Art Challenge: Women Of Color Who Paved The Way

Anita Hill is responsible for increasing the nation’s attention on sexual harassment in the workplace. A lawyer who worked at the Department of Education and Equal Opportunity Office, she reported sexual harassment perpetrated by her supervisor Clarence Thomas, the second African American to be named to the Supreme Court. When Thomas was nominated to the Supreme Court in 1991, Hill was subpoenaed to testify about her experience working with him. The hearing ultimately resulted in Clarence Thomas being confirmed as a Supreme Court justice.

The hearing divided the country, with many uplifting Anita Hill as a voice for women who had suffered from sexual harassment in the workplace. Others, however, vilified her using outdated (but still used) victim shaming rhetoric that we hear today.

Both Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas are Black, and the response to Anita’s testimony is indicative of the challenge women of color may face when reporting abuse within their own communities – the fear of perpetuating stereotypes and stigmas of men of color, and particularly Black men. Thomas alleged: “This is a circus. It is a national disgrace […] As a black American, as far as I am concerned, it is a high-tech lynching for uppity blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves, to do for themselves, to have different ideas. It is a message that, unless you kowtow to an old order, this is what will happen to you. You will be lynched, destroyed, caricatured by a committee of the U.S. Senate, rather than hung from a tree.” In this way, Anita was frequently singularly viewed through the lens of her gender.

Ideas for Art:

• Word Bubbles demonstrating stigma of sexual harassment and how to respond within the workplace.
• Anita Hill testifying in front of an all-white, all-male Judiciary Committee.
• Anita Hill reading letters of support from women (or just a letter of support to Anita Hill).

Works Cited:

Jacobs, Julia (2018). Anita Hill’s Testimony and Other Key Moments From the Clarence Thomas Hearings. The New York Times. September 20. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/us/politics/anita-hill-testimony-cla…

Helen Zia an activist, writer, and former journalist who has dedicated her life to bringing awareness against inequalities and social injustices within the Asian-American and LGBT communities, among, many. As a journalist, she highlighted issues of civil rights around college campuses and major cities, and her published works continue to reflect her activism for the equal treatment of others. Her books discuss topics ranging from the Chinese Communist Revolution (1945-1952) (n.d., 2020) to the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality (Welcome to Helen Zia’s Official Website, n.d.).

More specifically, Helen has brought attention to the many ways in which Asian Americans are misrepresented in the media and politics, which promotes harmful stereotypes and continues to cause wide discrepancies in education and employment. Her activism was particularly prominent during the heightened tensions between Japan and the United States in the 1980’s, during which she co-founded the organization American Citizens for Justice (Helen Zia Facts, n.d.). Since then, American Citizens for Justice has expanded its horizons regarding education and law. They aim to help various people that have experienced race-based discrimination, and

Helen Zia has also been a strong and unwavering advocate for ending homophobia and LGBT discrimination. In her paper, “Where the Queer Zone Meets the Asian Zone: Marriage Equality and Other Intersections,” she discusses the intersectionality of various experiences through the lens of agency and personal narrative, encouraging others to examine their own intersectionality and the ways in which they can advocate for change within our current system (Zia, 2006)!

Ideas for Art:

• Paint a rainbow canvas in support of LGBTQ+ rights, which Helen Zia has impressively advocated for!
• Create a sign advocating for Asian American/Asian rights within the United States.
• Sketch a notebook and pen, some of Helen's trademark tools as a writer and journalist
• Make a sign affirming your commitment to active allyship with the Asian American/Asian community, and the LGBTQ+ community!

Works Cited:

Helen Zia Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2020, from https://biography.yourdictionary.com/helen-zia

(n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/chinese-rev

Welcome to Helen Zia's Official Website. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2020, from https://helenzia.com/

Zia, H. (1970, January 01). Where the Queer Zone Meets the Asian Zone: Marriage Equality and Other Intersections: Semantic Scholar. Retrieved September 30, 2020, from https://helenzia.com/

Jhumpa Lahiri is an award-winning writer, earning both the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the 2000 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Fiction. Her short stories, Interpreter of Maladies, The Namesake and Unaccustomed Earth, and her novel The Lowland, explores immigrant experiences, arranged marriage, alienation, and identity. We invite you to explore excerpts from her interview with Francesca Pellas (2017) to find inspiration for this art project: Pellas, Francesca (2017). “What Am I Trying to Leave Behind?” An Interview with Jhumpa Lahiri. Available at: https://lithub.com/what-am-i-trying-to-leave-behind-an-interview-with-jhumpa-lahiri/

Ideas for Art:

• Art on the complexities and imposed binary of identity
• A depiction of what doing what you love means to you
• Navigate your thoughts in multiple languages – or write anything, for you, not for us (the reader)!

Katherine Johnson was a brilliant African American woman with outstanding achievements in the field of mathematics. Born in White Sulfur Springs, WV, Johnson demonstrated her aptitude and extraordinary intelligence from a young age. She began her high school education at the early age of ten, and graduated at age fourteen (May, 2016). In 1933, Johnson began pursuing her Bachelors in Mathematics and French at West Virginia State College. She then began to pursue her Ph.D in Mathematics at WVSU but eventually left to start a family. (Loff, 2016). In 2016, the University awarded her a Presidential Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (Spellman College, 2020).

