Author: The Woman Hood

This is what I am talking about…

One person, making a change where they are!

That is what we all should do…

Read about Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin and the Pearls Africa Youth Foundation here

Be Inspired!

Susan 🙂

Thanks to Jana for making this Documentary which totally hits home for so many.

Also love the inspiration this beautiful strong woman is sending out. Perhaps a Woman Hood Interview some day? So much I would love to know.

Be Inspired!

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has appointed women to half of his government’s ministerial posts, including the job of defence minister.

Explaining his decision in a speech to Parliament, Mr Abiy said women were “less corrupt than men” and would help restore peace and stability.

Ethiopia is now the only African state after Rwanda to have equal gender representation in the cabinet….READ MORE….

 

Giving it up today for the Nobel Peace Prize winners this year for bringing the struggle of millions of women to the forefront.

For as long as there have been humans, male and female, sexual violence has played a role in every kind of situation. The powerful male has always taken advantage of the ‘weaker’ female. Most of the time, the political or societal power structure either encourages this or at least allows it.

It’s an age old story and as recently evidenced during the Kavanaugh hearings in the United States, there are many people who do not want to talk about it anymore. To them this is not the kind of thing that happens anymore and need no longer be addressed.

But the painful truth is that women are still dealing with this struggle today. Subtly in some societies but awfully blatant in others.

And in this light, I congratulate the two amazing recipients of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize; Dr. Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad who were presented with the prize for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.

Dr. Denis Mukwege is a gynecologist who, at risk of losing his life, stood up for women attacked and raped by armed rebels in his native Democratic Republic of Congo

Nadia Murad, is an Iraqi Yazidi human rights activist who personally experienced being kidnapped and held as a sex slave by the Islamic State in 2014 at the age of 19. She founded “Nadia’s Initiative“, an organization dedicated to “helping women and children victimized by genocide, mass atrocities and human trafficking to heal and rebuild their lives and communities”.

Much Respect!

Be Inspired!

 

Last night, I watched the CNN Documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsberg, a Supreme Court Justice of the United States of America.

An amazing woman who has embodied the fight for Woman’s Rights.

The film is wonderfully enlightening and inspiring.

Read about it HERE!!!

Watch it on Amazon Prime.

Be Inspired!

Click here to read a very poignant Op Ed from the New York Times written by Jianan Qian, a fiction write from Shanghai, China.

Her dilemma is one that women from many cultures are afflicted with, especially as immigrants in countries other than our own.

It is very difficult to care for aging parents from afar, with distance, time difference, the loss of friendships and connections and the burden of new responsibilities in our new home communities and families.

 

 

 

Today’s post is in support of our Muslim sisters around the world who celebrated Eid al-Adha this week.

Let’s talk Hijab.

For those not of the Islamic Faith, it may be difficult to understand the concept of the Hijab and indeed there are liberal Muslims who do not embrace it, but before we judge, we should know that many other religions and cultures also dictate a woman’s covering.

In Judaism, a woman’s head covering is called Kisui Rosh.

Some orthodox Christian denominations still expect women to have their heads covered during public worship and some Christian denominations also dictate acceptable everyday dressing for women,

In ancient Hindi practice, married women were expected to be veiled.

Some cultures nowadays allow a woman to choose, others are not so liberal, but nevertheless, even under oppression, there is an element of choice. And if a woman chooses to follow a culture, whatever her reason, we should respect that.

In this modern liberal world, where everyone just wants to fit in and be accepted, my first feeling when I see a woman declaring her Faith through her clothing is not pity, but respect.

My first thought is not “Oh poor thing, look what she has been forced to do” but rather, “Wow, it takes guts to be ‘different’ – power to you”

This is the same whether she is wearing a habit, a wig, Kisui Rosh, a hijab, an afro, scarf or turban. 

Whatever you wear, you are speaking your truth. And that is what matters.

Let us seek to understand, love and support each other.

Here are some interesting views on the Hijab worth watching.

Be inspired!

 

 

For a white East German woman behind the proverbial Iron Curtain, my mother sure had a wealth of knowledge and respect for strong black woman.

The African American Struggle was not unknown in East Germany and names like Angela Davis, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson, and Aretha Franklin were not strange in our home.

I grew up knowing Aretha as the Queen.

She was one of those voices you could always recognize. She effortlessly belted out notes others could only dream of hitting. And sang words that women only dreamed of saying.

I remember listening to a song once with my cousin and when Aretha came on in her full glory, he said “Ha! You know my girl!” Because you did! She always delivered. She never disappointed.

