Hello Shoreline Community, 

As we wrap up Women’s History Month, we will take this opportunity to recognize history makers and those still leaving their mark. I encourage all of you to learn more about these activists, innovators, cultural historians, scientists, and social justice warriors. I also encourage you to celebrate the women in your life as we wrap up this month focused on celebrating the greatness of women around the globe. 

Melanie Dixon

VP Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Those Who Made History

Yuri Kochiyama was a Civil rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize candidate and became energized to fight for social justice causes following her detainment in the U.S. Japanese concentration camps during World War II. From teaching Sunday School in her youth to fighting for political prisoners in her old age, Yuri Kochiyama remained humble yet became a fierce defender of human rights. Kochiyama saw the need for solidarity to fight injustices. Her activism spanned struggles for Black empowerment, Puerto Rican independence, and reparations for Japanese American internees. She forged an unlikely friendship with black activist Malcolm X, whose head she cradled in her arms as he died from twenty-one gunshot wounds. Their bond strengthened her dedication to the African American civil rights movement and her fight against U.S. imperialism. Her legacy of fighting for justice and equality lives on. We HONOR Yuri Kochiyamafor being a trailblazer for solidarity and justice. As we continue to engage in educational justice for our students, we can look to her leadership and commitment to humanity to draw strength. 

Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian American inventor who pioneered the technology that would one day form the basis for today’s Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth communication systems. Lamarr’s brilliant mind was ignored, and her beauty took center stage when she was discovered by director Max Reinhardt at age 16. Society elevated her beauty, but ignored her inventive genius.  Lamarr was not recognized for her numerous inventions until much later in life. Although she died in 2000, Lamarr was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for the development of her frequency hopping technology in 2014. Such achievement has led Lamarr to be dubbed “the mother of Wi-Fi” and other wireless communications like GPS and Bluetooth. We HONOR Hedy Lamarr for her innovative spirit and hope to channel this spirit as we serve our incredible brilliant students.

Ellen Ochoa was an American astronaut and administrator who was the first Hispanic woman to travel into space (1993). She later served as director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center from 2013-2018. Ochoa studied electrical engineering at Stanford University. She later became a specialist in the development of optical systems, she worked as a research engineer at Sandia National Laboratories and at the Ames Research Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She helped create several systems and methods that were awarded patents, which include optical systems for the detection of imperfections in a repeating pattern and for the recognition of objects. We HONOR Ochoa’s undeniable contributions to science and she serves as a model for all women considering a career in STEM fields. 

Those Still Making History

Matika Lorraine Wilbur is a member of the Swinomish and Tulalip tribes of the State of Washington where she was raised in a family of commercial fishermen. Matika received her teaching certification and worked in primary education at The Tulalip Heritage High School for 5 years. She is a photographer and artist who created Project 562 with the mission of humanizing and sharing stories of Native American in an honorable way. Wilbur’s work embodies the commitment educational institutions espouse as a core value. She shares “the time of sharing, building cultural bridges, abolish racism, and honoring the legacy that this country is build on is among us. My goal is to represent Native people from every tribe. By exposing the astonishing variety of the Indian presence, we will build cultural bridges, abandon stereotypes, and renew and inspire our national legacy. “We HONOR the work Matika Lorraine Wilbur is doing to tell the untold stories that will inform our existence on this land. 

Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu is a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) teacher, cultural practitioner, and community leader. Born in the Nu’uanu District of O’ahu, Kumu Hina was educated at Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawaii. She was a founding member of Kulia Na Mamo, a community organization established to improve the quality of life for māhū wahine (transgender women) and served for 13 years as the Director of Culture at a Honolulu public charter school dedicated to using native Hawaiian culture, history, and education as tools for developing and empowering the next generation of warrior scholars. Kumu Hina is currently a cultural advisor and leader in many community affairs and civic activities, including Chair of the O’ahu Island Burial Council, which oversees the management of Native Hawaiian burial sites and ancestral remains. In 2014, Hina announced her bid for a position on the board of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, one of the first transgender candidates to run for statewide political office. We HONOR Hinaleimoana for creating spaces for all people and educating the ignorant about acceptance and the celebration of all identities. We aspire to have this same outlook as we continue to create a culture where our students and employees can be their authentic selves without fear of harm. 

Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green is a STEM pioneer, leader, humanitarian, and entrepreneur who is introducing the world to the next generation of cancer treatments, cancer charities, and affordable healthcare. She is one if the nations leading medical physicists and one of the first African American Women to earn a Ph.D. in Physics. Dr. Green is responsible for developing a revolutionary cancer treatment that uses lasers and nanotechnology to eliminate cancer in mice. She later founded a non-profit organization names Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation to make cancer treatment affordable. We HONOR Dr. Greens contributions to social justice and science. Her work will continue to benefit those fighting cancer and all of us seeking a cure.