(KTSF by Hellas Leung)
Oakland today celebrated International Women’s Day by recognizing the achievements of women of different ages and professions.
Teresa Deloach Reed,the Chief of Oakland Fire Department, was recognized. She is the nation’s first African-American woman to lead a major fire department, and the first woman to head the Oakland Fire Department in its 142-year history.
Mayor Jean Quan said it is important for older women to support younger women by encouraging them to be outstanding leaders. She added that young people need role models to learn from and improve .
The origin of International Women’s Day started from the working classes in New York City and Europe. At a meeting in Copenhagen in 1910, an International Women’s Day with no fixed date was proposed to honor the women’s rights movement. In New York on March 8, 1908, about 15,000 women garment workers marched through the city demanding economic and political rights. On 28th February the following year, the first National Women’s Day was observed across the United States.
(Copyright 2012 KTSF. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