As a teen in the eighties, a lot of names became stories about what used to be. But not Aretha. Through the decades, she always remained relevant as she stayed seated….Elegant, Strong, Sexy, Beautiful, Powerful….on the Throne.

In the 80’s she collaborated with the greats of the time and stood her ground, winning Grammies and Top 10’s; she was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; her voice was legally declared one of Michigan’s natural resources,

In the 90s she performed with other Divas on VH1 and out shone them all; she sang one of Pavarotti’s signature pieces filling in for him without rehearsal when he was ill; she honored others and was herself honored at the Kennedy Center,

In the 2000’s she sang at 2 presidential inaugurations (by the way, she sang for Jimmy Carter in 1977 as well); she was given a well-deserved Presidential Medal for Freedom; she sang in front of Pope Francis,

Now, with her passing, articles talk about her private struggles and pain, which make her even more of an amazing human being to behold.

She has left us, but her songs will play on forever, on our radios, our playlists and in Heaven where she is undoubtedly out-singing the Angels right now being a SUPER-“Natural Woman”! (Okay, so that was a little corny but you get it :-))

I say my farewell here by sharing the following three videos from the 80’s. I chose them because, although I grew up hearing all her old songs, these are the songs that Aretha gave my generation at the time. And they were great! I am eternally grateful to have been born in a time when I could experience talent and grace such as hers. Rest in Peace, My Queen.

Sisters are doing it for themselves – With Annie Lennox celebrating Girl Power and Women’s Rights

I knew you were waiting – with George Michael. Two greats revered by the LGBT community and having a profound admiration for each other, a collaboration orchestrated by Clive Davis. (Read more about it here)

Freeway of Love – This song was the last of her 20 career #1 hits and earned her a 12^th Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. It doesn’t say so anywhere, but I believe this to be an ode to her beloved hometown, Detroit. The video was shot entirely in Detroit, showing the Ford Production Plant.

 

 

I am loving the Oculus Go Commercial.

Says it all 🙂

 

Today, I honor two men! Real men!

It began with me seeking out a particular song from the 70’s that had popped into my head while I was working. One song led to another and then another…and you know how it is, before too long I found myself “YouTube Surfing”.

And then I stumbled across the clip below, which felt like water to a thirsty plant. my heart opened up just like the leaves of the freshly watered plant unfurl.

Always a fan of Billy Crystal, I thought it might be funny to see him imitate Mohammad Ali. But I was in for a much bigger treat.

Billy Crystal draws us in with a beautifully intimate story of his relationship with The Champ. He makes us laugh as he jests about fun times with Ali, he makes us cry as he tells stories from the Civil Rights movement and the treatment Mohammad Ali had to endure.

But most of all, he makes us glow with pride. Pride that we can say we lived when these two greats lived. Pride to know that humans do have it in them to do good for each other.

Billy Crystal, from a Long Island Jewish family that supported Black musicians when others would not. Billy Crystal, who started the Peace through the Performing Arts Program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. A program that brings Arab, Palestinian and Jewish artist together in peaceful performance. Hear, Hear, Billy!!! And let’s not forget Comic Relief which he started with Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg to raise money for the Homeless across America (Boy, do we need that now)

And then, there is Mohammad Ali…The greatest of all time!

Mohammad Ali was famous for his trash talk and vanity, but that was all fun and entertainment. The real man, was not afraid to speak his Truth and do what he believed was Right. He cared about others and not just others of his own kind. He cared about humanity.

Stripped of his titles and even his permission to fight, still he stood his ground against injustices and against war.

How many of us do that anymore?

We are more concerned about our followership and our likes than we are about the welfare of our fellow man. Trash talk and vanity still gets many of us on the front page, but after all the talk, there is little else.

Changing the world takes bravery, takes courage, takes perseverance against the odds.

It is never easy, and it is always swimming against the current. But for all the lives you touch on the way, it is SO worth it!!

And just so you know…you do not have to be a world class boxing champion or a famous comedian to make a difference, a change or a statement. You can be anyone, your job can be anything….you just need to believe in your Truth and put your all behind it.

Stand up and speak your Truth and don’t apologize for it.

There are people in your building, on your street, in your town, just waiting for you. Yes, YOU!

Mohammad Ali was exemplary of what The Woman Hood stands for. He crossed cultures and religions, stood for all people, and accepted everyone as his brethren.

All of us like that = Peace on Earth

It is not impossible! I believe it whole heartedly!

Enjoy this clip and Be Inspired!