Last night on March 8th, the Eleanor Project presented HERstory, an event that took place at the Haggin Museum. This was one of their first events since partnering with the United Way of San Joaquin County. The event celebrated women in our community and their achievements, as well as promoted female empowerment and supportive networking. Along with having a room full of historical archives that highlighted important women and groups of women who dedicated themselves to uplifting their communities (including Haven of Peace founder Ethel Ellison and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority), the night also featured a presentation by Dr. Edie Sparks, a history professor at University of the Pacific who spoke about her book, Boss Lady. The book highlights three women entrepreneurs who ran successful businesses during times where it was extremely rare to find women in high-ranking positions: Margaret Rudkin, Olive Ann Beech, and Stockton’s very own Tillie Lewis.
Named after Eleanor Roosevelt, the Eleanor Project- founded by Kristen Birtwhistle and Stacy Jackson- consists of events and programs that focus on celebrating women’s accomplishments by bringing them together and sharing their stories. Other events include TEP Talks, Oxygen Mask Social Events, Dinner and Discussions, and Women Owned and Operated (WOO) business development opportunities.
To learn more about the Eleanor Project, please visit their website here: The Eleanor Project