Following these extraordinary academic achievements, Johnson worked as a high school math teacher, at a Black public school in Virginia. In 1952, the National Air and Space Association (NASA) announced it would begin hiring women, and Johnson applied for the historic opportunity. She was initially denied but reapplied the following year. She was accepted and went on to make history with her hard work and involvement in the space program. Katherine Johnson manually checked all the equations and numerical information from the computer for John Glenn’s flight to orbit the Earth (Loff, 2016).

Katherine Johnson was awarded and commemorated for her outstanding service in a couple different ways. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented by President Obama in 2015 (Fox, 2020). This award recognized both her perseverance despite the negative societal expectations for a Black woman in the ‘50s, and her historic contributions to history in her thorough work with NASA. Her story was captured in the hit film “Hidden Figures, ” in 2016. The film centers around Johnson and other African American womenmade incredible contributions in the NASA space program. In their work, these women not only overcame barriers and discrimination at NASA but became part of the larger Civil Rights Movement that combatted racist and sexist barriers within the United States. Katherine Johnson died February 24, 2020. She will always be remembered for her amazing accomplishments, fierce leadership, and inspiration (May 2016).

Ideas for Art:

• Art depicting the importance of female representation in STEM
• Showing math formulas and structures as art
• Space art

Works Cited:

Fox, M. (2020). Katherine Johnson Dies at 101; Mathematician Broke Barriers at NASA. New York Times. February 24. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/science/katherine-johnson-dead.html

Loff, S. (2016). Katherine Johnson Biography. NASA. November 22 Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/content/katherine-johnson-biography

May, S. (2016). Who Was Katherine Johnson? NASA. December 30. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/who-was-katherine-johnson-k4

Spellman College Celebrates the Life and Legacy of Katherine Johnson. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.spelman.edu/about-us/news-and-events/our-stories/stories/2020/02/24/spelman-college-celebrates-the-life-and-legacy-of-katherine-johnson#:~:text=Johnson%20was%20one%20of%20the,NASA%20dedicated%20the%20Katherine%20G 

Born in Los Angeles, California on July 4, 1981, Alicia Garza has long been an advocate for others. Her advocacy began when she requested proper access to information regarding reproductive healthcare for her classmates in middle school. Garza is now a widely known writer and social justice organizer, most commonly known for her role in co-creating Black Lives Matter movement. Years later in July of 2013, after the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin, she posted on Facebook, “Black people. I love you. I love us Our lives matter, Black Lives Matter” (McNeill 2016), which was then shared with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter by another activist. The Black Lives Matter movement was motivated by the killings of Black people to highlight racial disparities in the United States.

Garza is commonly known for her organization of the Freedom Ride to Ferguson, a protest inspired by the 1960s Civil Rights Movements. A protester for justice, Garza attempted to delay a Bay Area Transit Train for 4.5 hours to raise awareness of Michael Brown’s body being left on the ground for that length of time. An important voice in the media, Garza has been interviewed and given speeches on her movements. Currently, Garza works for the Domestic Workers Alliance as the Special Projects Director; her primary role is raising awareness and fighting for dignity for domestic workers in the US.

Alicia has won many awards, including Root’s 2016 Top 100 African American influences, and the 2016 Glamour Women of the Year Award. Garza works to fight stereotypes surrounding cisgender black men and police brutality. Garza proclaims, “in order to truly understand how devastating and widespread this type of violence is in Black America, we must view this epidemic through a lens of race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity” (Garza "Our Co-Founders").

Ideas for Art:

• Paint two hands held up, with the words “Hands up, don’t shoot.”
• Use #BlackLivesMatter tweets and posts to create a collage
• Visually represent the similarities in the Civil War era protests and the Black Lives Matter protests

Works Cited:

Garza, Alicia. “Alicia Garza.” TED, https://www.ted.com/speakers/alicia_garza.

McNeill, Brian. “Black Lives Matter Movement Created out of Love, Co-Founder Says at VCU.” Black Lives Matter Movement Created out of Love, Co-Founder Says at VCU, 4 Apr. 2016, https://news.vcu.edu/article/Black_Lives_Matter_movement_created_out_of_love_cofounder_says#

“Our Co-Founders.” Black Lives Matter, https://blacklivesmatter.com/our-co-founders/.

The Trung Sisters are two historical women that are still remembered and praised in Vietnam today. These two women fought against a patriarchal society that was attempting to overtake their country. It was estimated that they were born in 1 A.D. (Szczepanski, 2019). At the time, China had taken over Vietnam. The country of Vietnam was not pleased to be ruled by China and felt increasingly oppressed by China’s rule (Szczepanski, 2019). This led people to fight for their freedom. While Vietnam had encouraged equality between the gender, China was a patriarchal society (Szczepanski, 2019).  

After 247 years of Chinese rule, the Trung Sisters led the first resistance against China, which was particularly impressive not only because they were fighting against a whole country, but they were fighting against a country that did not believe women were as strong as men. The Sisters created an army of around 80,000 people, ready to liberate Vietnam from China (Szczepanski, 2019). They briefly created an independent state, which they ruled, but ultimately were defeated by China. There are a number of legends that describe what happened to them – with some saying they flew away or turned into statues. Others claim that they died by suicide or were killed during their defeat. 

The Trung sisters are annually commemorated with a memorial ceremony that takes place at a temple which is named after them (Szczepanski, 2019). These women will forever be a symbol of the independence of Vietnam. 

Ideas for Art:

• Paint the two sisters as a statue, or as birds flying away 

• Create an image of a female warrior 

• Create an image inspired by the following: “All the male heroes bowed their heads in submission. Only the two sisters proudly stood up to avenge the country.” 

