The celebration of Women’s History Month grew out of a week-long celebration of women’s contributions to culture, history, and society organized in 1978 by the school district of Sonoma, California. Join us in recognizing the achievements of remarkable women throughout our history and the current-day trailblazers.
Nan Mahon
Nan Mahon, a resident of Elk Grove, is an appointed member of the City's Arts Commission. Nan is an accomplished author, journalist, freelance writer, band agent, and advocate for the arts. She previously served as a commissioner for the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and is one of the founders of the Advocates for the Arts Project. Nan is also a co-producer of the Jazz/Blues Vespers program in Elk Grove and has written a theatrical show called "A Musical History of the Blues."
Senator Angelique Ashby
Senator Angelique Ashby is a trailblazer for women in California politics and represents Senate District 8, which includes Elk Grove. Prior to becoming Senator, she served on the Sacramento City Council for 12 years and made history there by being the first and only city council member to serve as Vice Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem for eight years, as well as becoming the first Councilmember to give birth while in office in Sacramento.
Learn more about Senator Angelique Ashby
Dr. Sally Ride
(1951–2012)
California native, Dr. Sally Ride, was the first American woman to fly in space and, at 32, the youngest American in space. She had a deep interest in science from childhood. Sally was selected as one of NASA’s first six female astronauts while pursuing her doctorate degree at Stanford University, where her research focused on the absorption of X-rays by interstellar gas. Sally Ride flew twice on the space shuttle Challenger; on June 18, 1983, and October 5, 1984.
Sally co founded Sally Ride Science in 2001 to inspire young people in STEM, promote STEM literacy, and motivate more students, especially girls and under served groups, to explore STEM. In 2013, she was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then President Obama who extolled Sally’s pioneering achievements as an astronaut.
Learn more about Dr. Sally Ride
Photo source: Creative Commons
Charity Adams Earley
(1918–2002)
Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley was a soldier and community activist. She was a Wilberforce University alumna and highest ranking African American woman at the end of World War II. Earley was a strong advocate against segregation in the Army and helped create new opportunities for African American women in the military. In 1944, Earley was chosen to command the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only African American Women’s Army Corps (WAC) unit to go overseas during the war. The unit was remarkable for boosting morale of U.S. servicemen by delivering millions pieces of mail, through its “No Mail, Low Morale” themed project.
In February 1946, Charity Adams Early was honorably discharged as a lieutenant colonel, the highest rank within the WAC. She continued serving with the Veterans Administration as a register officer, worked with various colleges in varied capacities, and founded the Black Leadership Development Program in 1982, focused on mentoring African Americans for community leadership. Charity Adams Earley died on January 13, 2002.
Learn more about Charity Adams Earley
Photo source: Creative Commons
Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen
Bobbie Singh-Allen was elected Mayor of Elk Grove in November 2020 and re-elected to serve in November 2022. She is the first directly elected Sikh woman to become Mayor in the Country. Singh-Allen is an elected statewide Commissioner for Visit CA. A native of India, Bobbie has made Elk Grove her home for the past 30 years. She earned her B.A in Government from California State University, Sacramento and received her J.D. from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento. Singh-Allen was appointed to the Elk Grove Unified School District Board of Trustees on August 16, 2012, and elected to serve two four-year terms in 2014 and 2018. She was Board President for two years.
Singh-Allen is committed to bringing her leadership skills, professional development training in collaboration, equity, and implicit bias to help lead the City of Elk Grove. Her civic and community engagement has earned several awards and recognitions including a 2015 "Woman of the Year" for Assembly District 9, acknowledged by the California Legislature.
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West Sacramento City Council
Pictured from left to right: Quirina Orozco, Council Member At-Large, Dawnté Early, Council Member, Martha Guerrero, Mayor, Norma Alcala, Council Member At-Large, Verna Sulpizio Hull, Council Member
On December 07, 2022, the city of West Sacramento made history by swearing-in its first all-female City Council: four council members and the mayor, at a special council meeting.
According to the League of California Cities, this is the only all-female council in the Sacramento region and one of six women only councils in the state.
Mayor Martha Guerrero was re-elected and sworn-in along Verna Sulpizio Hull and Dr. Dawnté Early representing Districts 4 and 3 respectively. They join Mayor Pro-Tem Quirina Orozco and Council Member Norma Alcala on the Council.
Learn more about West Sacramento City Council
Photo source: cityofwestsacramento.org