Alysson Espinoza

During the 20th century, exactly one hundred and fifteen years ago, the suffragettes were founded in October 10,1903. This was a formation of women who were suffering each day for their independence and equal right to do the same as every man’s freedoms allowed. For example, working a man’s job as a lawyer or anything that wasn’t within the household was apparently very hard for the women to do since they were set to be home and cleaning after their children. Women thought otherwise since during World War I. In 1914, for the women it was a magnificent opportunity to show the world that they could work hazardous jobs rather than stay at home as I said before. My grandmother was born August 24,1945; her name is Gloria Espinosa (Sanchez). She’s currently 74 years old and 52 years ago my grandmother voted when she was 21 years old. Gloria was married by 19 to my grandfather Jorge Sanchez of age 29. Even though every voice matters, my grandmother Gloria – at the time a starting mother – was home for the most part and never used her right to vote. My grandfather forbade her to vote because he was shown by his parents that women stay at home with the children.

Coming to the realization that she had a voice after talking to her sister, Jessica Espinosa, who reminded her of all those brave women that fought for the rights that they now had, and even though my grandfather had forbidden her to vote, she went behind his back to vote for some election thinking that her vote would help the community a little bit better. My grandmother stated that she went to vote and the men working there organizing the voting told her to leave that she should be at home cleaning. She also stated that she went the very next day and she could vote with no discrimination towards her with her rights being used. She then told my grandfather soon enough and apparently he knew the whole time since her sister and her spoke very loud.

After interviewing my grandmother Gloria about her very first-time voting, I thought it went well in my perspective. She told me her entire story on how my grandfather never liked the idea of her voting. That he was so against the fact that women had rights to do such a thing as vote. I didn’t fully understand why my grandfather had that type of mind set but apparently according to my grandmother it was because of the way he was raised.

The very first woman in America’s history to receive the Nobel Prize due to the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom was Jane Addams and her associate Emily Greene Balch. To begin with, Jane Addams was a part of a movement back in the 1920’s. During this time, women could not vote for anything or wouldn’t have a say in anything. This movement that Jane was a part of was called The Women’s Suffrage Movement. There were many other women that were involved, the few were Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, Emmeline Pankhurst, Carrie Chapman Catt and Lucy Stone. They were the reason why the world was aware of the movement since they were very influential towards others and more towards young women and older women for their individual rights of being a free human being. So, Jane was born in September 6,1860 in a farming town in Cedarville, Illinois. She was the eighth of John Huy and Sarah Weber Addams’ nine children. Jane’s mother passed during a childbirth but even though her mother passed, her childhood growing up without her mother was privileged since her father was one of the wealthiest citizens in their town. Her father was a part of the Civil War and owned a successful mill in the town; he was also a local politician and Abraham Lincoln was one of his distant friends.

Ms. Jane Addams graduated at the top of her class from Rockford Female Seminary in 1881. This generation of college-educated women were called “New Women.” From there on, Addams thought to put her education to greater use. She then started to study medicine, but after six years she stopped her studies because her own health interrupted. When Addams was in London, she then found her ‘true calling’ which was when she meets her friend Ellen Gates Starr in 1888 when they were both twenty-eight years old. Having just met, Addams and Starr visited Toynbee Hall, which was a settlement house on the city’s east end that provided services to poor industrial workers. They both traveled back to the United States, which was in the early years of the escalation of the industrialization and immigration, and promised to open the same facility.

After London, it took Jane and Ellen almost a year to discover the now known as the Hull House in Chicago. The Hull house was the very first settlement house in the United States. This settlement in Chicago was created intentionally for the women. The goal was for the educated women to expand and share different kind of knowledge, from basic skills that involved arts and literature. Also envisioned were women living in the community, with the people they served. Addams and Starr then joined this effort by women that would soon be leading progressive reformers. The Hull House team or group of volunteers arranged a service for thousands of people each week. Something that was also established mainly for working mothers or women that took classes or belonged to the community were kindergartens and day care services. Also, for the women was job training, English language, cooking, and acculturation classes for immigrants. A job-placement bureau was established along with gym and an art making facilities.
 

As soon as my grandmother told me about her experience, she then told me ever since then she never voted because she said she didn’t like the process of it. She was and still is a very religious person and she always says that she doesn’t have time, only for the Man Upstairs. She’s always devoted her time at church so I fully understand the fact that she still hasn’t done anything to show her voice in the community.

All in all, interviewing her was very exciting because she set a whole day just for us since she wanted to make sure I got everything I needed to do the things I needed for school. I really did enjoy talking with her about her first and only time voting ever in her entire life. She still to this day says it’s a waste but if you’re those type of people that are keeping up with the politics or any type of voting election, that of course is going to be important to you in your mindset to vote for what you believe is right.