Celebrating WOMEN

2025 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AT MHCC

Celebrating International Women’s Day at MHCC means honoring the women who have continuously worked hard to achieve their own personal dreams and make positive impacts in our communities.

The focus in this year’s event, held March 6 in the Student Union, was to recognize some of the inspirational and hardworking women at MHCC, including those in vitally important healthcare fields. 

Special guest speaker Fernanda Baños Cervantes, community affairs representative from the Mexican Consulate in Portland, described both the efforts made and obstacles faced by those in the Mt. Hood community taking on healthcare challenges.

These women’s work carries much weight, she said.

Recent changes in government policies and court rulings have greatly impacted access on healthcare for women not only in the U.S. but in other countries, as well. Not only that, gender bias and the exclusion of women in medical research has long limited treatment for women – including treatment of specific illnesses and conditions, knowledge of how those illnesses affect women specifically, and women’s response to medication, which differs from men.

In modern, history medications and illnesses were only ever researched on men but rarely women, said Cervantes. The continued lack of research on women’s health severely harms women’s ability to recover from or even to survive some health issues.

However, women continue to vigorously fight for women all over the world and this annual celebration is to applaud and encourage each other to persist in that work towards equality and opportunity for all, she noted.

Cervantes spoke directly to the Latina women in our community. The strength of Latina women not  only  fighting  for opportunity for women in their own (homeland) countries but also in the U.S. is highly admirable and important to acknowledge, she said.

Hispanic women continue to flourish especially in education, with the number of Hispanic women obtaining a bachelor’s degree roughly doubling in the last two decades. 

“Academic institutions like Mt. Hood Community College play a crucial role in changing the lives of women by offering spaces for growth and education,” Cervantes said. “Opening these spaces to the community reflects a firm commitment to the equity and well-being of all women.”

Among powerful women in the MHCC sphere honored at the event were Marcela Alvarez Wash, a registered nurse and educator.

She works as a part-time instructor in MHCC’s nursing program and works part time at Wallace medical clinics in the Rockwood area. Already holding a master’s degree in public health, she is pursuing a doctorate degree in nursing education. 

Alvarez Wash explained that women in science are needed for protecting women’s health equity and for it to continue to exist. Without the involvement of women, there will be a continued lack of representation for people who were born female, she said.

“This could lead to a lack of research on conditions that predominantly or uniquely affects women, resulting in gaps in medical knowledge and treatment options,” said Alvarez Wash.

As for actions individual women can take to promote women’s health, she offered several: 

1. Take the time to take care of yoour mental and physical health.  

2. Know your rights and know where to access care.  

3. Stay informed about the latest research and be educated on women’s health issues. 

4. Raise awareness on the value of women’s equity in your community.  

5. Support policies and initiatives that promote women’s health equity. 

The celebration moved on to formally recognize some of the other inspirational and hardworking women at MHCC:

• Dr. Emily Rangel, an OB/GYN physician and a surgeon with Women’s Healthcare Associates in the Portland area is devoted to providing the best care for all her patients and their distinct needs.
• Jazmin Ceballos Sandoval, an MHCC student whose ability to connect with patients and provide compassionate, quality care has earned her admiration and respect from many people. 
•  Virginia Mattfeld, a dedicated dental hygienist /Mt. Hood instructor with a deep commitment to providing care to underserved communities, actively working to reduce the disparities that affect low-income and marginalized communities.
•  Bhaktirose Dawdy, director of student basic needs in the MHCC president’s office, deeply committed to serving the campus community in education, workforce development, and social services. She has much experience leading large projects, including grant-funded initiatives, that drive systemic change.
•   Jenny Ruelas, financial aid and literacy advisor, is dedicated to helping a diverse group of Mt. Hood students connect to the college and acquire leadership skills.

Jenny Mendoza