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Hopefully your reading list for the year is filled with books written by some amazing women. In case you need a few more, here are some women-written memoirs you need to add to it.

 

Surviving the White Gaze by Rebecca Carroll

February 2

 

This memoir details Carroll’s life growing up in New Hampshire as the one and only black person in her town. She was adopted by a white family and struggled throughout her childhood with the separation and division she felt from those around her. She eventually grows up and moves from city to city where she struggles with many different life issues. When she finally finds her chosen black family, only then is she able to heal.

 

My Broken Language: A Memoir by Quiara Alegira Hudes

April 6

 

Hudes is a Pulitzer Prize winner and writer of the critically acclaimed musical In the Heights. Her memoir begins with her childhood in North Philadelphia where she grows up surrounded by many different customs, traditions and languages. When she goes off to Yale she is able to “find her language” and tell the stories sprinkled throughout her wonderful and inspiring childhood.

 

Somebody’s Daughter: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford

June 1st

 

Ford’s memoir details her childhood characterized by her incarcerated father’s absence, body image issues, a bad relationship with her mother and an assault by her boyfriend. When she eventually discovers why her father is in prison she is finally able to heal her broken wounds.

 

Honorable Mention!!

 

While Injustice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

May 11

 

This isn’t a memoir, but I couldn’t help but mention this novel written by American Politician Stacey Abrams. In this book Abrams writes from the perspective of a young law clerk who becomes the legal guardian for a Supreme Court justice after he falls into a coma. This justice also happens to be a huge swing vote for some very big cases. Avery Keene must unravel a set of clues the Supreme Court justice left behind for her, and before she knows it, she’s on the path to solving a huge conspiracy. Check out this thriller when it hits shelves this summer.

 

 

Author: Ashli Ellerman 

Going through the Forbes’ List of “The World’s Most Powerful Women,” I (intern Kasvi here) was struck by a realization – I didn’t know who most of these women are. While personalities such as Satya Nadella, Tim Cook, Jeff Bezos have become regular household names, many of the names on this document had me amiss. 

 

As such, in an effort to improve not just to ensure equal representation in the workplace, but also to credit women in powerful positions with equal amounts of news coverage, here are 5 female CEOs that you should (already) know about. 

 

Oracle – Safra Catz 

Catz joined Oracle in 1999, has served on its board since 2001, and has been CEO of the multinational computer technology corporation since 2014. In April 2017, it was reported that she was the highest paid female CEO of any US company (CBS News). 

 

Accenture – Julie Sweet 

Julie Sweet is the CEO of Accenture, a multinational professional services company, and has held the position since September 2019. Sweet strongly advocates for gender equality and diversity and inclusion in the workplace and aims to have equal representation for males and females in the office by 2025. As of now, Accenture has a 42% female staff.

 

YouTube – Susan Wojcicki 

 

Susan Wojcicki is the current CEO of Youtube and has been since 2014. During her leadership as CEO, she managed to raise the percent of women employed at YouTube from 24% to almost 30% (Vanity Fair 2017).  She also was one of Google’s founding members and served as the marketing manager back in 1999.

 

PepsiCO – Indra Nooyi 

Indra Nooyi is an Indian-American businesswoman and former Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo, where she served as the fifth CEO of the company beginning in 2006. From there, Nooyi served in the position for 12 years and helped aid the implementation of women-centric marketing during her tenure. 

 

VEON – Ursula Burns 

Ursula Burns is an American businesswoman and former CEO of VEON, a multinational telecommunication services company. Her tenure as CEO lasted from 2018 to early 2020. In addition, she is amongst one of the the first black women to serve as CEO of a Fortune 500 company with her appointment as the CEO of Xerox in 2009. 

 

These women are only the tip of the iceberg on the list of women who haven’t received nearly as much media space and recognition as their male counterparts would have. We hope that learning about women being represented at top technology and consumer goods companies inspires you and also allows you to adopt a more critical lens while consuming media, specifically with regards to who gets the most recognition and appreciation.

*Check out down below for a deal on a reusable, comfortable alternative to your typical menstruation products!*

 

Period care has a lot of stigma around it. Sometimes this leads to a very basic knowledge of how to take care of ourselves during our time of the month. Ultimately, this can cause some people to buy the wrong products, not cater to our needs correctly, or to just fall silent. 

 

Here are a few pieces of information that us at Mariposa Sisters have gathered together over time to help bridge the gap, spark conversation, and help y’all educate each other!

 

When buying tampons, pads, or liners (any cotton product that goes near or inside you) make sure to read into the ingredients of both the cotton and applicator! Over the past year or so, I’ve seen my drugstore “feminine hygiene” aisle change with more “organic” labels spread across boxes. You can read more about the specifics, but checking the ingredients and processing of the products helps maintain your PH levels as well as make sure your hormones aren’t disrupted. 

