Welcome to the Legion!

The Women Can Build Exhibit is a world class photography exhibit that will showcase our modern “Rosie the Riveters”.  The exhibit will feature photographs taken by the Pulitzer Prize winner Deanne Fitzmaurice.  The exhibit will also feature photos from WWII that show historic “Rosie the Riveter” manufacturing workers.

When we think of war, we think of those that go off into battle, fight on the front lines.  There was a time, that when that happened many of those left behind were women.  Who was left to do the jobs that had been left abandoned by men?  Women.  During WWII women filled jobs typically held by men.  Rosie the Riveter (Mary Doyle Keefe) was born.  Rosie was strong, confident, able to swing a hammer like a man, and hold her own.

The Women Can Build campaign’s goal is to bring awareness to the women who are working in the 21st century to build America’s transportation.  This is an industry that is 87% men.

“Women Can Build says it all: the all powerful, beautiful women working in these factories can do anything they set their minds to,” said Madeline Janis, Director of the Jobs to Move America coalition.  “We hope to inspire more young girls to work in heavy manufacturing, and to encourage the major employers in transit equipment manufacturing to provide more good jobs and equal opportunity to women in these factories.”

The photos that can be seen are no doubt inspiring. Using props such as original tools of the original “Rosie”, perfect lighting, bold color, the photographs show a different side to this work deemed for men.  Deanne was inspired by the photographs she saw in the Library of Congress.

The exhibit will run at Union Station in Los Angeles from May 22-June 19, 2015.  For more information you can visit womencanbuild.org

Voice of America News video below gives us more insight into the exhibit.

Photographs by Deannne Fitzmaurice

Curated by Fiona Gardner

Produced by Madeline Janis and Rachel Huennekens.

Historical Photographs courtesy of Library of Congress

 

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Cristy Donahue