The City of Alexandria commemorated 50 years of the Commission on Women with a Sept. 24 celebration in the Vola Lawson Lobby of City Hall.

Past and present members of the commission were joined by city officials and stakeholders as remarks were made beneath a portrait of Vola Lawson, the former City Manager who founded the commission in 1974.

“I've witnessed time and time again just how important it is and how powerful it can be to build community locally, to approach gender justice with intersectionality and to get involved at all levels for the change you wish to see in our lives and communities,” said commission chair Lexi White.

Joining White for the celebration were past commission chairs, including Jane Flinn, a member of the commission when it was first founded in the 1970s.

“Women had different expectations back then,” said Flinn, an associate professor of psychology at George Mason University. “I guess I was interested in leveling the playing field.”

Flinn said she was most proud of the progress the commission made when it comes to pay equality for women employees of the city, a comment also echoed by past chair Susan Kellom.

“One of the things we moved along was the recognition of women in the city in regard to employment,” said Kellom, who served for many years on the commission in the late 1990s and early 2000s. “It’s not that there was an overwhelming prejudice against women it’s just that you had to work a little bit harder and you had to do a little bit more to really be considered equal. We’re almost equal now but still have work to do.”

Flinn agreed that things have improved but still sees an underlying prejudice against women.

“Things have changed very much for the better,” Flinn said. “But one thing that continues to surprise me is the prejudice that you see against women. I really don’t understand why it exists. I guess it’s a question of power and right now if women and men are competing for jobs, it's twice as hard for men to get that job.”

Vice Mayor Amy Jackson read a proclamation from the city commemorating the commission on 50 years of advocacy for women.

White touted the progress the commission has made on several fronts, particularly maternal health care, support for survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence and sexual assault, access to affordable housing and transportation and public health needs.

“There's no shortage of work to do ahead and as we honor 50 years of the commission's service to the city of Alexandria,” White said. “I'm so inspired by the wonderful leaders on the Commission for Women today who will continue to lead us into a more just and equitable future for all.”