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 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 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 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 MoreWomen Speak Out for Pathway to Peace
Today, reflecting on the violence in Israel and Gaza, I am remembering — and honoring — the women who have been tirelessly working for a sustainable peace in the region for decades, some of whom I met and interviewed while making the 1991 documentary, “Women In War: Voices From the Frontlines.”
Read MoreSeeding a Movement for Climate Justice
Over the last few weeks, Project Dandelion, a women-led global movement for climate justice, has been very active. Energized by the connections we’ve made during our learning journey to better understand how to elevate and amplify the important work we’ve observed, we are more convinced than ever that leading for a just transition from the current crisis is the challenge — and yes, the opportunity — for all women to show up, speak out, and come together, connected by a vision of the future that is in our hands.
Read More9 Books I'm Reading This Summer
Sharing my summer reading list with all of you! After last week's warmest days on record, I've moved my two climate themed books to the top of my stack. These two books shift the narrative from fear to hope. Hope inspires action — and actions, individually and collectively, are necessary. My list also includes some gripping memoirs, great advice from successful women business leaders, and much, much more!
Read MoreWhy We Need More Women in Office
In 2019, Nevada became the first state in the country with a female-majority state legislature, with women holding 33 of 63 legislative seats, proving that changing the representation picture at local and national levels is possible. It just takes more women voters, candidates, and leaders.
Read MoreThe A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act is the most comprehensive environmental justice legislation in America's history
None of us can afford to sit on the sidelines, stay silent and do nothing when the lives and livelihoods of all our communities are at stake. This bill is a big step forward for climate justice and we must take it together.
Read More50 Women in 50 States Fighting for Climate Justice
“Love Your Mother lifts up the stories of women who are poets, physicians, climate scientists, students, farmers, writers, documentary filmmakers, and more,” writes Mallory. “Their work lights the way for conversation and collective action in our homes and in the world. It's time we follow their lead.”
Read MoreFood, Fuel and Fire at Skoll World Forum
Food. Fuel. Fire. I heard those words again and again throughout the SWF as this community of individuals and organizations embraced Ava DuVernay’s reminder that we need all three, and we must strive to be connected as a community committed to making the changes needed to get us to a future of shared peace and prosperity — Jeff Skoll’s vision for the foundation.
Read MoreFearless Women Fighting for Democracy
Today is Belarus Freedom Day. We must all stand in solidarity with the brave women of Belarus. These women are my definition of fearless in their defense of their freedoms and the democratic process.
Read MoreHow Ukrainian Women Are Working to Safeguard Fundamental Human Rights in the Face of War
Oh, Sister! is a new documentary from Nobel Women’s Initiative. The 20-minute film spotlights how Ukrainian women are working to safeguard fundamental human rights in the face of war. It also shows the central role that women and civil society play in keeping life going in times of war.
Read MoreA Love Letter to Newsletters
On this Valentine’s Day, I’m sharing my love for many of the women I admire who have committed to writing the posts that help keep me and so many others informed and inspired — my ‘newsletter sisters.' These are newsletters I always open. They offer news you might otherwise miss, insights you'll appreciate, along with valued perspectives and often much needed inspiration.
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