You Wouldn’t Be Here Without Them

March 27, 2019March 26, 2019 Lynette M Burrows

As March, Women’s History Month, comes to a close in a few more days. Let’s take a moment to honor women of history one more time. Only this time we’re not talking about women who made notable history. We’re talking about the women who had the strength to get through the next day after the next. You wouldn’t be here without them. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. – Jane Goodall Who Were They? It doesn’t matter that we know few if any of these names. They were mothers and grandmothers and aunts and cousins and sisters and daughters. Most of these women passed through the world with little fanfare. What They Did They may have invented new methods for their daily work. Perhaps they created art or stories or music. They did what they had to do, what needed to be done, and if they were lucky, a little of what they wanted to do. And while a son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter, may remember these things for a generation or two, they are mostly forgotten. These are the women who changed the world. They […]

Women Empowering Women

March 25, 2019March 24, 2019 Lynette M Burrows

Women empowering women is a strong and beautiful act. How does this happen? Women lift others with their voices through song, art, dance, speech, poems, stories, and mentorship and so many other ways including small acts of kindness. Art Feminist art emerged in the 1960s. From sculpture to paintings to drawings and performances, these artists highlight societal and political differences associated with gender identity. Here’s a list of 15 artists to get you started. POETRY Poetry, or words that make music in your heart, has many forms. And there are thousands of strong women poets. Below are two examples. “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou “You are more than beautiful” by Rupi Kaur SPEECH 2014 Emma Watson gave this fabulous speech at the UN launcing the HeForShe campaign. There are many, many TED talks about women’s rights and empowerment. Here’s a list of 3,000 titles. BOOKS There are many nonfiction books and many fiction books that tell the story of women empowering other women or themselves. Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Margarot Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale, and Rebecca Solnit’s Men Explain Things To Me, are a very small sample. MUSIC Songs of celebration to songs of protest, music has always been […]

30 Amazing Women You Never Heard Of

March 20, 2019March 19, 2019 Lynette M Burrows

In four short weeks, I can’t begin to honor all the women who should be honored during Women’s History Month. But I’m fascinated to learn about women who’ve dared to be different or make a difference. Here are 30 amazing women you never heard of–at least not in school: Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị 1 – 43 Vietnam Chose 36 women to be generals and successfully drove the Chinese out in 40 A.D. Trắc became queen, abolishing tribute taxes and attempted to revert back to a simpler government. Hypatia of Alexandria 355 – 415 EGYPT An unwed Pagan woman who taught astronomy and mathematics from her home and was a philosopher of the Neoplatonic school. Fatima Al-Fihri 800 – 880 Kairouan, Abbasid Caliphate (Moracco) Founded the world’s oldest continually operating, degree-granting university, the University of Al Qarawiyyin. Tomoe Gozen 1157-1247 Japan A legendary 12th century samurai warrior noted for being a skilled archer, often referred to as a “warrior worth a thousand.” Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 1651–1695 Mexico Credited as the first published feminist of the New World. Sybil Ludington 1761 – 1839 U.S.A. Riding twice the distance, perhaps she should have been remembered in poem and song instead […]