Celeste Cruz / Vaquero Radio
The Center for Student Involvement Cultural Programs held a Women’s History Month celebration to honor women who have shaped the world March 12 on the Edinburg campus.
The event gave students the opportunity to meet women who are lawyers, entrepreneurs and business owners from the Rio Grande Valley.
Center for Student Involvement employee Yamille Ramos said the celebration highlights the achievements of women.
“This event is to highlight all the women from the university, to highlight their achievements and to also empower them,” Ramos said.
She explained how the Center for Student Involvement was able to invite special guests to UTRGV.
“We try to look for women from the RGV that have created achievements,” Ramos said. “They have businesses and they’re all women-owned, and then send them a message to see if they want to participate to come share their journey and how their experience has been.”
President of the Intersectional Feminist Student Organization Cindy Ruiz said the event is also inclusive to men.
“That people understand that this event is not only, like, welcoming women, it also welcomes other men or male audiences as well,” Ruiz said.
Personal injury attorney Leah Wise owns her own law firm in McAllen. She said women helped pave the way to her success.
“There are so many women trailblazers who, if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be a lawyer today, and I wouldn’t be successful as an attorney,” Wise said. “If there wasn’t women who were brave enough to be the first women in their law school class.”
She said she faced many obstacles during her time in law school.
“I had student debt, so I had to get over that, and that took several years,” Wise said. “I didn’t always believe in myself, being criticized by male attorneys telling me I couldn’t be a personal injury lawyer. So, I had to overcome a lot of obstacles, and a lot of time it took me being my own biggest supporter and just pushing through.”
This is Celeste Cruz for Vaquero Radio.
