Photo Courtesy of Jamaal Ethridge and Carolyn Mason
March is Women’s History Month. Beginning as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California, the movement quickly spread across the country. In 1987, Congress passed Public Law 100-9, which designated March as Womenโs History Month. The purpose of this month is to celebrate and honor womenโs contributions in American history. Here, in Alachua County, we are surrounded by women who work hard to advocate for the community and for students in the Alachua County Public School system. This month, I wanted to recognize some of these local women who do so much.
Carjie Scott
Carjie Scott believes being a woman means having an obligation to her community. As a wife and a mother, she is responsible for her children and how they behave in the world, as well as helping her husband be equipped with the tools that he needs in life and work.ย
Scott has always felt inspired by female leaders and strong women like Beyonce and Oprah who both come from humble beginnings and have transformed their careers.
Scott is an author and co-founder of a nonprofit organization calledย The Education Equalizer Foundation. She works as an adjunct instructor at Santa Fe College and as an executive administrator at a Historically Black College and University. She has 10 and a half years of experience in higher education.
Through her nonprofit she helps families get their students through college.
โWe are deliberate and intentional to try to help Black, minority and first generation college students with having the tools that they need to not only start school, but stay in school and graduate debt-free,โ Scott said.
She was driven to do this work as a minority and as a first generation college student herself.ย
โIt wasnโt until I got enrolled into college that I realized the different opportunities that I could have and how attending college could change the entire trajectory of my life,โ Scott said. โMy college education literally saved my life.โ
Scott believes thereโs an extra tax that comes with being a woman, especially one in leadership. Women often encourage people to be their authentic selves and challenge people to be self-reflective. Women often take on additional roles, she said.
โSometimes I have to be not just the director โฆ but also the guidance counselor or the therapist if a kid had a bad day or the transportation โฆ if students get themselves in a sticky situation,โ Scott said. โBecause Iโm a woman, oftentimes Iโm seen as a mom to my students.โ
She feels grateful to be seen in such a trustworthy light as a sister, an aunt, a mom or a daughter figure to so many.ย
There are some days where taking on all of these roles can feel burdensome.
โIโm human, and Iโm not always able to give if my cup is empty,โ Scott said.ย
Thereโs also a prevalence of prejudice like sexism and racism in higher education as well, she said.ย
โAll of those things are burdensome, just the societal norms that we have to deal with as women because women are a minority,โ Scott said.ย
She has learned how to prioritize self-care, and believes itโs important for other women to as well. This means going to the gym several days a week, eating healthy and journaling or writing before bed each night.ย
To younger women, she says: โtrust your inner gut and trust your instincts.โ
โReally take advantage of opportunities where you can find mentorship from people whoโve already walked towards the path that youโre wanting to go down,โ she said.
RELATED ARTICLES
Learn Some Self-Defense Techniques During Womenโs History Month
Local Women Battle Ovarian Cancer, Part 2
International Womenโs Day: Finding Peace and Balance with Work, Family and Fitness
National Nutrition Month: Celebrate A World Of Flavorsย