I’m thinking a lot about leadership lately — or rather, the lack of it. There is an urgent need right now for leaders who will lead differently. Recently I had the privilege of interviewing at the Skoll World Forum in Oxford, a world leader who confirmed for me that it’s possible to lead differently and get stuff done.
Read MoreOne Month is Not Enough for Women's History!
The new Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum will expand the story of America through the often-untold accounts and accomplishments of women — individually and collectively — to better understand our past and inspire our future. Our mission is to create space for women's history on the National Mall in Washington, DC, deepen our nation's stories, and inspire conversation, connection, and change. Join us!
Read MoreJoin Project Dandelion March 20: Every Issue Is A Climate Issue
Mark March 20 on your calendar and join Project Dandelion for a day of action on social media. Why March 20? It’s the halfway point between International Women’s Day and Earth Day, and a good day to amplify the call for women’s leadership on the intersectional issue of our time — the climate and nature crisis, which is everyone’s issue.
Read MoreWhen Women Lead, Action Follows
Over the first year of Project Dandelion, a worldwide movement that strives to establish a climate-safe environment for all, we have worked to strengthen partnerships with women leaders who are on the front lines of climate solutions. This week, I write about an innovative, new approach to mitigating the climate impact of extreme heat in India that is yet another example of women leading for solutions that are just and sustainable.
Read MoreThe Transformative Power of Mentorships
The best mentorships contain learnings for both the mentor and the mentee. This week, I want to share the journey I took with Catalina Escobar, the founder of Colombia’s Juanfe Foundation, which offers an innovative model of care, education, and job training that is disrupting a cycle of violence in families and communities resulting in unwanted teen pregnancies and intergenerational poverty.
Read MoreWhat's next for TEDWomen? A new chapter is unfolding — here’s what you need to know.
Some of you may have received the announcement this week already, but as friends, colleagues and a connected community of readers, I wanted to share a personal perspective on the news about TEDWomen. TEDWomen is evolving into TEDNext, expanding its platform with a change of name but with the same mission to spread the ideas and innovations that shape a better future for the world and to provide a platform for connection and for community.
Read More'Daughters' Tells the Story of a Father-Daughter Dance... in Prison
One of the 90 or so films chosen for screenings at the Sundance Film Festival was Daughters, a documentary directed by Natalie Rae and Angela Patton. It’s a beautiful, inspiring and moving film, a perfect example of the power of independent work to shift perspectives with personal stories we might not otherwise see.
Read MoreReflecting on Our Sundance Journey: A Roller Coaster Ride Towards Change
Guest Post By Angela Patton
Daughters is a new documentary by filmmakers Natalie Rae and Angela Patton that received the Audience Favorite Award at the Sundance Film Festival last month. The film was inspired by a TEDWomen Talk that Angela gave in 2012. I asked Angela to share her experiences at the festival as a first-time director.
Reflections on the 2024 Sundance Film Festival
Having just returned from my 30th year of the Sundance Film Festival, I am sharing some thoughts about how this festival, widely respected as the premiere festival for launching new work and discovering new talent, reflects an ever evolving global ecosystem of independent films, and how this impacts what you and I are viewing on our screens, big and small.
Read MoreNot one woman on the list.
Earlier this month, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev announced the organizing committee for COP29, which will be held there in November. The list included 28 appointees, including Azeri government ministers of energy, health, finance and economy, among others. What the list did not include: women.
Read MoreGo See This Film This Weekend!
Ava DuVernay's new film, Origin, is a breathtaking film that “explores the mystery of history, the wonders of romance and a fight for the future of us all.”
Read MoreSome good news for a change!
A focus on the dangers and impacts of climate change, while important, is only part of the solution. Climate doomism, that overwhelming feeling that things are so bad there is nothing we can do, is real and, in my opinion, equally dangerous.
Read MoreIt matters where we spend our time (and money) online
We can all be more responsible content producers as well as more responsible content consumers because what we write and post, and where we consume that content matters — a lot!
Read MoreThe call for a transition away from fossil fuels is a historic step.
As we near the end of the hottest year on record, some good news for the planet. The COP28 Global Stocktake agreement has been signed, sealed and delivered, and for the first time ever, nearly 200 countries declared that the age of fossil fuels must come to an end. Now the real work begins.
Read MoreThe Transition Is Unstoppable
I hope you are following the events in Dubai where COP28 (the UN climate conference) is happening. So far, the reviews are mixed and the eventual impact is uncertain, but one thing is clear: never has it been more urgent or necessary for the world’s leaders to unite for the solutions, policies, and commitments that will ensure a climate safe world for everyone.
Read MoreRemembering the life and work of First Lady Rosalynn Carter
Her “best” changed more than just the role or expectations for first ladies — she changed lives.
Read More‘If you care for the land, the land will take care of you’
This year, since we will gather in Georgia, on land that was once the homeland of multiple Indigenous communities, I want to honor and acknowledge the history of what happened here before and what is happening now.
Read MoreWhat is COP and why should we pay attention?
COP28 begins soon – the 28th Climate Change Conference of its kind. Women should be at the table for every decision and commitment made during COP, but we know that will likely not be the case. That’s why I’d like to share a powerful event coming up that brings women’s voices to the forefront of these conversations.
Read More‘Action is the antidote to despair’
As Joan Baez, one of my favorite songwriters/performers/activists from my political ‘coming of age’ era, once said, "Action is the antidote to despair." Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States, and voting is one action we can all take as US citizens — and a privilege for every person living in a democratic country — to fend off the despair so easily experienced given the wars, the violence, and the rollback on rights in so many places today.
Read More“Today’s dark hour must be a catalyst for change.”
This week, among the many strong statements made by global organizations about the current situation, I was particularly inspired by the one published by The Elders, an organization of global leaders founded in 2007 by Nelson Mandela who are "working for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet."
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