Yesterday was International Women’s Day. From the stream of posts and stories on traditional and social media, it seems to be the one day of the year where women and women’s issues are palatable, laudable even. That is both comical and deeply saddening. So, I decided to dedicate this post to the women (famous and not so famous) and women’s organizations where I draw inspiration, information, and intellectualism every day, not just on International Women’s Day ;-). I end this post with a few books that every woman, particularly every woman of faith, should read. Enjoy!
Women Working for Global Women’s Voices, Issues, and Rights
Leymah Gbowee, Peace Activist, Liberia
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President, Liberia
Joyce Banda, President, Malawi
Melanne Verveer, Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues
Valerie Jarrett, Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls
Tina Tchen, Executive Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls
Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Founder of the Circle for Concerned African Women Theologians
Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, Queen, Heshemite Kingdom of Jordan
Organizations Committed to Women’s Wellness, Justice, and Welfare
Black Women’s Roundtable, National Coalition of Black Civic Participation
Twitter Voices for Encouragement, Empowerment, and Enhancement
Tania Boughton @eatlightright
Erika Nicole Kendall @bgg2wl
Sophia A. Nelson @IAMSophiaNelson
Thema Bryant-Davis @drthema
Julianne Malveaux @drjlastword
Nyasha Junior @NyashaJunior
Soledad O’Brien @Soledad_Obrien
Danielle Ellis @QueenofShima
Recommended Reading:
Women Who Run with the Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes
The Dance of the Dissident Daughter, Sue Monk Kidd
Stories from Inner Space: Confessions of a Preacher Woman and Other Tales, Claudette A. Copeland
Turn the Pulpit Loose: Two Centuries of American Women Evangelists, Priscilla Pope Levinson
God’s Troublemakers: How Women of Faith are Changing the World, Katharine Rhodes Henderson
Daughters of Miriam: Women Prophets in Ancient Israel, Wilda Gafney
These lists are by no means exhaustive but the post could only be so long! Have you been blessed by any of these women or their efforst? Chime in! Feel free to add in the comments section the names of any women, women’s organizations, tweeting sisters, or books that inspire and inform you.
Listening Aloud 
What a great inspiration for our young women! We can be anything we want. My daughter said she wanted to be the first African-American Female President of the United States. I accept this post as support and encouragement for her future endeavors!