In honor of Women’s History Month, La Salle’s Leadership class has constructed a Women’s History exhibit in the Fireside Room of the La Salle Center, which is open during school hours for the entire month of March.

The exhibit is comprised of three sections: “Athletes,” “Artists,” and “Activists.”

Each section features informative posters about notable women from those fields, such as Billie Jean King, Frida Kahlo, and Malala Yousafzai respectively.

Additionally, there is a “feminist wall” featuring statements from members of the La Salle community who identify as feminists, explaining why they became feminists and what issues they still see plaguing women worldwide.

Floral decorations and works from female AP and Advanced Art students are featured throughout the exhibit as well.

“All the artwork we have are from female-identifying people, but it is about their experiences through womanhood or empowering,” senior and leadership member Kamryn Houghton said. “So it’s all around that common theme of identity.”

In line with its official theme, “Made to Succeed,” the exhibit focuses on showcasing female accomplishments.

“I think it’s important to have the exhibit because I think it’s important for women in our community to be recognized for what they have done,” senior and leadership member Jenny Le said.

Senior Stella Rask, whose artwork is featured prominently in the exhibit, has a similar understanding of the exhibit’s message.

“I would say the theme is empowerment and also kind of feeling isolated a little bit,” Rask said. Her artwork, a linoleum block print entitled “Desolate,” explores that aforementioned isolation. “[The print is] talking about body positivity and how, when you’re living in a world that… has just very high expectations, you can feel alone and not like you’re fitting in, even when that doesn’t really matter,” she said.

In light of the stifling of female voices globally, the Women’s History Month exhibit aims to empower women and remind viewers of female successes.

“I think it’s always good to talk about, not that I would necessarily say women are a minority but in the past women have had and still do have unequal opportunities to a lot of things,” Houghton said. “So it’s important to uplift [them].” 

Aside from empowering, members of leadership also hope that the exhibit will provoke inward reflection in viewers regarding the opportunities they have.

“I hope that people feel inspired and also grateful if they have opportunities, like at La Salle, to quality education,” Houghton said. “I hope that they don’t take that for granted because there’s been a long history of women not getting equal rights in schools, work, and many other things. So I hope that people take that and kind of reflect in a way.”