Activism
“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
I resonate with Gandhi's perspective that in order to change the world we must first change ourselves. For me this means developing greater awareness and respect for myself and others, and learning to accept things as they are. Even though I know that I must continue to focus on my own personal work, I also feel called to make a difference in the world, especially in areas that affect women.
I am fortunate to live in the U.S. where women have more rights and opportunities than women in other parts of the world. Even though this is true, women in the U.S. are not free and we are not equal. Sure, we can point to countless examples of women who are successful, who are leaders in society, and who have risen to the top of their professional careers. But misogyny is still rampant, and many of us (men and women) are unconscious of its presence and the effects on our collective psyche.
Education is the first step. I encourage you to spend time understanding the issues by conducting your own research and studying the data. The problems are real. Fortunately, people are starting to speak up and are using the power of social media to communicate and educate. There's a lot of misinformation so look for credible sources. The links and information on my site are things I find interesting and useful. I don't always agree with everything said, but I believe that it's important to look at these issues from various perspectives. In the end, all we can do is trust our own hearts and minds and take whatever small steps are immediately in front of us. It's easy to look at the big picture, where we want to be, and to feel discouraged. But it's the many, small steps and small actions that add up to create big changes.
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
American Association of University Women (AAUW) maintains the latest research on women in leadership, gender pay gap, and sexual harassment.
Harvard Business Review publishes some of the most thought-provoking and helpful content on gender and leadership that I've come across.
Project Include was launched by women activists to help tech companies establish meaningful diversity and inclusion solutions. Their recommendations provide a solid framework for existing and start-ups to consider adopting.
