Assignment+6+Summary&+Synopsis+Forum+-+Dr.+Anne+S.+Macpherson

Assignment #6: Summary & Synopsis Title: Summary of Dr. Anne S. Macpherson’s lecture on: Never a Coward Woman: Women and the struggle for Belize’s independence Lecture date: Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 A .D. Arthurs University of Belize Social Studies Methods and Methods for Primary School Teachers ESOC2152 Section 1  Mr. Kevin G. Tucker (Teacher) March 29th, 2012 “Never a Coward Woman: Women and the struggle for Belize’s Independence Lecture Summary”  On Tuesday March 20th, 2012 the Belize at 30 forums began. That night begun with a rendition of the National Anthem by Ms. Lisa Alverez, who is a lecturer at the St. John Junior College, then the opening prayer was by Cannon Leroy Flowers. The opening service was being held at the Fordyce Chapel, hence welcome remarks was given by Mr. Jorge Espat who is the president of the school and Diana Haylock president of NICH. Mr. Nigel Encalada being the director of ISCR introduced the guest speaker. The main speaker for the night was Dr. Anne MacPherson, who had come on at least two previous trips to Belize. Dr. Anne first came to Belize in the 80s’ and worked with the peace corp. Dr. Anne MacPherson is a historian who is mainly concern with women involvement in the development of countries. Hence, her studies were done on the Belize’s women involvement in the development of Belize and women involvement in politics through the years. The title of the lecture that Dr. Anne S. Macpherson gave on Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 was “Never a Coward Woman: Women and the struggle for Belize’s Independence.”  Dr. Anne MacPherson said she had done lectures in other location about her research in Belize, but this was the first time she was lecturing in Belize and to a Belizean audience. Furthermore, Dr. Anne said that some of what she said would not be agreeable to all listeners because her research and perception may differ from the way people remember or interpret events, activities, history and other things in Belize.  In this lecture Dr. Anne said women of Belize paid a significant role in the move towards independence. The women of Belize were said to have worked in detail with George Price’s campaigns, thereby it was recorded in the histories of women saying to George Price at a later date that they got him the position that he is in and they can surely take him out. MacPherson said that the women were the ones who were stationed in the towns, while the men went to get the logs; therefore it was the women that kept things running at the home base. Women supplied the men with food for their expeditions into the jungles of Belize as well.  Later in the talk our guest speaker said it was mainly women who stampede the compound of the saw mill and shut down the operation in the fight for higher wages. In the lecture she also said that women were on record for writing to leaders for assistance. MacPherson said that the mindset of these women were not for hand me downs but assistance to get back on their feet. The women in Belize’s society in the past were individuals who wanted to be independent and who held themselves as well as other individuals accountable.  In general Dr. Anne MacPherson lecture was to tell its audience that women contributed drastically to the development of Belize, especially in its independence and were agents for change through the years. During her research Anne talked to several women who were in the middle of the different movements, and through such interviews she was able to ascertain that women were not only in the background but in some cases they were in the forefront, yet the contributions of women are rarely proclaimed or taught to the students much less society.  Dr. Anne said she would like to see research done by Belizean citizens that she may attend, listen and assess their findings, yet it must be said that Belizeans rarely document information, research, read and publicize. The days that Belizean begin to enshrine their own taught and findings will be a beautiful day. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">As I listened to the speech, I noticed that the speaker’s information was a mixture of personal feelings and facts that she had received during her research. Dr. Anne MacPherson definitely has a passion for women’s involvement in politics, and this stems from all the women’s movement through the years, this month being women’s month and of course the movement of the humans’ right. From her own mouth the speaker said that she might be biased therefore I’m sure since she said it and being that the topic already shows some bias by excluding men out of the equation that there is a set bias already. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Prior to this Lecture I knew that women were an integral part of Belize’s society and that they were significant in the development of this Belizean society and independence, since women were the ones who take care of husbands, children and homes. However, I was reminded that women stood their ground when they had to, and that the black women were hardworking and not dependent like most of those today who wants to be pampered, but do not appreciate hard work. Women, knew the value of the men in their society and did not belittle them but they also comprehended that they could take action, make decision and play a significant role in society and not live only for the moment or for pleasure. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">In the news recently the Maya communicate went to Belmopan about Rosewood, and the population consisted mostly women. Noticeably women were the ones who were interviewed, therefore Mayan women who in the past were in the background and were only pressed forward with the permission of husbands and men in community are showing that women are agent for change. In my opinion women are excellent caregivers and this does not negate the significant need for men to be involved in this area. However, women have different perspectives, are competent intellectually, are part of this society and therefore their inputs are significant to the development and prosperity of the nation of Belize and the World.