where we\u2019d see something like that from a defense secretary,\u201d Gronli reflected, emphasizing why protecting women\u2019s rights remains crucial.<\/p>\n

The concern about protecting hard-won rights threads through the event\u2019s mission. \u201cWith Women\u2019s Equality Day, we\u2019re celebrating the United States adopting the Nineteenth Amendment and giving women the right to vote.\u201d In a quieter voice she added, \u201cAnd it\u2019s so important to me at this point in time, that it seems like we have to protect it again\u201d<\/p>\n

Organizers are looking to highlight the economic dimensions of gender equality. Gronli said that countries with gender equality are more economically prosperous. \u201cWomen in positions of power contribute significantly to economic growth and national development. So, it\u2019s kind of shocking to think that at this point in time, we would have someone at the national level who doesn\u2019t view it that way.\u201d .<\/p>\n

A key focus of the town hall will be supporting women who choose to enter politics, acknowledging that \u201cit can be tough to be a woman in politics.\u201d The panelists plan to discuss how women can support each other in political arenas and share their experiences of inspiration, successes, and challenges. \u201cWe want to talk about why it\u2019s important for women to be in those positions and participate in that and what some of the challenges are for women in politics.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s equality in all spheres of life.<\/p>\n

The Women\u2019s Equality Day event represents more than historical commemoration \u2013 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\u2019s equality remains both an achievement to celebrate and a goal requiring continued vigilance and action.<\/p>\n

The day Gronli talked with Native Sun News Today was the same day the Nineteenth Amendment had been ratified in 1920. \u201cSo, today, as you and I are talking,\u201d said Gronli, \u201cwe 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\u2019t 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\u2019re seeing and hearing people say they don\u2019t\u2019 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, \u2018Yeah, I\u2019m gonna step forward. I\u2019m gonna run.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

(Contact Marnie Cook at cookm8715@gmail.com)<\/span><\/p>\n

The post Women\u2019s equality event celebrates 105 years of voting<\/a> first appeared on Native Sun News Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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RAPID CITY \u2013 A women\u2019s 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\u2019s Equality Day: Women in Politics Town Hall will be <\/p>\n

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Shared by Native Sun News Today<\/a> August 22, 2025<\/p>\n

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