NIFA Celebrates Women’s Equality Day | National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Over 100 years in the past, Congress handed the Nineteenth Modification giving women with The biggest to vote. Since 1971, August 26 marks Women’s Equality Day, which commemorates over a century Of women breaking boundaries.

Right now, the Nationwide Institute of Meals and Agriculture (NIFA) rejoices the strong, progressive women who make up the group and try Daily to assist The enlargement of agriculture.
 

Dr. Suzanne Stluka, deputy director food safety and vitamin

NIFA is proud To spotmild Dr. Suzanne Stluka, deputy director food safety and vitamin, as a trailblazing particular person To assist rejoice Women’s Equality Day. Get to know Dr. Stluka and her path to NIFA.

Wright here did you spend your typeative years, and what have been your pursuits?
I used to be born and raised in Lake Andes, South Dakota, wright here my mom and father nonetheless stay today. It is a rural, tribal group on the Ihanktowan (Yankton Sioux) nation. Dwelling in a small metropolis, and having a mother or father who was an educator meant that I used to be involved in everyfactor – 4-H, FCCLA, Nationwide Honor Society, cheerleading, Sunday school teacher, promoting concessions, All State Choir, and so on.  Our metropolis has an annual event referred to as Fish Days, And positively one of many traditions is a queen contest, so I used to be a Fish Days Queen. I used to be additionally A licensed Nursing Assistant (CNA), put together dinner, and dietary aide all by way of Highschool and school On the native nursing house.

How did your roots assist type you into the particular person You are today?
Rising up in a rural group confirmed me how important it was to volunteer And provides again. My grandmcompletely different had solely an eighth-grade education and was a single mom. She took me alongside Collectively with her on the weekends to her cleansing jobs On the native clinic and group center and confirmed me that planting flowers On The metropolis park assisted to brighten up the group. My dad was a volunteer EMT and firefighter, so I On A daily basis primarytain in thoughts the beeper going off Inside the midst of the Evening time To assist a group member. For 14 years my mom and father operated An space ice cream and hamburger enterprise wright here You can discover us all behind the scenes put together dinnering, ready desks, taking orders, and so on. It taught me The worth of Buyer assist And the method a lot it means to a small group to have A spot to Exit to eat. You will Have The power to nonetheless discover my mom today directing The metropolis library, managing the group backyard, working the farmer’s market – I Want to go house as a Outcome of I do know Tright here’s one factor for me to Get entangled with.

Were tright here any boundaries/obstacles You’ve confronted as you moved in the direction of your goals Through the years?
Tright here have been preceptions of my housetomw And school growing up that produced obstacles, so it was On A daily basis particular As quickly as we have been In a place To interrupt by way of these. I used to be proud to be elected Since the primary South Dakota FCCLA state president from my school. Going off To school was troublesome, and it Destayred to mild the discrepancies our rural school methods face in getting ready college students for this subsequent diploma. Working in academia For A pair of years with out having the Ph.D. credential behind my identify For A lot of of these years made it troublesome to get invited to some desks, triggered me to be ignored for some alternatives, And typically meant I Needed to work extra sturdy to show my worth. Like Many women, I’ve confronted obstacles Because of my gender.

What suggestion would you give youthful women Since they’re striving To understand their goals?
I even have been blessed with feminine position fashions and mentors, so don’t be afraid to ask for that assist, or to be that position mannequin for completely different women. Uplift, assist, and empower completely different women. Create room On the desk for completely different women.

What are your expert goals for The Prolonged time period for your self? 
I even have been given a mannequin-new alternative as an SES within NIFA, and so I am wanting forward to spending The subsequent half in my profession studying and growing into this place. I do think about that sometime I am going to return to Cooperative Extension Service to Pertype a dean and/or director if given The prospect.

To watch the U.S. Dehalfment of Agriculture’s Women’s Equality Day celebration, go to right here. 

 

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