We dedicate March to celebrating women; amplifying their voices, toasting their world-changing achievements, and devoting efforts towards gender equality across the globe. From books to businesses, below is a list of carefully compiled resources to help support the women of the world in a wide variety of ways.
What to Read
- Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed For Men by Caroline Criado Perez – Caroline Criado Perez, a celebrated feminist author, and advocate, uncovers the role that data plays in widespread gender inequality through her thoughtfully investigative novel, Invisible Women.
- Becoming by Michelle Obama – As a #1 New York Times Bestseller, Michelle Obama’s memoir, Becoming, details her life full of meaningful experiences and accomplishments in a way that has been described as “intimate, powerful, and inspiring.”
- Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion – From the works of an award-winning author praised for her feminist perspective, Slouching Towards Bethlehem is a collection of non-fiction essays set in California during the 1960s.
- Trans: A Memoir by Juliet Jacques – Juliet Jaques shares the story of her life and experiences, chronicling everything from growing up, exploring her interests, beginning her transition, and embarking on her career as a writer. Through her novel, she finds a way to weave her personal account and discussion of modern trans politics in an incredibly powerful way.
- How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job by Sally Helgesen & Marshall Goldsmith – Directly from the minds of leadership experts, this book serves as a comprehensive guide on how to succeed in the workplace as a woman.
- Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall – Through 18 provocative essays, Kendall examines how feminism has historically ignored the voices of marginalized women—poor women, black and brown women. Prophetic as ever, she argues that if mainstream feminism is to succeed, it must become more inclusive.
- Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space by Amanda Leduc – A look at fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm to Disney; how they influence our expectations and behavior and linking the quest for disability rights to new kinds of stories that celebrate difference.
- It’s Not About the Burqa: Muslim Women on Faith, Feminism, Sexuality, and Race by Mariam Khan – A collection of essays on the lived experiences of contemporary Muslim women.
- Waterlily by Ella Cara Deloria – A captivating glimpse into the daily life of the nineteenth-century Sioux.
- The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston – A blend of autobiography and mythology, it’s an innovative portrayal of multiple and intersecting identities—immigrant, female, Chinese, American.
What to Watch
- The Handmaid’s Tale – This television series, which is adapted from the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, envisions a dystopian future for America. In the face of widespread infertility, a fundamentalist regime forces women into sexual servitude. The show follows the protagonist, one of the ‘handmaids,’ as she leads a revolution.
- What Happened, Miss Simone? – Directed by Liz Garbus, What Happened, Miss Simone? is a documentary that illuminates the complex life and legacy of the famous American musician, Nina Simone.
- RBG – A heartfelt documentary that remembers and recognizes the impact of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life and landmark work toward women’s rights.
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire – Directed by the French filmmaker, Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a lesbian love story that takes place in Brittany during the 18th century. The movie has been widely regarded as feminist and praised for utilizing the female gaze in its portrayal of the female body.
- Little Fires Everywhere – A team of incredibly accomplished women worked together to produce this show, including the original author of the book from which the concept was adapted, Celeste Ng, and the series star, Kerry Washington. The series explores race, class, and privilege through the lives of two women and their families living in suburban Ohio.
- Roma – Set in Mexico City during the 1970s and inspired by his own life, Alfonso Cuarón champions the presence of the women that have impacted him through their portrayal in his feminist film, Roma.
What to Listen to
- Amplify Her Voice – Hosted by Megan Conahan, Amplify Her Voice is a podcast for powerful women looking to make an impact. They aim to shine a light on women in business, celebrate their successes, elevate these “lesser-known voices” and tackle the challenges that women face in the workplace.
- Out of Office – Tune in to Out of Office to hear unconventional conversations with newsmakers about life and leadership hosted by Mallika Kapur.
- Being Boss – In her podcast, Emily Thompson explores what it means and what it takes to be boss as a creative business owner, freelancer, or side-hustler, with a focus on the particular mindsets, habits, and tactics of harnessing your creative ambitions and embracing the adventure of starting and growing your own business so that you can make money doing work you love.
