On March 8, music fans gathered at The Gateway in downtown Salt Lake City to celebrate International Women’s Day.
The free community event brought together artists, entrepreneurs and changemakers for a day of celebration and inspiration. Samantha Smith, festival director and founder of Mind the Gap, held the first festival in 2023 to shed light on gender equality gaps seen in Utah and beyond.
“Utah has been ranked as the worst state for women’s (pay) equality for around ten years,” Smith said. “This festival is to celebrate all of the achievements that women have overcome, but also to educate on the different gaps and work that needs to be done.”
According to Forbes Advisor’s 2024 Gender Pay Gap Statistics, Utah women have the third-largest pay gap in the nation. The report showed the median annual earnings of men in Utah in 2024 as $61,269, while women earn $44,707, leaving a difference of $16,562.
Mind the Gap showcased live music performances that featured six Utah-based artists. During workshops held upstairs, inside of KILN, participants learned about mental wellness, career development and financial independence.
Over 30 women-owned businesses attended the festival, promoting vintage clothing, jewelry, art, and treats.
Jaiden Gunn has been crocheting since she was five years old. She started her business With Love, Jaiden in 2020, crafting and selling stuffed toys, clothes and accessories.
Gunn, who has attended the festival as a vendor since the beginning, appreciates the platform Mind the Gap provides to women- and minority-owned businesses.
“I just loved their message,” shared Gunn. “I loved what they stood for, I loved that they’re now pushing even further with the current political climate, and I loved that it was such a safe place for women and other queer people and other minorities.”
To announce her participation in this year’s festival, Gunn designed and crocheted a Mind the Gap tapestry vest.
“I just thought it was a really cool way to announce that I was going to be doing this, so I put the artists on there, I stuck Mind the Gap on the back, it took me about two weeks. I’m really proud of it,” explained Gunn.
Destiny Shepherd launched her business Must be Fate two and a half years ago. She has been operating her business full-time for a year.
“I really love the fact that it’s all women,” said Shepherd. “I like the women empowerment [of the festival].”
International Women’s Day activities began over a century ago, with the first gathering in 1911 being supported by over a million people. According to the IWD website, March 8 is “a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.”
For more information on Mind the Gap and future events, visit their website.
