Since 2016 Aura Galleria sponsors the “Our Mind Our Voices” (OMOV) Awards in recognition of a “Women of Influence” and “Women of Distinction.” The birth of this event began with visionary Gia Wilkerson Peebles, owner and operator of Aura Galleria. Ms. Wilkerson Peebles vision is a result of what was instilled in her by her grandmothers, which was to be strong, stay focus, and know your craft!

 

From behind the salon stylist chair, Gia has mastered her craft. In addition, she has given and received pearls of strength and wisdom—to and from hundreds of women. The OMOV legacy is intentional. It is the drive to empower and promote the wealth, opportunities, and privileges within society for women and their families. The drive to help develop happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise women fuels OMOV. Gia creates a beautiful environment and cultivates attendees self esteem through authentic acknowledgement and words of wisdom .

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So from Gia, now it is time as coined by Lily Hardy Hammond in her 1916 book In the Garden of Delight, to “pay it forward.”

 

 In 1987 the US Congress designated March as National Women’s History Month. The “Our Minds, Our Voices” initiative was born in observance of National Women’s History Month and to create a special opportunity in our community to recognize and celebrate the achievements of women.

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What is it, when did it begin

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March 2019 will mark the 31st anniversary of the passage of a law making March Women’s History Month in the United States. The observation, which was born out of a California school district’s celebration of women’s achievements, now is celebrated across the country, and includes parades, lectures, health screenings, art exhibits and other activities that highlight women’s contributions to society.

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What is it?

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Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to society.

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Why March?

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March was chosen as the month to celebrate women’s history because the first observances of Women’s History Week revolved around International Women’s Day, which is March 8. International Women’s Day, which honors women’s achievements worldwide, was first celebrated on March 8, 1911. The United Nations has sponsored International Women’s Day observances since 1975. In 1978, a school district in Sonoma, California, decided to honor women’s achievements simply participating in a Women’s History Week event. According to the National Women’s History Project, schools hosted essay contests, presentations by women were given at many of the schools in the district and a parade was held in downtown Santa Rosa, California The following year, a two-week conference examining women’s history was held at Sarah Lawrence College. Those participating in the conference learned about Sonoma County's Women's History Week celebration and decided to organize similar celebrations within their own schools and organizations. In 1981, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R -Utah, and Rep. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., co-sponsored a joint congressional resolution calling the week of March 7, 1982, Women’s History Week. Schools across the country began to incorporate Women’s History Week into their curriculum and, eventually, the week grew into a month - long observance. Fourteen states had declared March Women’s History Month by 1986. In 1987, the National Women’s History Project asked Congress to establish March as Women’s History Month. On March 12, 1987, the celebration became official when legislation was passed to designate March as Woman’s History Month in the United States.

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