Works Cited:

Mrreese. (n.d.). Hell hath no fury like the Trung Sister freedom fighters. Retrieved December 20, 2019, from https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/hell-hath-no-fury…;

Szczepanski, K. (2019, June 11). Girl Power: Who Were the Trung Sisters of Ancient Vietnam? Retrieved December 20, 2019, from https://www.thoughtco.com/trung-sisters-heroes-of-vietnam-195780. 

Frida Kahlo was a talented artist who persevered through many hardships. Throughout her life, she used art to express her inner self. She was born in Coyocan, Mexico City, Mexico. She was a survivor of childhood sexual assault at the hands of a teacher. At six years old, she suffered from polio that resulted in a permanent limp. When she recovered her father encouraged her to play sports like soccer, swimming, and wrestling (“Frida Kahlo Biography”, 2011).  She had an early feeling of responsibility to create change. She and her friends joined a club in which students discussed issues relating to political and social injustices. 

When Frida was 18, she was in a nearly fatal bus accident. Injured, bedridden, and in chronic and severe pain, Frida began to paint. She is known and celebrated for her self-portraits, often focused on the physical pain that she experienced, but also her Mexican culture and her personal experiences more generally: “Kahlo made personal women’s experiences serious subjects for art, but because of their intense emotional content, her paintings transcend gender boundaries. Intimate and powerful, they demand that viewers—men and women—be moved by them” (Janet Landay, as quoted in Tuchman 2002). 

Her injury led to the inspiration of some of her later pieces as she painted about the isolation she felt. Frida said, “I paint myself because I am often alone and I am the subject I know best” (“Frida Kahlo Biography”, 2011). She was in isolation for so long that she was able to be thoroughly introspective of herself. After an artist stated that she painted surrealist painting, she said: “Really I do not know whether my paintings are surrealist or not, but I do know that they are the frankest expression of myself” (“Frida Kahlo Biography”, 2011).  

Her paintings were featured in exhibits around the world, including NYC, Paris, and Mexico. One of her most famous paintings, called “The Broken Column”, includes herself naked and being split down the middle (“Frida Kahlo Biography”, 2011). When she died, her childhood home (referred as the “Blue House”) became a museum for her exceptional works of art.  

While many defined Frida as the wife of Diego Rivera, she was a famous painter in her own right and has certainly overshadowed him in feminist circles since her death. She was a known bisexual and had affairs throughout her open marriage. Her face has become iconography for the feminist movement, because she broke barriers throughout her life, both as a painter and as an individual. However, this has not been without criticism – as Frida’s face has been commercialized, many have pointed out that her communist believes would not have supported the commodification of her image. Additionally, many images have literally whitewashed her. 

“I must fight with all my strength so that the little positive things that my health allows me to do might be pointed toward helping the revolution. The only real reason for living.” 

Ideas for Art:

• Create a modge podge mixed media piece of Frida Kahlo’s face with writing over the top calling into question the use of her face for “woke” points. 

• Sketch a self-portrait. 

• Do an interpretation or recreate her famous portrait of herself being split down the middle (image below).  

• Draw the flag of Mexico. 

• Pair medical/ hospital imagery with strength / painting / art / creativity. 

Works Cited:

Frida Kahlo. (2019, December 15). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frida_Kahlo.  

Frida Kahlo Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.fridakahlo.org/frida-kahlo-biography.jsp.  

Tuchman, Phyllis (2002). Frida Kahlo. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/frida-kahlo-70745811/#Db0rXh705iiGzPoS.99 

Melati and Isabel Wijsen are two young women who got plastic bags banned from Bali in order to improve the environment. Their Island of Bali is greatly affected by trash. Bali produces 680 cubic meters of plastic garbage a day and only 5% is recycled (Prisco, 2017). These two girls have had enough of this trash issue that was polluting their land and waters. 

Their inspiration was sparked in the classroom one day. Melati said, “We had a lesson in class about positive world leaders, change makers like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Lady Diana, and I remember at the ages of 10 and 12 we went home thinking about what we could do as kids from an island. We didn’t want to wait until we were older to stand up for what we believe in” (as quoted in Prisco, 2017). The girls created a petition to end plastic bags and collected over 100,000 signatures (Prisco, 2017). However, the governor of Bali was not fazed by this. The girls decided they would go to more extreme measures to get the attention of the people who could implement what they believed in. They began a hunger strike: “Twenty four hours later they were escorted by the police to the governor, who signed a memorandum of understanding to help the people of Bali say no to plastic bags by January 2018” (Prisco, 2017). The governor ultimately signed a document declaring Bali would say no to plastic bags (Prisco, 2017). After this the girls kept moving forward with their activism. They put on the largest beach cleanup for Bali (Prisco, 2017). They also started a “Bye Bye Plastic Bags” campaign (“Our Team”, 2019). This has become a national phenomenon. Melati and Isabel are now 17 and 15 and continue their activism. This is another story that shows that there is no minimum age to make a difference! 

Ideas for Art:

• Sketch a poster for the “Bye Bye Plastic Bags” campaign.  

• Create a picture of Melati and Isabel as leaders of Bali. 

• Create an image of a polluted beach.  

Works Cited:

Prisco, J. (2017, August 17). The teenagers getting plastic bags banned in Bali. CNN. Retrieved  from https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/16/asia/melati-isabel-wijsen-bali/index.htm…;

Team. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.byebyeplasticbags.org/team/. 

