March is Women’s History Month and the many passionate female artists and entrepreneurs in Liberty Station’s Arts District will join in honoring the many great accomplishments of women. Arts District Liberty Station is showcasing the work of women who account for more than half of the artists exhibiting their talents there at more than 30 art galleries, working artist studios, and businesses.

Following are five Arts District female business owners discussing what Women’s History Month means to them and what they’re doing to celebrate.

– Sharon Zeichner, founder of Bilingual Kids (providing Spanish and Mandarin language arts to children): “We will be hosting a workshop by Santa Cruz Art Designs artist Maricruz Alvarado that will be emphasizing hearts/love and focusing on the importance of women as mothers, and the amazing and resilient role that women play in shepherding deep-rooted cultural values. Women should be honored on a daily basis; awareness, voices, community, compassion, love, and empowerment is something that we place a strong emphasis on. We want to give women the strength to power through the difficulties that we  face in these times.”

Added Zeichner: “Bilingual Kids realizes that regular child care is foremost in many women’s minds. We host a spring camp at the end of Women’s History Month which provides families with a better alternative; the children get small group educational experiences with a focus on language enrichment and social and emotional well-being. We offer scholarships for families in need and offer the opportunity for our working moms for Bilingual Kids to bring their children to the camp. Lastly, we will be accepting donations all month upstairs in Barracks 2 for an organization that helps disadvantaged women and their children.”

– Hanna Denham (right), owner of Art in Flexion (circus arts): “We celebrate women’s strength and power. We are putting on an all-female show on April 8 here in Liberty Station. Each act is a perfect example of each woman’s journey to finding her strength and sharing what she has overcome and accomplished. Women’s History Month is a time we get to look back and appreciate the women that stood up before us, the ones that paved the path. Specifically, in the Circus Arts, we have a long lineage of performers that date back to the 1940s circus. Circus has always welcomed strong and independent women and praised them for their physical and mental strength.

Added Denham: “Our hope and goal at AIF is to help educate women on how to strengthen their bodies and minds through training. At AIF our main focus is to deepen a woman’s understanding of how her body works and what it is capable of. Achieving these impressive and difficult circus skills has a positive effect on the approach to struggle. Women’s stories should be told. In the circus, we are always taking the time to tell stories and share experiences of the female artists that taught these skills and passed them down to us.”

– Carly Topazio, artistic director y founder of The Rosin Box Project (contemporary ballet company): “We have our first performances of our 2023 season coming up March 23-25 and 27, called Empower. Our Empower shows spotlight new works by three female choreographers who are evolving the art form and breaking barriers with their unique artistic voices. This month is important to both me and my organization because our mission is to re-imagine the way artists and audiences experience and connect with dance by considering the human condition. Women’s History Month is an opportunity to celebrate, amplify, and empower women who have shattered the glass ceiling and risen to become icons in the field.”

Added Topazio: “This month is so important to women and our causes because by making a collective effort to amplify and empower women and female voices, we are making it more commonplace to talk about gender disparities that exist every day. Not only is Women’s History Month a time of reflection, but it’s also a moment to recognize how the efforts and bravery of past generations continue to pave the way for females today. Women’s History Month is definitely something everyone should be more aware of. Through honoring and celebrating it, we can help to promote gender equality and inspire a society that is more welcoming, more inclusive, and more equitable to all genders.”

– Patricia Martinez of Canela Photography: “Observing Women’s History Month is vitally important to me for the sake of my status as a feminist. Art has always been at the forefront of social movements and the fight for equity, and my work as a female photographer emphasizes this. As artists, it is our duty to attempt to break down the barriers that exist between authentic messages and our audiences, and this month allows us to do so. Empowering female voices and visions is why this month is so necessary. Photography is a vessel for great change and impact.”

