MARCH NIBJ: Anticipating March: Women’s History Month

As February comes to a close, NIA celebrates the beginning of March, which is nationally recognized as Women’s History Month, a designation that grew out of grassroots celebrations in California during the late 1970s and was later formalized by Congress in 1987. What began as a local effort to honor women’s contributions has become a nationwide invitation to reflect on leadership, resilience, creativity, and the many ways women shape our communities and economy.

Here in Idaho, that legacy is rich and still unfolding.

Perhaps the most widely known woman connected to the region is Sacagawea, whose knowledge and courage were instrumental to the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Her role reminds us that women have long been navigators, translators, strategists, and problem-solvers — often without receiving full recognition at the time.

Idaho has also produced remarkable voices in literature. Marilynne Robinson, raised in Sandpoint, went on to become one of America’s most respected novelists and essayists, winning the Pulitzer Prize and shaping conversations about faith, ethics, and civic life. Her career demonstrates how ideas born in small towns can resonate across the world.

The February Olympics reminded me that in the arena of athletics, Idaho native Kristin Armstrong stands as one of the most decorated female cyclists in Olympic history. Her achievements—earned through discipline, grit, and reinvention — mirror the qualities so many women entrepreneurs and professionals rely on every day: persistence, adaptability, and belief in long-term vision.

These women represent only a fraction of the talent and impact woven into Idaho’s story. From ranchers and engineers to nonprofit founders, educators, and real-estate leaders, women across our state continue to drive innovation and strengthen local economies.

That is precisely the spirit behind NIA-Women of Impact: creating spaces where women connect, collaborate, and elevate one another — whether through leadership roundtables, community gatherings, or professional development programs. Women’s History Month is not only about honoring the past; it is about recognizing the women building our future right now.

As readers of the North Idaho Business Journal look forward to March’s arrival, I invite you to notice the women shaping boardrooms, startups, farms, studios, and civic life throughout our region. Their stories deserve to be told — not once a year, but every day.

Women’s history is Idaho’s history. And the next chapter is being written all around us.

NIA’s Women of Impact: Save the date for the Annual Onward & Upward Women’s Conference, May 21, 2026 at the Coeur d'Alene Inn. Ticket sales, vendor booths and sponsorships details at NIA-Impact.com or call 208-660-1557.