HomeMy WebLinkAbout20260323 Women's History Month 2026
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH 2026
WHEREAS, Women’s History Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the vital contributions of women throughout our
nation’s history, and to honor the leaders, trailblazers, and community builders who have defined our civic institutions, strengthened
our democracy, and shaped our communities; and
WHEREAS, women have made significant contributions in Palo Alto for over a century, for example, during Palo Alto’s
formative years, the Woman’s Club of Palo Alto served as an important forum for public leadership at a time when women were
not yet eligible to vote or hold political office; the Woman’s Club contributed to the establishment of local schools, community
beautification efforts, street tree planting, and the founding of the Palo Alto library; and
WHEREAS, members of the Woman’s Club of Palo Alto, including suffrage advocates Alice Park and Emily Pardee Karns
Dixon, reflected the long tradition of women’s civic leadership by helping lead the successful local campaign supporting California
women’s right to vote in 1911; and
WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto has also been shaped by the generosity of local philanthropist, Lucie Stern, who in the 1930s
commissioned the creation of enduring community institutions including the Lucie Stern Community Center, the Lucie
Stern Community Theatre, the Palo Alto Children’s Theatre, the Children’s Library, and the Boy Scout’s Fire Circle, which
continue to serve as vibrant gathering places for arts, education, and community connection; and
WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto has benefited from the leadership, service, and vision of women Palo Alto City Council
members for more than a century, beginning with Emma Blair (1919–1925), Josephine Duveneck (1923–1927), Margaret Thomas
(1925–1931), and Frances Merner (1937–1953), whose service opened the doors for future generations of women in local
government; and
WHEREAS, over the decades, women have continued to serve the City of Palo Alto with distinction, including Frances Dias,
who made history as the City’s first woman Mayor in 1966, twelve additional women who have since held the office of Mayor and
fifteen more women Councilmembers, whose leadership helped advance policies, strengthen neighborhoods, support education
and families, protect open space, inspire future generations of women, and guide the City through periods of growth and change;
and
WHEREAS, these leaders, along with numerous women City staff members, including June Fleming, Palo Alto’s first woman
City Manager, have helped shape Palo Alto’s commitment to civic engagement, sustainability, education, public safety, inclusion,
and innovation; and
WHEREAS, Women’s History Month also provides an opportunity to recognize women from many fields whose contributions
have enriched the cultural, civic, and economic life of Palo Alto, including pioneer and businesswoman Juana Briones de Miranda,
Stanford chemist and Nobel Laureate Carolyn Bertozzi, artist Joan Baez, Palo Alto Research Center groundbreaking computer
scientists Lynn Conway and Adele Goldberg, Asian Americans for Community Involvement co-founder and Asian Women’s Home
founder Mary Chan Seid, Judge LaDoris Cordell, physician Sarah Cody, hockey gold medalist Hilary Knight, and many more
educators, nonprofit leaders, business owners, engineers, artists, athletes, public servants, caregivers, community volunteers, and
stewards of the home.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Vicki Veenker, Mayor of the City of Palo Alto, on behalf of the entire City Council, do hereby proclaim
March 2026 as Women’s History Month in the City of Palo Alto, and encourage all residents to honor the legacy of women past
and present, to celebrate their contributions and achievements, and to continue advancing equity, opportunity, and full participation
for women and girls in our community.
PRESENTED: March 23, 2026
____________________________
Vicki Veenker
Mayor
Proclamation