Moving Forward Together: Day 21
March 21: National Rosie the Riveter Day & the Crone’s Strength in Work and Change
Photo caption: A "Rosie" putting rivets on an Vultee A-31 Vengeance in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1943
Photo credit: By Alfred T. Palmer - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs divisionunder the digital ID fsac.1a35371.This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4002670
The world has always expected women to step up in times of crisis—and then step back when the crisis is over. But the Rosie the Riveter generation proved that once women take on new roles, there is no turning back.
Observed on March 21, National Rosie the Riveter Day honors the millions of women who worked in factories, shipyards, and industrial jobs during World War II, filling the labor gap left by men who had gone to war. These women built planes, assembled tanks, welded ships, and manufactured ammunition, proving that women’s work was not just in the home—but in the heart of industry, innovation, and national survival.
The most famous image from this era is "Rosie the Riveter", the red-bandana-wearing, muscle-flexing icon who declared "We Can Do It!" But the real Rosies were more than a symbol—they were a movement that redefined women’s place in the workforce and shattered the idea that only men could do “men’s work.”
During World War II, over six million American women entered industrial jobs that had been considered too dangerous, too difficult, or too technical for them before the war. These women:
🔧 Built aircraft, ships, and military equipment
⚙️ Worked as engineers, electricians, and welders
🏭 Ran heavy machinery and managed entire production lines
They did this while still running households, raising children, and holding communities together.
But when the war ended, they were expected to return to domestic life as men reclaimed their jobs. Some did—but many refused.
The Rosie the Riveter generation laid the foundation for the modern women’s workforce, proving that women were just as capable as men in science, engineering, and skilled labor. Their work set the stage for:
The rise of women in STEM and trade careers
The second-wave feminist movement of the 1960s and 70s
Laws protecting women’s workplace rights
Their impact did not end with the war—it shaped the future of women’s labor and equality.
The Crone is a woman who has worked, built, and survived. She knows what it means to hold everything together when others are gone—to carry the weight of labor, of care, of expectation.
The Rosies were Crones-in-the-making—women who stepped into power, proved their skill, and refused to fade back into silence. Their lesson is clear:
Women’s work is never small or invisible.
Women have always built the world—even when history tries to erase them.
Strength is not just in muscle—it is in endurance, in perseverance, in refusing to back down.
A Spell for Strength & Standing Your Ground
This spell is for holding your power, refusing to be erased, and standing strong in the face of expectation. Inspired by the Rosies and the Crone’s resilience, it calls upon determination, skill, and the magic of perseverance.
What You’ll Need:
A red candle (for strength and willpower)
A small tool or symbol of work (a wrench, pen, key, or something that represents labor)
A piece of cloth or bandana (a nod to Rosie’s signature red scarf)
A stone or piece of metal (for endurance and resilience)
The Ritual:
1. Light the Fire of Strength
Light the red candle, letting its flame represent the fire of women who have worked, built, and fought for their place in the world.
2. Name Your Power
Hold the tool or symbol of work in your hands. Think about what labor means to you—physical work, emotional labor, creative work, activism, caregiving. Say:
"With my hands, I build.
With my mind, I create.
With my will, I endure.
I stand strong, and I will not be moved."
3. Tie the Strength to You
Wrap the cloth or bandana around your wrist or hold it in your lap. Visualize the energy of every woman who has ever fought to be recognized for her work flowing into you. Whisper:
"I will not be erased.
I will not be silenced.
I am strong, and my work matters."
4. Ground & Seal the Spell
Place the stone or metal next to the candle, letting it absorb the energy of the spell. Carry it with you as a reminder of your strength and endurance.
When you are ready, snuff out the candle—but know that your power remains, steady and unshakable.
Rosie the Riveter was not just a wartime necessity—she was a revolution. The women she represents proved that strength is not just about lifting heavy objects, but about refusing to be told what you can and cannot do.
Like the Crone, like the Rosies, like the women who came before us, we stand strong, we build, and we refuse to be erased.
We move forward together—rooted in history, fueled by resistance, and weaving the future with our own hands.