We đź‘Ź are đź‘Ź here đź‘Ź for all the women in the news this week doing INCREDIBLE things! We have support for women from women on both sides of the political aisle and both sides of the globe! We even have a few returners from last week with us today (ahem, can we hear it for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez!) We are psyched about the phenomenal women on this planet, so let’s celebrate them!
THE GULABI GANG
A group of women in India known as the Gulabi Gang (and who’s gang color is pink!) have recently inspired two films in the making (a documentary and a full-length feature film) for their vigilante ways. The gang carries large sticks with them to beat rapists in their community.
Sampat Devi Pal, the group’s founder, first recognized the power she had when holding a stick when she attacked a local man who abused his wife. Since then, the group has grown into a more than 400,000 thousand-strong movement in Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest province.
Talk about women supporting women 👊❤️️Learn more about the women’s gang for justice!
FEMALE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A record number of female house representatives arrived for President’s Trump second State of the Union address. The women on the Democratic side donned white to celebrate the progress women have made in gaining suffrage. Female suffragists in the 20th century marched in white dresses to generate awareness for women’s right to vote, and the tradition was continued this week.
In addition to the white attire, the women in the crowd broke out in dance and cheers when Trump announced the record number of female lawmakers that have been elected to Congress.
Nothing says solidarity like matching outfits signifying the strength of women, no? Read more about the significance of the all-white lewk!
ANGELINA JOLIE
Angelina Jolie visited Rohingya refugee camps in Myanmar this week to share stories of rape survivors and speak on the refugee crisis. She called on the government to take action against the violence Muslims face in their home country that is forcing them into exile. Around 740,000 refugees have moved to Bangladesh since August 2017. She continued her speech with comments on the need for the establishment and enforcement of the refugees’ rights in their homeland and stood with the Rohingya people.
Jolie has been known to do much work for unrepresented people across the globe, and we don’t expect her short tour through Bangladesh to be the last thing we see from her. Read more about what Jolie is doing for refugees!
ROSALIND BREWER
Rosalind Brewer is the chief operating officer of Starbucks, former CEO of Sam’s Club, and, as of Monday, the newly appointed member of Amazon’s previously all-white board of directors. Brewer is currently the only person of color and the fourth woman on the board. At Sam’s Club, Brewer was the first woman and the first African American to lead a Walmart division, which she did successfully from 2012 to 2017.
From 2004 to 2009, Myrtle Potter acted as the first black woman on Amazon’s board, making Brewer the second in the company’s history.
Amazon has faced increasing pressure to diversify its directors, and Brewer has a proven commitment to diversifying the teams she leads. Read the rest of Rosalind Brewer’s story and the national push for diversity in leadership.
IVANKA TRUMP
Ivanka Trump is leading a plan designed to ensure economic security for 50 million women across the globe called the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative. The goal is to have the initiative fully active and having helped those 50 million by 2025. It will be funded by $50 million supplied by the United States Agency for International Development.
The official plans have yet to be announced, but the president has articulated that he will be officially unveiling the plan on Thursday.
No matter where you stand on politics, we can all support giving support to other women. Read more about the global initiative and be ready to get excited on Thursday!
Let’s keep lifting up the women around us.
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