Nobel prize winner, Maathai, sounds alarm over planet

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The passion of women astounds me.

Drum Major Institute

Drum Major Institute
The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is a non-partisan, non-profit policy institute founded during the civil rights movement. DMI's approach is unwavering: we do not issue reports to see our name in print or hold forums for the sake of mere talk. We influence policy by conducting rigorous research, leveraging our strategic relationships to engage policymakers and opinion leaders in our work, and offering platforms to amplify the ideas of those who are working for social and economic fairness.

Welcome to the Green Belt Movement

Welcome to the Green Belt Movement

Wangari Maathai in the news

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Africa 'makes excuses on climate'

James brought up good point of how Maathai claimed the position she is in today. It would be an interesting comparison to make to how other female leaders got to power: i.e. Margaret Spellings.

Does it have to end?

I am feeling sad about the end of my Women in Education class.
One. the general class environment and Rebecca pushed me harder than I have ever gone in a class setting.
Two. I don't want to stop reading about changing pedagogical practices and
Three. I gennerally had fun every Tuesday nights!

I am happy that I get to read Elaine Pagel's Adam, Eve, and the Serpent! ASAP

I started this blog because I wanted to begin reflecting more on my experiences and thoughts as I went through the class. I really hope that I can continue to use this tool as a way to outline some of my thoughts and resources that I have used.

American Association of University Women

American Association of University Women

Conquering fear

"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood." - Marie Curie


I think this quote sums up how I feel about conquering life. I would like to have a better understanding of processes and patterns that shape our world like feminism or politics, rather than succumb to the fear that people relate with knowing to much. What is the phrase..."Ignorance is bliss." This is a terrible thing to say, but I bet a woman came up with that phrase to excuse the fact that she hasn't truly claimed her knowledge and experience in the world.

Adrienne Rich

Matthew Rothschild interviews Adrienne Rich in the January 1994 issue of The Progressive magazine.

Here is the quote from Adrienne Rich in her book, On Lies, Secrets and Silence "Responsibility to yourself means that you don't fall for shallow and easy solutions- predigested books and ideas, weekend encounters guaranteed to change your life, taking 'gut' courses instead of ones you know will challenge you, bluffing at school and life instead of doing solid work, marrying early as an escape from real decisions, getting pregnant as an evasion of already existing problems. It means that you refuse to sell your talents and aspirations short, simply to avoid conflict and confrontation. And this, in turn, means resisting forces in society which say that women should be nice, play safe, have low professional expectations, drown in love and forget about work, live through others, and stay in the places assigned to us."

trying not to be political

my step mother was trying very hard not to be political yesterday! she is a "successful" women from texas. i must define sucessful...she has money from the husbands she has now or has had. sh has made investments with that money and is now a millionaire. she is successful, but she is not political. what is it about certain women who try their hardest not to be political? she wanted to make a point that she fell asleep or was in another room during the debate. she made her point so we stopped talking to her and just talked amongst ourselves. but this is part of the problem with women that has been perpetuated by our schooling, our parents, and our ignorance. ignorance is bliss, i have heard some say. Why can't it be blissful for women to be political? in tyack and hansot's learning together they talk about the "militant feminists". Why can't there be a better name for it? a name that doesn't scare women into being smart about politics. they don't want to be seen as a "nazi" feminist who can't be controlled. i don't either. but i am on my political path...a spiritual path that has become increasingly political in nature. i want to be closer to this earth and be peaceful in my skin as well as feel comfortable in knowing my political stance. maybe tonight we will go to the debate party at pete's candy store in NY and we will share a moment. who knows?

Important Women Through History

Why have I not heard about the many women who have made brilliant contributions to this world? I have heard about mis-education of African Americans, but I am wondering if I haven't also been a victim. Oh, I hate using that word. A\Aren't we all victims? This is really blowing my mind. As I go through my brain and recall the pictures of important people that I have learned about, it is not a mix of genders at all! I see men's faces; all the men who have signed the constitution, the men who helped free the slaves, but there is Harriet Tubman who I see. I recall the men who served during the wars, and I see all the male presidents. This is a bit infuriating that I cannot see certain female faces as clearly as I see these male faces. I never thought of myself as a feminist, and I don't really remember anyone in my family being one. Of course , I was from Texas, so that is a good reason. My grandmother may be the closest to a feminist that I know. About ten years ago she started signing her name with only her maiden name. She continues to send me things and signs her name Wilmuth Mavanee Box Johnson. She used to tell me great stories about her mom taking care of the family during the depression without a husband around. I don't recall why the husband wasn't around, I just remember that my great-grandmother had to do a lot of tending to things on her own while she was very ill. I wish I could remember more about what my grandmother taught me. She has been through so much herself. I haven't lived at all when I think about all the contributions that other women have made in their lives. Someone told me recently, "You have to do something different, and something nobody else has done." The conversation came out of me saying I don't hear much about people studying much about kids with disabilities and learning math. (This is not true as there are many people who have covered this topic thoroughly.) The point is this: I must do something different to be recognized like these women who had to do something totally extraordinary to become a special "female" member of recognized people. And the sad part is this: I don't recognize half of this list of people. What does this say about my education? What does this say about what people in America are teaching their kids about women and their contributions? It makes me really sad. Maybe this is why I have been so depressed lately. I have missed some things life because I was worried about my social life, or whatever I was concerned about back then. I wanted to reflect...

In Their Footsteps

In Their Footsteps

National Women's History Museum offers a recommended itenerary for a tour around the DC area.

my education

thinking more on the issue of my education. i was speaking with my friend, michelle, last night about how i thought it was wonderful that my dad always told me how i could be anything i ever wanted to be. she reminded me that that wasn't necessarily true. women didn't have the same opportunities as men and my dad should have been honest with me. or maybe my dad didn't realize the implications of what he was saying.

The Learning Place - Museums & Organizations

The Learning Place - Museums & Organizations

i would like to visit the museum of women in alexandria before i leave VA. i must also visit the cowgirl museum in texas, but i wonder shat kind of info is there about the education of women, compared to the education of women in virginia. both southern states, note though the focus in TX is on cowgirls. fitting i suppose. what is similar or different about the barriers that the cowgirls had to face in education?

first blog

last night after my women's in ed class, i reflected that i didn't really know how to reflect. i guess that is a start, right. i decided to be more reflective in my studies and in my life, i will have this blog to diary my thoughts and feelings about anything. my life is going by way too quickly. i was discussing when i ran my first marathon, and it was two years ago...when i was 26. i am almost 28 and i feel like my life is boring and in many ways too self absorbed. i have made one thing clear; i must do more for the environment. sean and i went to the Green Festival last weekend in d.c. it was exhilarating to see so many different people sharing their ideas and creativity about how to make this world a better place. waste, greed, selfishness, war, are all huge problems when you look at the spectrum of what is going on in the world. it seems ironic to be talking about being more reflective and less self-absorbed. can one achieve this? i will think about these things:

1. my education (class reflection topic)
2. union of man and woman in a spiritual sense, not sexual at all. i am referring to the yen/yang or the 6 pointed star. how does this relate to the educating the whole child? we talk about educating to all the different senses, but what about getting kids in touch with their femininity and masculinity? how does this help teach citizenship?
3. what is citizenship? not just voting anymore, is it?
4. 4:30 AM trip to the National Museum of Native Indians

OH, so much on my mind.

peace, friend.