Women’s History Month: One of Many

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Adrianna Hopkins
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs

A year can be broken down in many ways; 365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months. No matter how it is described, time is the one factor that keeps moving, never stopping and never ceasing. Out of the 12 months, time has been set aside to focus on influential women of yesterday and today, and sets the foundation for those to come tomorrow. Women have challenged the status quo and have been changing the ideas of what a woman should be. There is not a cookie-cutter woman, each is created differently, and individuality is what leads and inspires change, growth, and development of new ideas.

As Women’s History Month comes to an end, it is essential to reflect on the accomplishments of women. One of the special women that continues to lead the way is Staff Sgt. Kayla Hoard-Lee. She is a noncommissioned officer who instructs and leads others to success in the 315th Training Squadron and throughout Goodfellow Air Force Base.

Hoard-Lee instructs the targeting technical school, setting the tone for many careers. Her strong personality and leadership push her students and other faculty members to strive for success and include the Air Force core value of “excellence in all we do” into everyday life.

Hoard-Lee is an influential woman who sets an example for others to come. When asked about celebrating other women, Hoard-Lee examines the importance of celebrating other’s accomplishments and notes the importance of looking back through history.

Women of history have pushed through many struggles to get to today’s point. Without looking through history and understanding where others have come from, it is hard to see the advances of today.

Hoard-Lee thinks hindrance on women can have an effect, “I believe that it stifles the confidence of the younger generations of women, leading them to believe that due to certain perceived societal rules, there are limits that cannot be broken.”

Hoard-Lee shares some encouraging words when it comes to women’s struggles, “…while true that some limits do exist, it is not impossible to break them. In fact, these limits must be broken for positive change.”

Positive change has been made and continues to make advances in the society of today. Hoard-Lee states, “A lot of the time, there isn't one contribution that will change the world but rather a bunch of small contributions that add up.”

Looking back, one contribution by women that has impacted Hoard-Lee most, though it is hard to choose just one, is the fight for the equality.

A woman that inspires Hoard-Lee is former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Throughout her life, Ginsburg worked to earn respect, and she never quit the fight for equality. Ginsburg voiced her opinions and made known what she believed to drive her political field and spent her life fighting for equality and justice. Hoard-Lee reflects on the accomplishments of Ginsburg, “I think for me what stood out the most, she put what she believed first, before how successful she could be.”

Some important lessons can be gained from, Hoard-Lee, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Women’s History Month. When asked what lessons others should take from this month Hoard-Lee states, “it doesn't take someone special to make a change happen”.

As this month challenges others to look into the past to see the influences women have made, Hoard-Lee notes, “Everything that is done builds into what the future will become. If you lead a life that follows what you believe, change will follow.”