Women’s healthcare is a serious issue around the world. There are many hospitals that are overcrowded, which results in some women being forced to give birth in unsanitary and horrific conditions. The Center for Reproductive Rights estimates that at least 8,000 Kenyan women die due to complications relating to pregnancy and childbirth each year.  

Josephine Majani garnered country-wide support when video of her being slapped and cursed at by staff at the hospital where she had her baby was released to the media (Center for Reproductive Rights, 2018). When she arrived, there were no beds available for her. She was forced to give birth on the floor (Center for Reproductive Rights, 2018). It was then that the staff began to verbally and physically abuse her, as another patient in the hospital secretly recorded what was occurring. This footage was then forwarded to the media (Center for Reproductive Rights, 2018). Josephine was forced to walk herself to the delivery room following the live birth to complete delivery of her placenta. Josephine's story was brought to the attention of the government. Previous laws regarding this matter had been enacted; however, they weren’t equitably enforced.  

Majani sued and was awarded $25,000 in compensation. She was quoted following the trial as saying: “I was neglected, abused, and shamed during my time at Bungoma District Hospital. I’m hopeful that the court’s judgement today will force the government to do the right thing and ensure that all women can get the maternal health care they need with respect and dignity” (Center for Reproductive Justice, 2018). It is extremely unfortunate that Josephine had to endure this sort of maltreatment. Nobody should be forced into conditions such as those. She is very brave for going through with the trial and standing up for every woman that has received that type of abuse. She truly made a difference and raised awareness and concern to the issue. 

Ideas for Art:

• Create a campaign flyer for easily accessible healthcare for women. 

• Create an image of a pregnant woman.  

• Design a poster for reproductive rights. 

Works Cited:

Brink, S. (2018, April 10). Kenyan Woman Abused By Nurses During Childbirth Wins Landmark Case. Retrieved December 20, 2019, from https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/04/10/600833683/kenyan-w…;

BBC News. Kenya payout for mother made to deliver on hospital floor. (2018, March 22). Retrieved December 20, 2019, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-43505886. 

Center for Reproductive Rights. Kenya's High Court Rules in Favor of Woman Physically Abused During Delivery. (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2019, from https://reproductiverights.org/press-room/kenya-high-court-rules-in-fav…;

Kim Phúc's life represents how a tragedy can become a way of inspiring and helping the world. When Kim was a child, she lived in Vietnam and became the victim of a napalm bombing during the Vietnam War, which left her severely injured. She had multiple burns on her back and was not expected to survive. However, through perseverance and hope, she made a full recovery. She became known for the photo of her as a child running naked down the street as her village was covered in smoke from the bombs. People called her the “Napalm Girl” (Leung, 2019). As her life went on, she became known for so much more as she worked to make a difference.  

She moved to Cuba, then Canada, in order to attain the life that she wanted to live (Lorenzsonn, 2019). Kim went on to create the Kim Phúc Foundation, which cares for children who have been victims of war (Leung, 2019). She used her trauma to promote peace. People all over the world have been exposed to her work and activism. She overcame the horrific byproducts of war and lived to help other children suffering from similar traumas. She has been given the Dresden Peace Price to recognize her for her strength and activism (Leung, 2019). She was also appointed as a goodwill ambassador for culture of peace (Leung, 2019). Kim quoted, “I believe that peace, love and forgiveness will always be more powerful than bombs,” (Lorenzsonn, 2019). This quote truly shows the nature of her character and mission to promote peace on a global scale. 

Ideas for Art:

• Sketch your vision of personal strength.  

• Create a photo that depicts world peace. 

• Design a timeline of Kim Phúc’s life.  

Works Cited:

Leung, H. (2019). 'Napalm Girl' Wins German Prize for Peace Work. Retrieved from https://time.com/5527355/napalm-girl-kim-phuc-phan-thi-dresden-prize/.&…;

Lorenzsonn, E. (2019). Kim Phúc, the Iconic 'Napalm Girl', Shares her Story at UW-Madison. Retrieved from https://madison.com/ct/news/local/kim-ph-c-the-iconic-napalm-girl-share…;

Patsy Mink was an extraordinary woman brought about significant changes that protected the rights of women and racial/ethnic minorities during her long tenure. She was the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She was also the first Asian-American to be elected to Congress (Alexander, n.d.).

Mink was born on December 6, 1927 in Paia, Hawai’i. She moved to the continental U.S. to start her college career, but quickly transferred due to racial discrimination. After earning her bachelor’s in Zoology and Chemistry, she applied to medical school, in hopes of becoming a doctor (Mink). After her applications were rejected due to discriminatory practices, Mink decided to apply instead to law schools. Fortunately, she was accepted to the University of Chicago Law School, becoming the first nisei woman to earn her JD at the institution (Alexander, n.d.).

            After her law degree, Mink still confronted racial discrimination in her professional life. She struggled to secure employment post-graduation, due not only to her identity, but discriminatory practices against those in interracial marriages. Mink decided to take matters into her own hands and started her own private law practice. She became the first Japanese American woman to practice law in Hawai’i (Alexander, n.d.).

In 1962, Mink ran for and earned a seat in Hawai’i’s Senate, which she presided in until 1964, when federal reapportionment created a second seat for a Hawai’ian representative in Congress (Mink). Mink ran an independent grassroots campaign to secure the spot against main party candidates, and in that same year, succeeded! In 1964, she became the first Asian-American woman, and only the second woman from Hawai’i, to ever serve in Congress.  Mink served for six consecutive terms, working as part of the Committee on Education and Labor, Interior and Insular Affairs, and the Budget Committee (Mink). During her time in the House, Mink spearheaded many bills establishing childcare, bilingual education, student loans, special education, and professional sabbaticals, among other programs. She also focused Asian Pacific American rights and family reunification.

