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Door buster or door rusher? All women stand on the shoulders of those who broke down barriers before. In March, let’s remember, honor, celebrate and emulate them.
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By Beth Ellen Holimon
DFW Executive Director
International Women’s Day is upon us and it has me thinking about women who make sacrifices, who want more, and who are up for the long fight. At Dining for Women, some of us are that one woman — the one who pushes the door open first. Others are the women who flood in behind her, tearing down the doors, walls and barriers to equality.
We understand that there is no “other.” When one woman stands up, she stands for us all. We are connected through shared experiences as women — the very core of Dining for Women.
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How will you celebrate IWD 2015?
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March 8 is International Women's Day but around the world, the entire month is celebrated. We've got a list of suggestions, ideas, events, books, videos and more that can help you keep IWD in the forefront every day this month. We'll be
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posting something every day on social media. Use #DFW2015IWD to share our posts, but also to tell us about what you're doing, reading or watching. And we'll follow you through the month, too.
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Featured Program for March
The Grandmother Project
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In Velingara, Senegal, young and adolescent girls face various obstacles and violence like female genital mutilation (FGM), early/forced marriage, teen pregnancy and limited opportunities for formal schooling. In Senegalese villages, The Grandmother Project is working with grandmother leaders to empower them to fulfill roles as change agents in their communities.
The relationship between grandmothers and adolescent girls brings knowledge and respect to the table to help villagers make decisions about traditions that protect and benefit the girls and the entire village. While the project does benefit the girls, its focus is on grandmothers as agents of change, bringing them to the center stage as arbiters and champions of adolescent girls.
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3 things you need to know
(about The Grandmother Project)
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Why grandmothers? Because they have respect in the community. They are the keepers of traditions, the settlers of disputes. They are respected by their sons and role model to their daughters and daughters-in-law. The Grandmother Project recognizes that this high standing among a community makes them a perfect change agent. Learn More. |
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A big part of the program are the "Under the Tree" leadership sessions. They draw their name from the village tradition of the Palaver Tree. This is a large shade tree in the village that is the centerpiece for discussions, debate, and storytelling. In the Under the Tree sessions, grandmother facilitators bring new grandmother leaders together to begin discussions about the sensitive topics of early marriage, genital cutting and sexuality. Learn More.
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Dining in Senegal is quite the formal affair. Assigned seating is the norm, and where you are seated is a sign of importance in the group. Men and women do not eat at the same table. They may be at separate tables in the same room or in different rooms completely. Learn More. And for a taste of a very traditional Senegalese dish, check out this month's Proven Platter: Lemon Chicken (Yassa Poulet).
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Nicki Maxwell (Eugene, OR) chats with three novitiate nuns who take part in a Colorful Girls Circle at their nunnery home in Yangon, Myanmar.
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Travel Tales
Travelers make special connections with Girl Determined in Burma (Myanmar)
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Our Burma/Myanmar travelers experienced many amazing things in their journey, but the most memorable, says trip leader and travel program director Patricia Andersson, was the time they spent with the girls of Girl Determined. They visited the program in five different locations and were able to get a far greater sense of both the aspirations and the challenges/barriers are for these girls.
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(L to R) Corinne Blakemore ( South Bend, IN), Marilyn Murphy (Thousand Oaks, CA) and Tisha Scurich (Santa Cruz, CA) take part in the Libation Ceremony at a nunnery north of Mandalay, Burma/Myanmar
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Sharon Buckmaster's DFW Story
Sharon Buckmaster, a member of the Portland, OR, chapter shares her very moving story of how she came to connect with DFW at a time of personal struggle and emotional need. It was, she said, "a way forward at the worst time of my life." Watch her story. |
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New Southwest Regional Leader named
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Barbara Chatzkel of Phoenix, AZ, has been named the new Southwest Regional leader. Barbara is a consultant and coach who owns the New River Group, which guides organizations and individuals to successfully navigate large-scale change. She has extensive national experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors and is an active member of the Phoenix (AZ) chapter. Learn more about Barbara.
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