Womanpower #1

I know a handful of women, older than me, in fact closer to my mother's age than mine, who I consider living heroines. They are good listeners. They are creative, and intuitive. They like to talk about books, movies, cultural phenomena, and they like to hear about my children, because they are grandmother age, and they are curious about the paths of future generations. They are a lot like my mother in many ways, but they are not my mother. I love and admire them, and I'm honored that they enjoy my company. They are all busy, accomplished women.

I had lunch with one of my heroines today. She is a teacher of teachers. She loves to learn, and she also loves to share her knowledge. She is full of deep questions, and dares to "go there", wherever "there" may lead, and she doesn't pretend that it's easy. She just plunges in. Today she asked me if I could recommend something literary about racism, for a course she's teaching on Acknowledging Race and Racism in the Classroom (my version of the course title). She'd like to present her students with an essay or two that would serve to open the topic(s) for discussion. I immediately thought of two anthologies I've read recently: Uncle Tom's Children, by Richard Wright, and a new James Baldwin collection, The Cross of Redemption. 

Then I thought about the female writers I admire, and wished that their voices rang as clearly in my ears. I see how lopsided my exposure to literature has been. Reflecting, in truth, the lopsided reality of the published word, particularly in the African American language. I declare! I need to fix this. First, by reading more women's stories. Second, by promoting those stories. Third, by encouraging girls and women to write!

Mothers! Get your girls to write! 
Ladies! Get writing! 
Let's tip the scale!