Added Matinez: “I absolutely think more people need to be aware of Women’s History Month. To this day, women’s rights are being stripped from us, and it is important that we continue to fight for our autonomy and our freedoms. There was a time in history when I, a Latina woman, would not have been able to own my own business. It is for the women before us that we fight today, and for the girls of the future. Public citizens can spread the word and market for female-owned businesses, or better yet, support those businesses directly. The power of the dollar is the most salient force in this day and age, with this in mind, if you can, buy from and engage in the services of women. Showing your support for this cause and this month can also be as easy as liking posts or having meaningful conversations with loved ones. There are ways to involve oneself in any capacity.”

– Courtney Corey-Armstrong, director and founder of Theatre Arts School of San Diego: “Every day we celebrate playwrights, theatre makers, and performers who have broken the glass ceiling. My students are very inspired and moved by these artists. We often study work from The Kilroy’s List, whose mission is to include the results of an annual industry survey of excellent new plays by women, trans, and non-binary playwrights. It is a tool for producers committed to ending the systemic under-representation of women, trans, and non-binary playwrights in the American theater.”

Added Corey-Armstrong: “My business is a woman-run business. So, of course, I hold this monthly observance very close to my heart. For me, it is a reflection of the times I was not treated equitably and respectfully in the business of theatre. It is a liberation from those jobs, those projects, those people to own my own business and teach a younger generation in a way they deserve to be treated. Seek out plays, musicals, films, and television programs created by women, designed by women, and featuring women. Examine the way women’s stories are told, and the lens through which they are told. Are women having all the action thrust upon them? Are they stuck in the “victim” archetype?” If so, I encourage people to search deeper for better stories.”

Other women-owned businesses in Arts District Liberty Station:

• Apricot Yarn and Supply: Self-taught knitter, Sarah Heckman, opened Apricot Yarn and Supply to live out her dream. Whether you’re new to knitting or a knitting enthusiast, stop by and pick up a knitting kit for entertainment all month long.
• Banyan Tree Educational Services (above): Founder and director Nanci Engle is committed to equal learning opportunities and has created a center that focuses on children’s underlying processing skills to achieve long-term success. By creating individual learning plans for every child, Banyan Tree Educational Services empowers students every day to meet their full potential.
• F1VE Art Studio & Gallery: Artists Manaz Raiszadeh, Ann Golumbuk, Susie Zol, Yahel Yan, and Denise Cerro have created a collective group with a desire to connect and inspire. Together, this all-female team has helped each other to grow in their individual art businesses by holding each other accountable and creating new projects together that benefit themselves along with the entire community.

• If I Was A Bird Yoga Studio: A yoga and art studio for children, owner Tiffany Gullberg recognizes the importance of nourishing healthy physical, creative, and educational habits from an early age. She is passionate about fostering a positive yoga community focused on nourishing your child’s body and mind.
•  Colectivo de artesanía de San Diego: There is empowerment in learning and new skill. Owner and mother of two Steffanie Dotson is an advocate for crafts and arts. On March 18, check out Woodworking for Women taught by designer and furniture maker Erin Dace Behling to empower women and non-gender conforming individuals in the wood shop.
•  Música de pájaros cantores: Diana Davidson is a lifelong singer, dancer, and owner of Songbirds Music, which provides high-quality music and movement classes to children. Davidson recognizes the bond children can have with the magic of music.
• Escuela de Arte Monart: After buying Monart School of Art in 2012, owner and director Leslie Vaughn has transformed the art school into a creative space for kids of all ages. Founded in 1992, Monart School of Art teaches children fundamental drawing skills using a variety of art mediums.
• The New Haven: Founder and mother of three Michelle VanDerworp created a new kind of hybrid workspace for families that provides childcare as well as a work-from-home environment all under one roof. Parents also can rent a full-time office space, as well as have access to private pods.
•  Treehouse Academy: Under the direction of Bristyl Garvin, Treehouse Academy focuses on a curriculum that nurtures children’s capacity to think skillfully and critically, along with strengthening their values such as kindness, helpfulness, and respect.