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 More‘When Gratitude Is the First Word and the Last... Everything in Between Is Enough‘
Thanksgiving is a challenge for me. On the one hand, it is my favorite holiday because it’s a rare time for family to gather without being centered on gift giving or even decoration — except, I confess, I can’t resist the cute turkey shaped napkin rings. On the other hand, I understand the importance of expressing gratitude and how beneficial that can be for one’s health and well-being.
Read MoreFive Takeaways from the "Roe Wave" Election
Like many of you, I've done a lot of reading about the election over the past week and I wanted to share five takeaways that have stuck with me.
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.
Read MoreWhat Is the Future of Climate Activism?
Three ways to turn your climate concern into action. We must keep showing up, speaking out — and voting! — for the future we want to see. I talk with Jane Fonda this week about the future of climate change activism.
Read MoreBig News! Starting in 2023, TEDWomen will be at Atlanta's Woodruff Arts Center
As I write this, I am preparing to welcome the TEDWomen community to our virtual convening that begins today. This week-long gathering promises new experiences for the TEDWomen community which are described later in this posting. But first…
I’m also thrilled to share the big news that starting in 2023, TEDWomen will be convening in our new home — The Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia!
Read MoreWhy Climate Justice Is My #1 Priority — and Should Be Yours, Too
I had the pleasure of talking this past week with Amanda Hirsch on her Mighty Forces Substack about the climate justice advocacy work that Connected Women Leaders, a cohort of women leaders from around the globe that I co-founded in 2017 with Ronda Carnegie and Hafsat Abiola. The mission of Amanda’s Mighty Forces website is to inspire and support more women to tell their stories. Because, she says, when we share our stories — the power we unleash is a mighty force. Hear hear!
Read MoreThis November, governors' races are more important than ever
With a Supreme Court that is leaning conservative and moving many policy decisions back to the states, more important decisions are happening at the state level — most notably for women, the recent reversal of Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs decision means that states now have the power to legislate a woman's right to choose. Governors will be our last line of defense and the frontline of advocacy in protecting reproductive rights, voting rights, and perhaps other rights, in many states.
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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!"
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TEDWomen Presents: Leading Women on Change, Work, Rights, the Future and JOY!
Many of you have inquired about TEDWomen and the plans for this year. I’m happy to get those inquiries and grateful for the global community of women and men who have attended before. And I'm excited to invite you to join the community again, or register for your first TEDWomen experience.
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.
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Voters in Kansas turned out to strike down a state constitution amendment that would have allowed legislators to severely restrict abortion access in the state. (Photo: Kansas.com via Twitter)
Democracy is the Best Revenge
The Kansas vote reminds us that there is hope in action. Only 94 days stand between us and the November midterm elections. This week, I share a guide from "The Uprising" highlighting races to watch and candidates to support in the midterms.
Read MoreProfiles in Courage: The Women of the January 6th Committee Hearings
As we wait for more hearings to convene in September, I hope you'll also give some thought to the incredible service the women witnesses have shown our country over the past six weeks. They showed us what strong, brave leadership looks like.
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 More'This Decision Is Not Only a Requiem for Abortion Rights, It's Also a Requiem for the Court.'
Hope 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.
Read MoreBurnout Is a National Crisis. Let's Do Something About it.
Remember when one of the buzzwords at the start of the Covid pandemic was ‘reset’? I used it a lot as I tried to frame the dramatic changes we were all experiencing in the ways we lived and worked, especially during lockdowns and travel bans. Sadly, for way too many of our friends, families and colleagues, this time of isolation has been far from a positive reset. In fact, we are seeing evidence every day that mental and emotional struggles have increased, and families and businesses have had to respond.
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