March is Women’s History Month. Join us as we celebrate League members who make history every day. Today, meet Beth Pitton-August.
“Women winning the right to vote was just the beginning of our journey toward equality in political power. We can not sit back and we can not stop working towards that more perfect union” noted Beth.
Beth joined the League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara in 2005 and has served in many roles including being part of the LWVC board. Beth earned a BA in International Studies from Moody Bible Institute and a MA from DePaul University. Her Master’s thesis explored the influence of second wave feminist artists on contemporary women artists. Currently, Beth is the Director of Development at the UCSB Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. Her latest project is her first film, Just the Beginning, a feature length documentary exploring the past, present and future of women’s political power through the lens of the 100-year history of the League of Women Voters and allied groups.
Why is WHM important to you?
“The contributions of women to this country and their communities are unsung. It shouldn't take a month set aside to celebrate but we have it and I am grateful for it. WHM gives us a chance to celebrate women's accomplishments that encourage and inspire young women” said Beth.
“With every step of progress there is a backlash against women, and others fighting for equality like people of color and LGBTQ communites. We are experiencing a huge backlash against progress in our country. I think we can take a moment to acknowledge progress and we can also say the work isn't done” she added.
What woman do you most admire in history?
- Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins, the first woman of color President of the League of Women Voters. An educator, activist, and author of “The Untold Story of Women in Color in the League of Women Voters“, she raised the image of the League on the national stage.
- Ida B. Wells Barnett, a journalist and leader in suffrage movement, she told the stories of the racist lynchings in the South in her own newspaper and worked to elevate the voices of women and Black people.
Favorite Quote:
“If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice or Representation” -Abigail Adams
What do you want to be remembered for?
“Certainly the film I am working on - while it confronts a complicated history, it's a love letter to the League - it is a love letter to women that have made a difference and were willing to risk everything to do something good in the world. I want to be remembered for telling those stories. Oftentimes in my work I think about myself as a bridge trying to connect people with their passion to other people and causes where they can apply their passion and make a difference” said Beth
Find out more about Beth’s documentary in the making, Just the Beginning, a Century of Political Power and the League of Women Voters.
