INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

International Women's Day was celebrated in Kern County this week with honors bestowed on seven local women for their contributions to their communities, science, business, education, health and arts.




The women honored for their achievements during a dinner at the Petroleum Club in Bakersfield included:



Sarwa Aldoori, science. An Iraq-born doctor, Aldoori provides medical services in Arvin with Clinica Sierra Vista and operates the Walk-in Medical Health for All clinic, which is focused on underserved patients, particularly those of Arabic, Hispanic and other descents. During her medical training, the war in Iraq and Iran broke out. A specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, she delivered babies by candlelight in a very poor area near Baghdad. Her medical research has related to fetal medicine, ovarian cancer and obstetrics.



Ann Choung, business. Choung was born in South Korea and moved to the United States when she was a young woman. She is a sales associate for Stroope Realtors, where she was the local office's top sales person for 24 out of 25 years. She is one of the founders of the Korean American Association of Bakersfield and has helped implement programs for Korean youth groups, senior citizens and scholarships for Korean high school students. She promotes the learning of Korean traditional music and dance.



Kip Glazer, education. Glazer was born in South Korea. She earned a master's degree in curriculum and instruction. When she taught at Arvin High School, she developed and coached a team to participate in various Health Occupation Students of America competitions. Last year, she was named the Outstanding HOSA adviser for the national organization. She now teaches at Independence High School.



Chiuyee Ho, community service. Ho was born in mainland China. After completing her university education, she came to the United States and settled in Bakersfield. Her community service includes helping the local Chinese population, particularly recent immigrants. She has provided interpretation in the courts, hospitals and other agencies. She was one of the founders of the Chinese Christian Church of Bakersfield and has served on the board of Hoffman Hospice of the Valley.



Aniko K. Matis, health services. A medical doctor, Matis was born in Hungary. After arriving in Bakersfield, she obtained specialty training in internal medicine at Kern Medical Center. Recently retired from the Kern County Department of Public Health, Matis promoted free mammograms for low-income women and the Community Action Partnership of Kern Family Health Center. Awarded for this service, she was instrumental in CAPK being recognized by Gayle Wilson, wife of former California Gov. Pete Wilson, for the organization's service to the community. Recognized as the Health Department's employee of the year, she also was twice named physician of the year by the Kern Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistants Association.



Nicole Saint-John, arts/entertainment. Saint-John was born in Germany, where she worked as a graphic artist. After arriving in Bakersfield, she opened an art gallery and was assistant curator at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. She has mentored local artists with developmental disabilities through her work for the Arts Council of Kern. During the Eye Gallery series, an annual celebration of art sponsored by The Californian and Bakersfield Museum of Art, she presented a painting and essay about growing up in the shadow of the Berlin Wall. She has received numerous honors and awards for her work.



Sharlu Myat Tusaw, community service. Tusaw was born in 1973 in Burma. She is a 2002 graduate of Cal State Bakersfield, where she earned a degree in political science. In 2007, she became a case worker for the International Rescue Committee in Bakersfield, helping resettle 150 refugees, mostly ethnic Karen from Burma. She has helped link the refugees to community services, find homes and feel at home in Bakersfield. Although the IRC's Bakersfield office closed last year, she continues to assist refugees and has written a book on the plight of the Karen refugees.



International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history. It is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing.



The idea of an International Women's Day first arose at the turn of the century, a period of industrialization, expansion, turbulence, booming population growth and urban poverty, and humanist cries of hope and protest.



Like many things, this started in America. On March 8, 1857 women from New York City's clothing and textile factories protested poor working conditions and low wages. The protesters were attacked and dispersed by police.



The first National Woman's Day was observed across the United States in 1909. In 1975, the United Nations began sponsoring International Women's Day.



Bakersfield began celebrating International Women's Day in 2002, thanks to a collaborative effort by the League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women.



This year's event was organized by Cal State Bakersfield, Kern Community College District, League of Women Voters, African-American Network, American Association of University Women, Bakersfield Korean American Association, Filipino Community of Bakersfield and Vicinity, Inc., Girl Scouts-Joshua Tree Council, Indo-Chinese Community, Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Latina Leaders of Kern County, Muslim Public Affairs Council, National Council of Negro Women, and Southeast Asian Community.

This story written by Dianne Hardisty first appeared in The Bakersfield Californian on March 10, 2010.