- Women in Tech – Espree Devora is joined by inspiring Women in Tech from Engineers, Female Founders, Investors, UX and UI Designers, and Journalists. On her podcast, they share their stories of how they got to where they are today.
- AsianBossGirl – A podcast for the modern-day Asian American woman hosted by Melody Cheng, Helen Wu, & Janet Wang. They share their experiences and explore topics as 20/30-something Asian American women working, dating, and living in LA, CA.
Women-owned Businesses to Support
- Cora – Cora produces and sells its own feminine products which are made from 100% certified organic cotton and free of pesticides, dioxins, chlorine, and fragrance. Products on their website are completely customizable. With every purchase made, Cora gives back by supporting health education efforts and donating monthly supplies of pads to girls and women in need.
- Egunsi – In founding Egunsi, ‘Yemisi’ hoped to bring the flavors from her home in Nigeria to New York. The company’s soups and sauces feature flavors that are derived from classic West African cuisine and made with whole, fresh ingredients. Conveniently, their products are “ready-to-heat” and “grab-n-go” and 100% vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free.
- Cafe Con Libros – Located in Brooklyn, New York, Cafe Con Libros is an “intersectional Feminist community bookstore and coffee shop.” Both their storefront and website feature a variety of books meant to make women feel “centered affirmed, and celebrated.”
- Wasi – Wasi Clothing, a Bolivian-American Brown Latina business, is a sustainable, ethical, and slow fashion brand that truly cares about its customers and the actors across each facet of the fashion industry.
- Mented Cosmetics – KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson founded Mented Cosmetics to create product lines that have pigments to match the complexions of all women. Mented carries makeup that works beautifully with an incredibly wide range of skin tones, ensuring that everybody can find their perfect shade.
- Omson – Vanessa and Kim Pham launched Omson “to bring proud, loud Asian flavors to your fingertips any day of the week.” They promise their customers, “no more diluted dishes, no more cultural compromise.” They offer a variety of dish starters, plus, subscription options and how-to-use recipes on their website.
- BRWNGRLZ – Since 2013, it has become a laser-cut jewelry company that has donated thousands of dollars to organizations in the United States and the Philippines for the safety and well-being of Black, indigenous, and marginalized communities, while sparking joy upon the people who wear their culturally inspired pieces.
- Wool & Indigo – Perfect for the conscious home, Wool & Indigo’s sustainable products are handcrafted to ensure exceptional quality in every piece. Their sustainable practices extend from textiles to vegan ingredients formulated for candles, diffusers, and perfumes.
Where to Donate
- UN Women: Protect and Empower Ukrainian Women and Girls – Since February 24th, more than 600,000 Ukrainians, a vast majority of whom are women and girls, have fled their homes and sought refuge in neighboring countries. These numbers are expected to increase significantly within the current context, which will reverse the important progress made on gender equality and women’s rights in Ukraine as well as in neighboring countries. UN Women is committed to supporting Ukraine’s people, especially its women and girls, at this time of greatest need.
- Trans Women of Color Collective – TWOCC works to support the people in our community who have not had access to resources, opportunities, and sustainable systems of support to live unapologetically in their truths; Trans and gender non-conforming people of color, particularly Black trans women and femmes, poor, indigenous, disabled, our seniors and youth who are disproportionately impacted by structural and state-sanctioned violence that impacts our socio-economic growth and development and is inextricably linked to physical violence and discrimination we face daily.
- National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum – NAPAWF is the only organization focused on building power with AAPI women and girls to influence critical decisions that affect lives, families, and communities. Using a reproductive justice framework, the organization elevates AAPI women and girls to impact policy and drive systemic change in the United States.
- Women for Afghan Women – WAW, a grassroots civil society organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of disenfranchised Afghan women and girls, is based in Afghanistan and New York. They work to help Afghan women and girls exercise their rights to pursue their individual potential to self-determination, and representation in all areas of life—political, social, cultural, and economic. The Organization advocates for women’s rights and challenges the norms that underpin gender-based violence to influence attitudes and bring about change.
