What would Gloria do?

When I was 18, I got my first subscription to Ms. Magazine. I grew up admiring and thinking about the feminist and civil rights movements as something my mom and dad and others were a part of (and thanks to them for everything they did and continue to do!), but once I left for college it hit me that these were my movements too! I could also contribute. And so began my lifelong pursuit to use my voice in big and small ways, and hopefully champion causes for others as well.

Hope-aholic! Gloria Steinem, who is a self-described Hope-aholic (I just love that!), has been a huge source of motivation and inspiration. I took my daughter recently to see Gloria: A Life, the play about her life off Broadway. It was an incredible experience for us both. Not only did Leah get to experience a wonderful show, beautifully told with great role models, but she got to soak up the “circle” conversation afterwards, where people shared their own struggles and triumphs in our fight for dignity and equality. What I take away from her optimism is that through hope you can maintain your resilience, even as things are unjust, difficult, and sometimes bleak. Stay focused on connection, community and those moments of grace and good.

Find your tribe. A highlight in my life was going to the MAKERS conference in 2017 especially with such an amazing group of women. Including Gloria Steinem!!!!! She was there not only leading an inspirational fireside chat, but she was circulating with other conference goers, connecting and sharing stories. What I love about this is Gloria doesn’t live in a bubble. She’s busy and active, but still going about the day, leaving time to engage and learn. No matter how many emails I have piling up, or how much laundry I should fold and put away, people and community matter way more. Don’t let your to-do list replace connection, learning and understanding. And keep your community an open, inviting space.

Superheroes and superpowers. Last year my daughter moved from dressing up on Halloween as an adorable animal (cat, butterfly, pumpkin) into what I call her superhero phase. But in this case her heroes are amazing women like RBG last year and Gloria Steinem this year. It’s interesting because the kids didn’t get the costumes at first, and Leah enjoyed telling people their story. And she loved being seen and respected by adults. She was proud to represent them and celebrate them. This made me think about her (and my son Harry) and their own superpowers as they think about their place in the world. They makes choices that reflect not just who they are, but are filled with a possibility of who they can be. Leah doesn’t seek to be the center of attention, but still cares deeply about belonging. She greets people she knows, from little kids to teachers, with bright, heart-felt hellos to let them know she sees them and appreciates them. She proudly encourages people to vote and participate, even if she's 7 years away from being able to vote herself. Kids can and should not only see and celebrate real life heroes, but be invited to share their own superpowers.

What would Gloria do? She would love seeing people of all ages tap into their community and ignite their activism. She would encourage us to continue connecting and learning. Energy is contagious, especially positive energy. Start or join a movement (everyone is welcome to mine!) and keep raising your voice, and making space for others voices to be heard.

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Breaking out of the “busy” trap

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Gratitude and paying it forward