Woman to Woman: So Much Has Changed and Yet So Much is Still the Same (In-Person)

Registration Required Below

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Equal Rights Amendment, the Mark Twain Library will host a unique conversation between two women who have long witnessed both the challenges and the triumphs in the struggle for women’s rights in the United States.

Darla Shaw of Ridgefield and Jean Rexford of Redding will sit down for an intimate and personal discussion about how certain aspects of home and work life have improved for women over the years, and where more work needs to be done.

Darla grew up in the 1950s in Massachusetts and has dedicated her life to literacy and education. At 85, she has witnessed for decades the challenges women face in the workplace. Jean has worked for many years in health advocacy and oversight at both the state and national levels.

Using a timeline of milestone moments in the quest for female equality, the two women will deepen our understanding of those moments by sharing their personal stories and experiences.

Space is limited. Please register early and include a cell phone for a text reminder.

Dr. Darla Shaw was a professor and educational literacy specialist in the Education and Educational Psychology Department at Western CT State University, where she taught undergraduate and graduate literacy courses. She lectured on literacy topics in over 80 countries and initiated literacy projects in 13 developing nations. Before joining the WCSU faculty Dr. Shaw served for 36 years as the Language Arts Coordinator for the Ridgefield school system.

Jean Rexford has been a long time activist and supporter of individual rights, particularly in the areas of women’s rights and patients’ rights.  She is the past president of Planned Parenthood of CT and past chair of the Permanent Commission of the Status of Women.  Jean founded IMPACT (Independent Majority Political Action in CT) and the CT Center for Patient Safety.  She has served on numerous healthcare boards and advisory councils, including the Federation of State Medical Boards, the National Board of Medical Examiners and the CT Medical Examining Board.