More Than a Story: SMART-TD’s Women’s History Month Highlights Legacies in the Making

 As Women’s History Month draws to a close, take a moment to reflect on the strength, perseverance, and leadership of the women who are shaping our union. Let us be clear: this isn’t about shining a spotlight on a few people for the sake of a month-long observation. Their leadership is rewriting the narrative of what it means to be a woman in our traditionally male-dominated industries. 

Throughout March, SMART-TD shared the stories of women like the sisters of the White Pass Railroad, April Ford, Manda Snide, Rashonda Brown, Shakyia Ward, Jessica Martin, and Martha Claugus. These women are not just part of Women’s History Month, they are making history. Period. 

We hold our sisters up as trailblazers. These women do the job, work long hours, and lead the way. They are tough as nails, and the respect they receive is earned by proving time and again that they are made of the same grit as anyone else in the labor movement. 

History Will Remember Their Strength, The Future Will Know Their Example 

These women are paving the way for others to follow. Our union is filled with thousands of equally capable women, and we owe them our gratitude. Every shift they work, every safety issue they tackle, and every member they support strengthens the fabric of our union.  

The Real Story: Normalizing Women’s Leadership 

Others might use Women’s History Month to paint an idealized picture of what women could achieve in the workforce. But at SMART-TD aren’t here for possibilities, we’re here for realities. Our sisters are laying the groundwork for the future of our industry and of the labor movement in this country. Your impact matters twelve months of the year. 

They are the generation that normalized women in leadership roles, who proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can be a driving force on the job and in the labor movement. 

To our sisters who were featured in SMART News this month, we thank each and every one of you for sharing your stories and for showing what leadership looks like.