 

Not all who menstruate are female and large steps are being taken to bring inclusive language into Sex Ed but also into the period care world. 

 

I’m sure some of you have heard of the Pink Tax and maybe even the movement Period Equity but if you haven’t, here is an article by the NYTimes “It’s Not Just the Tampon Tax: Why Periods Are Political” helping break down its importance.

 

More eco-friendly options exist for period care, other than organic tampons and pads! Menstrual cups, given cleanliness and ability to be sanitized properly, can be an affordable eco-friendly option for those who want other options with less waste. 

 

Remember: Educating yourself, talking about your body, and being open about what you are going through is never shameful! It is all natural and should be spoken about organically and honestly, not only empower us but also to inform us on the best ways to take care of ourselves. 

 

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We have exciting news! Between the dates of August 31st to September 4th we have a 10% off code for you to use at Luna Cups. Luna Cups makes a reusable menstrual cup worn internally just as you would a tampon, the difference being that it collects menstrual flow instead of absorbing it. 

The video game industry has seen exponential growth during 2020. In this year alone, the industry has grown by 9.3% compared to 2019 (Tech Crunch). With this growth comes a wider audience of gamers and an increase of women in the industry overall. According to Statista, 41% of gamers are women. Though this is progress with diversifying the type of people who consume games, there is still not much diversity when it comes to the developers who make these popular video games. Only 24% developers are women (Statista) and they only stay in the industry for about 3 years on average.  

 

The lack of women working in the gaming industry has resulted in endemic sexism in the industry. According to Pew Research, women are often denied promotions at higher rates than their male counterparts. In some companies, women are not even allowed to hire other women into positions of leadership. Not only is it common to deny women the ability to move up professionally, it often happens that female employees are sexually harassed by their co-workers or men in positions of power (Center for American Progress).

 

In 2014, women in the industry began to speak out on social media and other large platforms to raise awareness. The movement was coined “Gamergate”. Around this time, hundreds of women shared their stories of co-workers propositioning them for sexual acts or spouting unwanted sexual language at them.

It is common to see these men only face minimal consequences for their actions. The COO of Riot Games was only suspended for two months and kept his position in the company after his sexual misconduct allegations came to light. Another issue in the gaming industry is “bro culture,” which can sometimes make work environments uncomfortable and even uninhabitable for women. In addition to men in the industry receiving minimal punishment and accountability, the women who speak out are often fired, face public ridicule such as online hate, or even get doxed. 

 

Even with women coming out and telling their stories, there is still a tremendous amount of change that needs to be done in order to protect women in the industry. So, what are some things that can be done to end endemic sexism in the gaming industry? 

 

Effective punishment for offenders 

 

Men who are accused of sexual misconduct should face a thorough internal investigation, not only from their company but also from law enforcement. If there is a substantial amount of evidence stacked up against a person, they should receive serious consequences such as losing their jobs or even facing charges. 

 

Unionizing 

 

There is no official union in the gaming industry. Many people have been pushing for unionization for years but to no avail. According to the GDC report, over 50% of people in the industry wanted a union to be established. The benefits of enacting an official union is that workers will be able to fight back against unfair treatment with the support of their fellow game developers. Unionization will allow for real systemic change to occur. 

 

Diversity 

 

The biggest thing that companies can do is hire people from diverse backgrounds. A majority of people in positions of power are white men. Having a diverse group of people will help break down the culture of misogyny that is so rampant in the gaming industry. By allowing women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community to take up space in the industry, people will view gaming as a place that is open to everyone no matter who they are.

 

Systemic changes to the video game industry are long overdue, and it is only after these crucial changes are implemented that we can finally establish a safer, more inclusive environment for working women in this field.

 

Glimmer. Is a company breaking barriers when it comes to mental health, therapy that is inclusive “Wait, scratch that. Inclusive? Empowering.” , and also has some pretty awesome branding. 

 

Founded by Grace Stephenson, a founder who encourages glimmer. website viewers to reach out to her email to “questions, concerns, advice, or just a fun fact,” she clearly is coming from a place of pureness. 

 

glimmer. is there to shorten the gap between health resources and wealth making them more obtainable for the womxn, QTBIPOC, and the LGBTQ+ community while also making therapy more empowering. The website personally vets their therapists while also helping individuals find a therapist that is right for all their needs including if they are an extrovert/introvert, health needs, and affordability. 

 

While also helping partner individuals with therapists, glimmer. Also hosts resources for sexuality, sexual health, and mental health. 

