Articles

September 6, 2023 We’re pleased to announce the return of our annual “She Started It” art contest for students in grades 4 – 12! Utah women make history, and we need your help to show it. Download the contest flier here, or read on for full details. Submit to the contest here The task: Create […]

August 16, 2023 ✏️ We’re seeking a part-time education coordinator to join our team! Do you have an education background? Are you passionate about women’s history? Email info@betterdays2020.org with your resume and a short introduction to yourself. This position can be tailored to fit the right person. Because our team is fully remote, we’re looking […]

June 21, 2023 We’re incredibly excited to reveal the 8 women featured in our newest mural by artist Bill Louis, “Roses in the Garden”! In partnership with the Utah Historical Society, Wasatch Community Gardens, and NeighborWorks Salt Lake, we commissioned this mural to honor women who have shaped Salt Lake City’s westside neighborhoods. It stands […]

September 21, 2022 Utah women make history, but they’re often missing from our textbooks, classrooms, and public art. We need your help to change that! Our annual student art contest is open for submissions through January 25, 2023. Winners in each age category will receive cash awards and prizes from Utah businesses, and they’ll be […]

August 5, 2022 Black American Women of Utah’s History – Richmond Park Mural We’re pleased to share the new mural unveiled this summer at Salt Lake City’s Richmond Park! This project to highlight leading women in Utah history was a collaboration between Better Days, the Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture Foundation, and Wasatch […]

by Toni Pilcher, Better Days Graduate Intern May 18, 2022 In the fallout of the Civil War, many American women were trying to build new and meaningful connections within their communities. The war had really challenged what it meant to live in an increasingly diverse country. In response, women flocked to special interest clubs like […]

February 23, 2022 It’s been 125 years since Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon made history as the country’s first female state senator. Utah chose to send a statue of her to represent our state in Washington, D.C., but the pandemic delayed her planned installation in 2020. Her statue should make it to our nation’s capital this […]

November 3, 2021 Today marks the 125th anniversary of Utah women’s first elections to government! Our first election after statehood was the first time Utah women could run for public office, and Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon was the first woman elected to a state senate in the United States! Her statue will soon represent Utah […]

October 2020 We’re featuring resilient women this month like U.S. Treasurer Ivy Baker Priest. Ivy grew up in the mining town of Bingham, Utah. Despite growing up in poverty and having an unhappy first marriage, she threw her energies into causes she cared about. Ivy worked in politics for decades, especially encouraging women to participate […]

September 2021 This month, we’re featuring Utah women who helped those in need. There are so many it’s hard to pick just a few! One of the first ways American women entered public life was through charitable organizations. In the early days of the United States, women formed groups to set up orphanages, care for […]

August 2021 This month’s featured woman is fearless community organizer Edith Melendez. She believed in the power of grassroots efforts and brought people together to protect civil rights through the Spanish-Speaking Organization for Community, Integrity, and Opportunity (SOCIO). Edith spent her life working to end racism, police brutality, and sexism. Click here to download our […]

July 2021 This month’s featured woman is Marjorie Redding Christiansen, a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War Two. As a WASP, Marjorie flew non-combat missions for the Air Force like testing repaired planes and flying troops. This freed up more male pilots for combat. Marjorie’s brave service wasn’t fully recognized at […]