Women’s Equality Day: Life coach challenges employees to learn from the past to improve the future

FORT BELVOIR, Va. -

In observance of Women's Equality Day, employees from across the McNamara Headquarters Complex gathered in the Kabeiseman Conference Room to learn about the importance of equality and belonging in the workplace.

The event, hosted by the Defense Logistics Agency's Equal Employment Opportunity special emphasis committee, focused on learning from the past to inform and make better decisions in the future.

DLA Chief of Staff Karyn Runstrom introduced the keynote speaker, provided the history behind the event, and highlighted the important role that celebrations, education, awareness, empowerment and solidarity play in combatting stereotypes and prejudices.

"The theme, 'One Piece at A Time,' highlights the role of each individual's contribution," Runstrom said. "Just as every piece is needed to complete a puzzle, every person's effort and voice are vital in the movement for women's rights and gender equality."

Women's Equality Day commemorates American women achieving full voting rights under the U.S. Constitution by the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

Carrie Register-Haley, the founder and CEO of Revelation of Investment Coaching, served as the keynote speaker and reflected on her personal journey and the importance of equality.

"I think back to when I was the oldest girl in a family surrounded by two older and two younger brothers before my sisters were born," she said. "Growing up poor in the Midwest, I often found myself out cutting grass, raking leaves and shoveling snow for money. But as the only girl in a group, I vividly recall being told that I wouldn't earn as much money because I was a girl."

She added, "However, I quickly realized that when I was the one knocking on doors, we earned more money, snacks and drinks."

Register-Haley described an experience during her time in the Army while serving in South Korea, where a visit to the home of a Korean Augmentee to the U.S. Army, known as a KATUSA, aroused her passion for diversity and inclusion.

"I saw how they lived and gained a greater appreciation for their food, traditions and way of life. I also saw that the disparity between men and women was not unique to my culture," she said. "Being immersed in other cultures worldwide has led to years of educational study and teaching in federal and corporate spaces. It has shaped my concept and approach to equality."

She called on attendees to learn from the past to inform the future.

"If we do not understand our history, we risk repeating past mistakes or becoming desensitized to their effects of past practices. This is true when we look at the evolution of women's equality."

Mentioning several laws and their direct impact on women, Register-Haley presented a conclusion to the standing-room only audience.

"The significance of peeking in the rearview mirror is to see the advancement of women's equality, see where we have digressed, and map out where we need to go. This historical perspective challenges us to rethink our current understanding and practice of equality," she said.

To move forward in the fight for women's equality, Register-Haley reminded the group that a changed mindset was necessary.

She encouraged the attendees to act by building relationships with those who do not look like them, advocate for equal access to opportunities, and foster psychological safety when seeing someone struggling to find their voice or be heard.

"When you have access to rooms where decisions are being made, advocate for those not present or act as a sponsor to ensure equity is an action, not just a word," she said.

To the leaders and those in positions of power and authority, she encouraged them to avoid creating hurdles to equality out of fear of losing a position or the perceptions of others.

"This fixed mindset hinders the growth of the organization and society. Be the change you want to see, because there is room for all of us to grow," she said.

She compared the challenges of improving equality to trying to sleep with a mosquito in the room.

"It is dang near impossible. You cover it` up, it gets you when you move, and you try ignoring it, but it still bothers you," she said. "Regarding equality, be the mosquito in the room and address it until it is no longer an issue."

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