- Ramp Your Voice! – An organization focused on promoting self-advocacy and strengthening empowerment among disabled people, Ramp Your Voice! Is committed to providing services and tools to those within the disability community, and to key stakeholders who have a vested interest in establishing an equal, just, and inclusive world for the largest minority group in the nation, and worldwide.
- Astraea Lesbian Foundation – Rooted in LGBTQI communities and movements, Astraea works in strategic partnership with foundations, individuals, and governments to ensure that their resources reach the activists who need them most and who are best positioned to make a transformational impact over time. The organization raises and distributes funds to programs and initiatives led by and for diverse constituencies, prioritizing groups led by lesbians and queer women, trans and gender non-conforming people, intersex people, and people of color.
- Black Women’s Health Imperative – As the first nonprofit organization created by Black women to help protect and advance the health and wellness of Black women and girls, BWHI targets the most pressing health issues that affect Black women and girls in the U.S. through investments in evidence-based strategies, bold programs and advocacy outreach on health policies.
- National Indigenous Women’s Resources Center – In hopes of achieving restoration of sovereignty and safety for Native women, NIWRC’s mission is to provide national leadership to end violence against Native American women across regions by supporting culturally grounded, grassroots advocacy.
- Malala Fund – The Malala Fund works for a world where every girl can learn and lead. In an effort to achieve this, the organization invests in education activists and advocates who are driving solutions to barriers to girls’ education in their communities.
- Helping Women Period – HWP’s mission is to provide no-cost menstrual products to those experiencing homeless or low-income disparity, prioritizing the needs of people experiencing relationship violence, who have been denied access to resources due to systemic racism and institutional biases. The organization directs support to communities of color and organizations that serve BIPOC communities, listening and adjusting based on the cultural and traditional preferences of the people they serve.
- Planned Parenthood – Delivering vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of people worldwide, Planned Parenthood promotes a commonsense approach to sexual and reproductive health and well-being, based on respect for each individual’s right to make informed, independent decisions about health, sex, and family planning.
- Women Against Abuse – Through advocacy and community education, Women Against Abuse provides quality, compassionate, and nonjudgmental services in a manner that fosters self-respect and independence in persons experiencing intimate partner violence and leads the struggle to end domestic violence.
- Soroptimist International of the Americas – With about 30,000 members and supporters in countries across North America, Latin America, and the Pacific Rim, Soroptimist is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment.
Who Inspires Us
- Serena Williams – an American tennis player who has won more Grand Slam singles titles than any other woman or man since 1968, and in doing so, revolutionized women’s tennis.
- Ruth Bader Ginsberg – an American lawyer and Supreme Court Justice responsible for landmark work towards women’s rights.
- injustices of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia.”
- Huda Sha’arawi – Egyptian nationalist, suffragette, feminist leader, and founder of the Egyptian Feminist Union.
- Frida Kahlo – a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico and is widely regarded as a feminist icon for being honest about womanhood and challenging gender conformity.
- Joan Didion – an award-winning author praised for her feminist perspective.
- Malala Yousafzai – a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
- Amelia Earhart – the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
- Emilia Casanova de Villaverde – a Cuban political activist, famously involved in the Cuban independence movement, and founder of La Liga de las Hijas de Cuba, one of the first completely women’s organizations dedicated to the Antillean emancipation struggle.
- Harriet Tubman – an American abolitionist and political activist who led 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people using the network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad
- Mary Ware Dennett – an American women’s rights activist, pacifist, and homeopathic advocate, with a passion for birth control access rights, sex education, and women’s suffrage.
- Jane Cooke Wright – a lead cancer researcher and surgeon who made important contributions to the development of chemotherapy.
- Ella Fitzgerald – an American jazz singer who goes by many names; including “First Lady of Song”, “Queen of Jazz”, and “Lady Ella”.