Washington, D.C. - March is Women's History Month, a time in which we celebrate and applaud the ways in which the spirit, courage, and contributions of American women have shaped American life. This year’s theme -- “Women Change America” -- pays tribute to the role American women have played in transforming our society.
The stories of women’s achievements that we share during this month raise awareness about the complexity and contradiction of living a full and purposeful life. This is also a time to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary contributions of women right here in our community. Three such women are outstanding physicians who I have nominated as “Local Legends” for participation in a special project of the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA).
The Local Legends Award is a project of the AMWA, together with the National Library of Medicine and the U.S. Congress, to celebrate the lives and achievements of America’s female physicians. The “Local Legends” from Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District are Carol A. Plotsky of Potomac, M.D., F.A.A.P., Pediatrician and President of the Medical Staff at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital; Elise C. Riley, M.D. of Silver Spring Medical Director, Holy Cross Hospital; and Donna M. Krasnewich of Bethesda, M.D., Ph.D. , Deputy Director of the National Human Genome Research Institution National Institutes of Health.
The recognition and celebration of women's historic achievements provides a broader vision of what a woman can accomplish. This perspective can give girls and women the courage to dream bigger and can give boys and men a deeper understanding and appreciation of the female experience. Celebrating women’s history inspires hope and courage which brings about promise and possibility.