Mink is perhaps best known for her continuous support for programs of equity, advocating for all those she represented not only back at home, but within the nation. During the Vietnam War, Mink vocally and notably opposed US involvement and the heavily militaristic views of her Hawai’ian colleagues (Mink).

Ideas for Art:

• Draw and paint the Hawai’ian flag!
• Make a poster advocating for Asian Pacific Rights and family reunification.
• Make a poster advocating for gender inclusive education and healthcare.
• Draw and paint the Hawai’ian flag!

Works Cited:

Alexander, K. (n.d.). Patsy Mink. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/patsy-mink

“Mink, Patsy Takemoto.” US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives, history.house.gov/People/Listing/M/MINK,-Patsy-Takemoto-(M000797)/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2020.

The Gulabi Gang, or Pink Gang, is comprised of women in India who are against domestic and sexual violence in their country. Founded in 2006 by Sampat Pal Devi, the Gulabi Gang is made up of over 400,000 women whose main goal is to bring justice to abusers, rapists, corrupt government officials, and police officers. Members of the Gulabi Gang are given ID cards and wear pink saris to signify their participation in the group. Some even carry lathis, or sticks, to beat their enemies when they see a crime or injustice taking place. The Gulabi Gang believe that violence is often needed to make their voices heard and to get their point across, and so far, this method has been working. 

At age 12, Sampat Pal Devi was forced to marry a man 13 years her senior and was taken out of school before she had learned to read and write. She has said that she felt like a slave in the home of her in-laws—it is tradition after marriage for the new wife to move in with her husband and in-laws. After giving birth to five children—the first of which she had three years into her marriage—she gained the respect of her in-laws who then allowed her to get a job as a women’s health adviser. In 2002, Sampat witnessed a man beating a woman in the street and tried to stop it. The man then beat her along with the other woman. The next day, Sampat had gathered about five women who helped her track down the man and beat him. 

The Gulabi Gang also provide funds and legal assistance for women in need and victims of injustice, such as Suseelamma Nirugutta, who was tricked into prostitution with her 18-month old daughter. The Gulabi Gang promotes women in the workplace by hosting job fairs for women and investing in women-owned businesses. They garner these funds through donations, a $200 membership fee, and a 500 rupee ($7 USD) annual fee charged to members who carry lathis.  

The Pink Gang have been working hard to fight injustices against women but also to lower the illiteracy rate among women, feticide among female fetuses, ridding the barrier between castes, and fighting to protect the basic rights of the poor. This brave group of women has inspired people world-wide but are still seen as insurgents in their own country. Their heroic acts and no-nonsense tactics have inspired two documentaries on their fight for change. 

Ideas for Art:

• Create a decorative word cloud of all the adjectives you would use to describe the Gulabi Gang. 

• Paint a pink canvas with words describing what the Gulabi Gang are fighting against. 

• Sketch an outline of the women standing together with their fists raised. 

• Draw a figure in a bright pink saree with a lathi. 

• Draw a lathi with a pink background or pink stripe in the background. 

Works Cited:

Aldama, Z. (2015). Meet the Gulabi Gang: Stick-Wielding Women Vigilantes Standing up to Abusers in Indian. Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1867806/gulabi-gang-stick-wielding-women-vigilantes-standing-abusers. 

Desai, S. (2014). Gulabi Gang: India’s Women Warriors. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/02/gulabi-gang-indias-women-warrriors-201422610320612382.html. 

GULABI GANG. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://gulabigang.in/. 

Grace Lee Boggs was an activist focused on improving the lives of those most marginalized, including supporting the civil rights movement and challenging issues related to racism and socio-economic oppression. She was a celebrated community builder, and also known for encouraging people to critically engage with issues. She was a Chinese American, born to immigrant parents. Her activism led her to support the Black Power movement, and, according to Chow (2015), her FBI file demonstrated that her support for African American/Black rights led people to believe that she was biracial when she was not. She co-founded, along with her husband, a group called “Detroit Summer,” which is focused on volunteerism and community building, and still active today (Grace Lee Boggs, n.d.).

She studied philosophy, which helped to shape her ideas about the world and what she wanted to achieve. She went to school at Barnard College and Bryn Mawr where she earned her Ph.D. in philosophy (Grace Lee Boggs, n.d.). She won the Peabody Award for a film that she directed called “American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs” (Caam, 2015).

Boggs unfortunately passed way in 2015, but her legacy remains. There is an annual award that is given to individuals who have shown leadership in environmental issues called the “Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs Outstanding Service Award” (Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs Outstanding Service, 2019).

Ideas for Art: 

• Imagery such as a director’s chair with her name on it, a slate with the title of her film, “American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs.”
• An award certificate you want to give someone for outstanding leadership in environmental or social issues.
•  

Works Cited:

Caam. (2015, April 23). Grace Lee wins Peabody Award for "American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs". Retrieved December 03, 2020, from https://caamedia.org/blog/2015/04/23/grace-lee-wins-peabody-award-for-a…

Chow, Kat (2015). Grace Lee Boggs, Activist And American Revolutionary, Turns 100. NPR.com. https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/06/27/417175523/grace-lee-…

Grace Lee Boggs. (n.d.). Retrieved December 03, 2020, from https://www.americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/grace-lee-boggs

Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs Outstanding Service. (2019, November 08). Retrieved December 03, 2020, from https://naaee.org/our-work/programs/awards/rosa-parks-and-grace-lee-bog…

Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu (goddess of the moon) is māhūwahine in the Hawai’ian language (Culture, 2020). She is a strong advocate for rights and lives of native Hawai’ians, and in 2003 founded Kulia Na Mamo, an organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of māhūwahine (Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, 2017; Tungol, 2016). She is also well-known for her skills in the art of hula dancing, an ancient and traditional form of dance in the Hawaiian islands and other Polynesian cultures.

