Celeste Maloy: “It is an honor to stand here and celebrate the contributions of women this Women's History Month, both the women who are…”

“It is an honor to stand here and celebrate the contributions of women this Women's History Month, both the women who are here today and those whose spirits live on through the impact they have created for past generations. Our contributions as women are not a sidenote in the story of our world. They are central to it. We helped shape the world, and we are here to make sure that the women who came before us get credit for what they have done. Their influence is undeniable. When we think of remarkable women, let us be reminded of women like Martha Hughes Cannon, a physician, suffragist, and pioneer who went on to become the first female State Senator in the United States. We are a Nation of pioneers. Martha beautifully embodies that pioneering spirit. She immigrated to the United States, crossed the Great Plains, and helped settle Utah when it was a frontier State. She challenged societal expectations, standing alone in the fields of science and politics, to advocate for her convictions. Her unwavering commitment to change helped establish women's right to vote and hold office in Utah, putting the State decades ahead of the national curve, and then helped reestablish the right to vote when the Nation caught up. {time} 1945 Her statue now fittingly stands in Emancipation Hall and represents Utah.…”