None of us can afford to sit on the sidelines, stay silent and do nothing when the lives and livelihoods of all our communities are at stake. This bill is a big step forward for climate justice and we must take it together.
Read More50 Women in 50 States Fighting for Climate Justice
“Love Your Mother lifts up the stories of women who are poets, physicians, climate scientists, students, farmers, writers, documentary filmmakers, and more,” writes Mallory. “Their work lights the way for conversation and collective action in our homes and in the world. It's time we follow their lead.”
Read MoreFood, Fuel and Fire at Skoll World Forum
Food. Fuel. Fire. I heard those words again and again throughout the SWF as this community of individuals and organizations embraced Ava DuVernay’s reminder that we need all three, and we must strive to be connected as a community committed to making the changes needed to get us to a future of shared peace and prosperity — Jeff Skoll’s vision for the foundation.
Read MoreFearless Women Fighting for Democracy
Today is Belarus Freedom Day. We must all stand in solidarity with the brave women of Belarus. These women are my definition of fearless in their defense of their freedoms and the democratic process.
Read MoreHow Ukrainian Women Are Working to Safeguard Fundamental Human Rights in the Face of War
Oh, Sister! is a new documentary from Nobel Women’s Initiative. The 20-minute film spotlights how Ukrainian women are working to safeguard fundamental human rights in the face of war. It also shows the central role that women and civil society play in keeping life going in times of war.
Read MoreA Love Letter to Newsletters
On this Valentine’s Day, I’m sharing my love for many of the women I admire who have committed to writing the posts that help keep me and so many others informed and inspired — my ‘newsletter sisters.' These are newsletters I always open. They offer news you might otherwise miss, insights you'll appreciate, along with valued perspectives and often much needed inspiration.
Read MoreFlipping the Script on Black History Month
What if we re-imagined Black History Month as Black Futures Month? Activist Alicia Garza says that she thinks about it that way in her work at the Black Futures Lab and Black to the Future Action Fund. In a great interview in YES! magazine, she says that "One of the most important things that I take from Black history is that Black communities have always been futurists… Because of the way that the rules have been rigged against our communities, we’ve been forced to imagine a new future with possibilities for freedom."
Read MoreWhat I'm Reading: Reckoning By V
My dear friend V (formerly Eve Ensler) has a new book out this week that I hope you will add to your reading lists. “Unflinching, intimate, introspective, courageous, Reckoning explores ways to create an unstoppable force for change, to love and survive love, to hold people and states accountable, to reckon with demons and honor the dead, to reclaim the body, and to see oneself as connected to a greater purpose.”
Read MoreA Letter from an Afghan Educator: Optimism in the Face of Agony
Shabana Basij-Rasikh is the cofounder and president of the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA), the country's first and only girls' boarding school. She’s presented twice at TEDWomen—in 2012 when she had so much hope for the girls of Afghanistan, and in 2021, to talk about her school’s harrowing evacuation after Kabul fell to the Taliban. I want to share with you an update on Shabana's vital work. She and her staff and students made it out of Kabul, but so many women and girls remain in Afghanistan, denied an education and all the opportunities that come with it.
Read MoreRemembering Barbara Walters, A Legend, An Inspiration and A Friend
The passing of Barbara Walters is such a loss. We both faced challenges in our careers as women in media. Along the way, we also learned the importance of showing up for other women.
Read MoreUN Commission Expels Iran For Its Treatment of Women
As I listened to the reports of this historic action, it seemed like just the right timing for a tribute to the American woman who is responsible for the fact that a global declaration of support for human rights in every country exists. I’m referring to the great Eleanor Roosevelt.
Read MoreU.S. Institute of Peace Announces María Eugenia Mosquera Riascos as the 2022 Women Building Peace Award Recipient
I am so pleased to share this announcement about this year’s winner, María Eugenia Mosquera Riascos of Colombia! I am a member of the Women Building Peace Council and I am thrilled to be involved with honoring and elevating Maru’s important work.
Read MoreInternational Women’s Voices: A Fresh Perspective on Gender Equality
This week I want to share with you a recent newsletter from SES, an organization led by my friend and Connected Women Leaders (CWL) colleague, Gülseren Onanç in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s important for all of us who are engaged in the work towards greater social justice and gender equality to know what other committed women and male allies are leading around the world.
Read MorePower Is in Our Hands. Women Can Determine This Election.
I’m counting on women and young people to show up here in Georgia and everywhere to vote in numbers that will make history and make it clear that reproductive rights must be restored everywhere and that actions must be taken to protect and preserve the planet and implement solutions for a more equitable share of the earth's resources.
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Indigenous women must be present at decision making tables
Indigenous women are the custodians of the land and holders of traditional knowledge. By listening to Indigenous voices, and Indigenous women in particular, we can move from fear to action. But we must listen and we must act.
Read MoreUN Climate Week NYC: Women Leading a New Narrative of Hope For Solutions to the Climate Crisis
I was part of a contingent of women leaders who went to NYC last week with a proposal to shift the narrative of fear to one of hope and radical optimism. Our proposal is inspired by the audacious possibility, put forward by indigenous leader Jade Begay, who challenged us during our Connected Women Leaders forum in Bellagio last April to imagine "that our best times may be ahead of us!"
Read MoreWomen DO Indeed Have Power in the Voting Booth This November
Not only are we a majority of the population. We are also the majority of voters. This November, women must speak out, support women and men running for office who are fighting for women's equality, and most importantly, vote.
Read MoreWe must look inward to find resilience, to persist and to thrive.
Nelson Mandela founded The Elders in 2007 to bring independent global leaders together to continue the work for peace, justice and human rights. Over the past year, The Elders have been exploring the "State of Hope" through a series of digital talks. I want to share some of The Elders Chair Mary Robinson’s speech with you because I found it inspiring and a helpful reminder that we must look inward to be the force for hope and change.
Read MoreWomen Leaders Who Are Redefining What Power Looks Like
This week, I’m sharing some of the inspiring stories of women around the world who are stepping up to challenge inequality at its roots by putting themselves forward as leaders in government. In many ways, these women are redefining what power can look like and I, like so many others, am excited about the differences they can and will make as leaders.
Read MoreHope In Action: The Dream of Educating Afghan Girls Lives On
This week, I want to share two success stories because I think we all could use a little good news. You may remember a few weeks ago I shared with you some details about the current dire situation for Afghani women and girls under Taliban rule. Hope is alive in the hearts of Dr. Sakena Yaccobi and Shabana Basij-Rasikh, two women activists who are working to educate girls, in spite of the enormous challenges that both face.
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