Awesome Women: A Series of Essays

Women make up over half the human population. They are present in almost every facet of life. They are cookie bakers, builders, healers, fixers, and child bearers. They work as teachers, nurses, welders, truck drivers, soldiers, scientists, secretaries, pole dancers, politicians and prostitutes. They drive Chevrolet trucks, Ford Mustangs, Dodge caravans, and ride motorcycles. They budget, organize, delegate and educate. They experience frustration, elation, rage and apprehension. They suffer and run. They stand and fight. They write, sing, shout, love, hope, and in the end, they die, often leaving behind loved ones, devastated by the loss. Yet, surprisingly, many of their accomplishments go unnoticed. While women may find favor in the public eye for displaying physical attractiveness and sex appeal, their true value often remains hidden.

In my new series, 'Awesome Women' I'll look into some of these extraordinary lives. I will write about women who in some way made a difference, who influenced history or worked to change the public opinion and women who broke into a world of male exclusiveness and opened doors for others to follow. These may be women who live among us today or they may be beckoning from our distant past. They are women, as ordinary as you and I, yet their tenacious, unbending nature inspired them to reach for something extraordinary. Some of them may have lived through unusually harsh circumstances and yet, they did more than merely survive; they used their courage and perseverance to achieve something positive, to call attention to a wrong, to campaign for change, or to support others who suffer a similar fate.

While some of them may have accomplished extraordinary feats in sports, others may have impressed us with their refusal to capitulate or their inner strength and convictions. Through hard work and often selfless generosity, they contribute to the evolution of humankind by challenging assumptions and beliefs. True to themselves, they refuse to conform and their legacy makes us proud and humble and moves us to follow their example.

Historically, women have not held positions of power, as society centered on men and their needs and desires and assigned women a second, subordinate place. Yet all through history, there have been women who refused to submit, who stood up against wrongful discrimination, persecution or stereotyping and showed valor in the face of adversity. They dare us to continue their work and they inspire us to take up the torch and place a light into the world. Please join me in the coming weeks, in meeting and learning about some truly awesome women who stirred my compassion, inspired my admiration and touched my heart.