Although she is a prominent māhūwahine figure through her passionate activism and advocacy, above all else she identifies as Kanaka, native Hawai’ian. She challenges Western gender constructs as limiting and narrow in perspective. She is proud to be a Hawai’ian and she wants to share the beautiful Aloha spirit with others. She believes that by advocating for her culture, that she is advocating for others to be themselves (Wong-Kalu, H., & Wong-Kalu, H., 2018).

Hinaleimoana was born on the island of Oah’u, where she received her elementary and college education on the island. She now works at Hālau Lõkahi School as their Cultural Director. She enjoys teaching the children about Hawaiian culture and empowering them as Hawaiian peoples (Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, 2017).

Wong-Kalu was named the 2018 Native Hawaiian Community Educator of the Year. The award “recognizes visionary education leaders in Hawai‘i who create learning environments that successfully engage Native Hawaiian learners” (Hinaleimoana 2018).

In 2011-2012, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson began filming the life of Wong-Kalu. The documentary, Kumu Hina, which was released in 2015, talks of Wong-Kalu's “personal struggles as a mahu, her professional life as an educator of Hawaiian tradition, and her domestic life with her husband, Haemaccelo” (Cave 2014). Wong-Kalu has also done a TEDx Talk discussing her culture and history (see embedded video above).

In 2014, she “announced her bid for a position on the board of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, one of the first transgender candidates to run for statewide political office in the United States” (Kumu nd). Although she was not elected for a seat, she went on to become a teacher and continues the support in her local community.

Ideas for Art:

• Draw Wong-Kalu receiving the Native Hawaiian Educator of the Year award (or just the award)
• Draw her running for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs seat
• Draw her teaching or working with students

Works Cited:

Cave, J. (2014, April 3). Hawaii documentary 'kumu HINA' profiles Native Hawaiian Mahu Teacher. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://www.honolulumagazine.com/hawaii-documentary-kumu-hina-profiles-native-hawaiian-mahu-teacher/

Culture. (2020, July 03). Meet Kumu Hina, Hawaii's Top Trans Advocate. Retrieved October 05, 2020, from https://leiculture.com/hinaleimoana-kwai-kong-wong-kalu-mahu-hawaii-kumu-hina/

GLSEN LGBTQ+ History cards - hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://www.glsen.org/activity/glsen-lgbtq-history-cards-hinaleimoana-wong-kalu

Kumu Hina. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://kumuhina.com/filmmakers

Tungol, J. (2016, February 02). 30 Days Of Holiday LGBT Giving: Kulia Na Mamo Transgender Organization. Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kulia-na-mamo-honolulu-hawaii-transgender-donations_n_2332073

Wong-Kalu, H., & Wong-Kalu, H. (2018, April 20). "I Am Hawaiian First". Retrieved October 05, 2020, from https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/decolonize/2018/04/20/i-am-hawaiian-f…

Wong-Kalu, Hinaleimoana (2017, February 20). Retrieved October 05, 2020, from https://tedxmaui.com/hinaleimoana-wong-kalu/

Audre Lorde was an incredibly talented poet, writer, librarian, feminist, womanist and civil rights advocate, prominent in the 1960s and beyond. Her works explored and critiqued popular ideas of gender, sexuality, race, class, feminism, and more, for their lack of intersectionality. Lorde was a prominent Black, queer woman who used her platform and writing to highlight these identities (Audre Lorde, n.d.).

Audre Lorde was born on February 18^th, 1934 in Harlem, New York (Audre Lord, n.d.). She received her master’s degree in library science (Audre Lord, 2020). In addition to her widely cited works on gender, sexuality, feminism, and racism, Lorde is well-known for her personal memoirs detailing her fight against breast cancer, in which she coined the term “warrior” in regards to survivors, and encouraged other women battling cancer to visualize themselves as a warrior as well (Audre Lord, n.d.). After undergoing her mastectomy, Lorde prolifically explained that her decision not to receive implants affirmed her belief that each woman is unique and valid, regardless of their physical attributes.

One of her most popular collections of poetry is “The Black Unicorn,” which discusses the identity of Black and African women (Audre Lord, n.d.). Another similarly famous collection is Lorde’s “Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches,” in which she explores her own identity as a queer Black woman (Audre Lord, n.d.).Audre Lorde received widespread, international recognition for her work and advocacy throughout her lifetime. She was named Poet Laureate of New York in 1991, and awarded a fellowship through the National Endowment for Arts (Audre Lorde, n.d.).

Late in life, Audre Lorde participated in an African naming ceremony, where she was named Adisa. This name signifies “she who makes her meaning clear” (Audre Lorde, 2020).  Through poetry, she always made herself clear to the world.

Ideas for Art:

• A visual representation of her quote: "The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house."

• A visual representation of her quote: "Your silence will not protect you.”

• A visual representation of intersectionality and the centering of marginalized identities.