 

They also host a “Cultural and Creative” resource list filled with movies, print media, and podcasts that are more inclusive. 

 

Through all the good they do, and glimmer. does a lot, they also make fun mugs, stickers, and more in their Glimmer Shop. Through their marketplace you can also find vetted folk that support the womxn and LGTBQ+ community through their shops + work. 

 

glimmer. is a safe resource where you can support yourself, find important answers to some of your questions regarding mental health, sexual health, and sexuality,  and also support other womxn and LGTBQ+ businesses. 

Learn why we should start shopping ethically and sustainably

Many are familiar with popular companies whose clothing lines are stocked with the latest styles. The clothes sold at many of these stores are known as “fast fashion.” According to Oxford Languages, the definition of fast fashion is “inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass market retailers in response to the latest trend.” Fast fashion originated in the 1990s and has been on the rise ever since. What makes fast fashion so appealing to buyers is that the clothing is often cheap and caters to popular fashion trends. Unfortunately, the production of fast fashion is disproportionately harmful to women in developing countries.

Fast fashion brands like H&M, Forever 21, Zara, and Zaful mostly produce their clothing in developing countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, and the Philippines. One in six workers around the world are employed in the fashion industry and 80% of these workers are women. Of these women, about 80% are between the ages of 18–35 (Good on You). Many of the young women are forced to work under poor conditions with minimal pay, making it difficult to provide for their families. For example, in Bangladesh the average income is about $97 a month. Reports have shown that less than 1% of workers in Bangladesh and Vietnam earn a living wage.

In addition to earning a low wage, these women also have to work extremely long hours. These conditions trap women in the cycle of poverty because they have to constantly work long hours for minimum pay in order to survive. In addition, it is known that garment warehouses employ underage workers. The girls are forced to work in dangerous working conditions and have to miss out on the opportunity to expand their education. The women and children in these living situations are not given the opportunity to thrive because they have to focus on earning an income. If women were paid fairly for their skills, they would be able to rise out of poverty and provide a better future for themselves and their families.

In order for change to happen, consumers need to take action with where and how they spend their money. Start off by educating yourself on where and how your clothing is made. Education is a major key to change. Consumers can refuse to purchase from companies that exploit their workers and can also demand better treatment such as higher pay, safer working conditions, and adequate time off for workers.

Here are a few examples of ethically made fashion brands to check out!

Patagonia

Patagonia has been around since the 1970s and is a pioneer of sustainable clothing. They use recycled materials and organic cotton in all of their products. Today they continue to support various groups and organizations that aid in fighting against environmental destruction.

Reformation

Reformation is a sustainable women’s clothing brand. They focus on producing clothing using organic cotton and recycled materials. They also take their time during the design stage of their clothing and make sure to release upstanding quality products to its customers.

Pact

Pact creates organic and affordable clothing. They only use organic fabrics and focus on treating their workers well. They go out of their way to ensure that the supply chain is extremely clean and responsible.

Peering into the complicated nuances of womxnhood, relationships, and personal growth.

Female memoirs are a recent addition into my life (intern Harper Wayne speaking!) and I found that they have made quarantine a lot more self-serving than I thought it would be. I recently read Untamed by Glennon Doyle for my book club and I devoured it so quickly. The book is dense, but written in bite-sized chapters. I found the chapter length made it easier for me to indulge in Doyle’s thoughts and growth for my own individual knowledge and growth.

 

Before I read Untamed, I had never heard of Glennon Doyle but now that I know her, she is hard to forget.

 

The book covers so many topics, from addiction, motherhood, religion, marriage and love — but mainly it covers a forms of communication in varying relationships. Doyle mentions she is an introvert so much of her communication is influenced by that aspect of herself.

 

Some people from my book club have found it hard to align themselves with Doyle for this reason — they find her partner, Abby, more relatable and learn more “life lessons” from her as an extroverted person.

 

Although it was harder for me to relate to the mothering aspect of her memoir, it felt very applicable to how to go about handling the harder conversations. Specifically, I learned how to communicate effectively when asking someone to grow versus pushing upon them your beliefs.

 

As a womxn, the book opened up a narrative within myself and my relationship with womxnhood. It started a conversation about my relationship with other womxn that I find to be important for young girls and womxn.

 

Between the lines, I grew a lot through reading this novel during a time where our isolated, more quiet, and more home-bound lives can make us turn inward in positive and negative ways.

 

I passed the novel along to my own mother and I am excited to hear what she has to say about Doyle’s voice.

 

Some of my favorite topics and quotes:

 

Finding your knowing

 

“We can do hard things”

 

“Let it Burn!”

 

In the beginning of her book, Doyle relates being a human/being a womxn with being a cheetah.