Works Cited:

Audre Lorde. (n.d.). Retrieved September 23, 2020, from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/audre-lorde

Audre Lorde. (2020, September 15). Retrieved September 23, 2020, from https://www.biography.com/writer/audre-lorde

Lady-Omega Hammond is a Ghanian software engineer. According to her website, Hammond serves as the co-founder and CEO of Ampersand Technologies Ltd, a software development company with the purpose of connecting people and technology by “conceptualizing, building and delivering quality, engaging and disruptive software products and information technology solutions that solve real world problems, on time and on budget.” Hammond’s held a passion for fixing things ever since she was a child, even originally considered pursuing a job in medicine for this reason, before turning to technology. She earned a degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and furthered her education at Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology. She is now on a journey to becoming one of “Africa's most influential and sought-after problem solvers’ making lives better” (Lady-Omega Hammond, n.d.).  

Along with serving as the CEO of Ampersand Technologies Ltd., Hammond is the co-founder of STEMbees. This non-profit is dedicated to mentoring young African women in efforts to encourage these women to pursue their dreams in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Through STEMbees, Hammond has introduced over 300 girls to the STEM field. Her passion for supporting women in technology doesn’t stop there. Hammond serves as the assistant lead of the Accra chapter of the Google program Women Tech Makers, helping to mobilize and coach locally based tech talent to compete on a global scale (Lady Omega-Hammond, n.d.).

In an interview, Lady affirmed that by creating more female leaders in STEM, we will ultimately see more women in STEM in the near future because they will have role models who inspire them (Project, n.d.).

Ideas for Art:

• Portrait of Lady-Omega Hammond in front of the Ghanan Flag
• Sketch of young women in STEM (ex. looking though a microscope, building robots)

Works Cited:

Omega-Hammond, Lady. Ladyomegahammond.com, www.ladyomegahammond.com/.

Project., A., & Amertorwo, R. (n.d.). The young woman taking Ghana's tech industry by storm- Lady-Omega Hammond - SEEKAPOR: An Educational Companion. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.seekapor.com/young-woman-ghanas-tech-industry/

Tarana Burke was born in the Bronx, New York, and was passionate about activism from a young age. As a teenager, she joined a youth-development organization titled 21^st Century. She attended Alabama State University to learn more about community organizing, and once she graduated, she moved to Selma to work for 21^st Century. Burke co-founded an African-centered Rites of Passages program, which would later become the non-profit organization JustBe, Inc.

For several years, Burke held director positions at a black arts organization titled Art Sanctuary, the Black Belts Cultural Art Center, the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, and as a consultant for the 2014 film Selma.

During her work, she encountered many young women of color who were survivors of interpersonal and sexual violence. This notion – women of color who are survivors supporting one another – would later become the foundation of the Me Too movement she began in 2006. Within this movement, Burke created a way for women of color to share their stories and experience empowerment through empathy. She facilitated healing, contributed to consciousness-raising, and advocated for resources for women of color.

In 2017, in light of the Harvey Weinstein abuse scandal, the hashtag #MeToo went viral. In one year, the hashtag was used on Twitter over nineteen million times. It emphasized how common sexual violence was in communities, and how it usually went unaddressed. Burke has been celebrated internationally for her contributions to the conversation about race and sexual violence. The Me Too organization has hugely expanded to be especially intersectional, including providing healing support for queer, trans, and disabled women of color.

Ideas for Art:

• The power of hashtags and social media combined with activism work
• A visual representation of the widespread impact of #metoo
• Protests signs combatting sexual violence
• A visual representation of the marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by sexual violence
• A call for people to “Cite Black Women” in recognition of many in the media misattributing the founding of the MeToo movement to a white woman.

References:

Alexander, K. L. (2018). Tarana Burke. Retrieved December 03, 2020, from https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/tarana-burke

Burke, T. (2020, July 16). Get To Know Us: History & Inception. Retrieved December 03, 2020, from https://metoomvmt.org/get-to-know-us/history-inception/

Stormé DaLarverie was a groundbreaking drag performer and LGBTQ+ rights advocate. Legend has it, she even threw the first punch at the Stonewall protests in New York City on June 28, 1969 (Tashjian).

Stormé was a biracial woman, having been born to a Black mother and wealthy white father on Christmas Eve in New Orleans in 1920 (Tashjian). She was bullied in her youth. In an interview with NBC News, Stormé explained that kids would beat her up both for having a wealthy father as well as for being Black with a “white face.”

As a teen, she rode jumping horses in the Ringling Brothers Circus, which was an early indication of her love for performance (Aviles). According to Tashjian’s history of Stormé, from 1955-1969, Stormé worked as the sole “male impersonator” in the Jewel Box Review, the period’s only racially integrated drag troupe. But her iconic taste in fashion was not confined to the bounds of any stage. The performer would sometimes walk around NYC in drag, helping to bring androgyny to the Village. In 1961, she was even photographed by Diane Arbus. Arbus titled the photo, “Miss Stormé de Larverie, the Lady Who Appears to be a Gentleman.”

It’s still not clear who threw the first punch that started a revolution, but Stormé was definitely in the thick of it all at Stonewall. In an interview with NBC News, Stormé said, “It was a rebellion, it was an uprising, it was a civil rights disobedience —it wasn’t no damn riot,” (Aviles).

She continued to be an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights after Stonewall. She held leadership positions in the Stonewall Veterans Association, organized and performed at fundraisers for survivors of domestic violence and their children, and was a volunteer street patrol worker in her neighborhood (Aviles). She even worked as a bouncer for lesbian bars in New York City during the ‘80s and ‘90s, all adding up to give Stormé the nickname, “Guardian of lesbians in the Village” (Aviles). In a 2001 documentary short called A Stormé life, she said, “I’m a human being that survived. I helped other people survive.”

Ideas for Art:

• A portrait of Stormé half in drag and half out of drag.
• The lesbian pride flag.
• The New York City Skyline.
• Stage lights, microphones, and red curtains.

Works Cited:

Aviles, Gwen. “#Pride50: Stormé DaLarverie - Iconic Drag Performer.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 3 June 2019, www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/pride50-storm-dalarverie-iconic-drag-performer-n1006896.

Tashjian, Rachel. “A Brief History of Stormé DeLarverie, Stonewall's Suiting Icon.” GQ, GQ, 27 June 2019, www.gq.com/story/storme-delarverie-suiting.

A Stormé Life: A Stormé Life

Vilissa Thompson, LMSW, is a life-long advocate within and for the disability community, bringing attention to the intersectionality of disability, racial, and justice issues of equity and access. She is a writer, consultant, speaker, and activist, and has engaged in meaningful conversations about the white centeredness of media and public policy with lawmakers and general society (Netroots Nation).Thompson launched a social media campaign in 2018 with the hashtag #DisabilityTooWhite, bringing awareness to those within the disability community and how they are affected by other forms of discrimination (American Progress Action). With her work, Vilissa Thompson has created the space for diverse disabled leaders to join in conversations about wide ranging issues including women’s health, body positivity, and empowerment. She also created the Black Disabled Woman Syllabus, which serves as an educational, academic, and advocacy-centered resource dedicated to uplifting voices of disabled women of color, fighting against the lack of diversity (Netroots Nation).

Ideas for Art:

Evelyn Yoshimura was born in 1948, after her family was relocated from a WWII internment camp in Poston, Arizona. She was still a child when her family moved to the Crenshaw district in Los Angeles. It was here where she was able to view the tumultuous civil rights era from a predominantly black neighborhood. After graduating high school, she went on to attend Cal State University- Long Beach (CSULB) where she helped create the Asian American Studies program. During a class assignment, she asked her father to speak about his time in the WWII internment camp. She was surprised to hear his rage and feelings of betrayal. It was then when she realized how much these events shaped her life and when she became more determined to be an active advocate in the Civil Rights movement.  During her time on campus, she and her friends screened a documentary on the internment camps for over one hundred students as a way to increase the conversation on shared experiences among Japanese American students. She went on to join a group of students of color campaigning for ethnic studies to be included in the CSULB curriculum in order to have their classes reflect and support diversity. When university administrators ignored their protests, the student group resorted to more drastic measures, most notably putting glue in the locks of the buildings. Racial tensions came to a head after a protest turned violent when counter-protestors confronted the group. The violence ended with the arrest of two black male students. One of the students tragically died in police custody which led to more protests and finally the addition of several ethnic studies courses being added to the university.

In the early 1970’s, she became a staff member of the impactful Asian American newspaper, Gidra. During her time writing for Gidra, she wrote about the cultural impact and ugliness of the Vietnam War and the unique identity crisis that many Asian Americans faced, primarily focusing on the “model minority” complex. She also joined the Little Tokyo People’s Rights Organization, an activist group whose primary goal was to disrupt the redevelopment plans that threatened the cultural identity of Little Tokyo.  She went on to become a co-founder of the Amerasia Bookstore, a cultural icon in Little Tokyo that stood for two decades and was, at the time, one of the only stores to sell literature written by Japanese Americans. In 1981, she took an active role in organizing community members to speak at the LA hearings of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. Today, she passionately speaks out on the threats of gentrification to Little Tokyo.

Ideas for Art:

• Create/Replicate Save Little Tokyo protest signs (see image above)
• Utilize words to convey the complexities of the model minority myth
• Use any medium to compare and contrast the WWII internment camps and modern ICE detention centers

Works Cited:

“Evelyn Yoshimura.” DiscoverNikkei.org, Aug. 2012, www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/profiles/145/.

“Inspiring Stories: Evelyn Yoshimura.” Little Tokyo Service Center, Apr. 2019, www.ltsc.org/evelyn-yoshimura/.

“From Left: Yasuko Sakamoto, Former LTSC Director of Social Services; Bill Watanabe, LTSC Founder and Former Executive Director; and Evelyn.” Little Tokyo Service Center, Apr. 2019, ltsc.org/evelyn-yoshimura/.

Janet Mock was born in Honolulu and spent most of her childhood there, along with some time in California and Texas. She earned her bachelor’s at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and continued her education at New York University earning her MA in Journalism. Currently, Mock is based out of New York City and Los Angeles (Janet Mock, n.d.)

Janet Mock is a two-time New York Times bestselling author of two memoirs. Redefining Realness (2014) was the “first biography written from the perspective of a young trans person,” which aided in the conversion around trials faced by trans women of color (Janet Mock, n.d.). After the release of her first book, Mock was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, introducing Mock to the spotlight. Her second memoir, Surpassing Certainty (2017), explores the “years in her life when she was not public about being trans” (Janet Mock, n.d.). Since publication of her first book, Mock has served as a feminist activist. Mock founded movements like #GirlsLikeUs, an online movement encouraging other trans women to share their stories and struggles on being accepted, and #TransBookDrive, have her memoir and other books be more accessible to those of low income backgrounds. In 2017, Mock spoke at the Women’s March on Washington with a call to action for feminism to be a more intersectional and inclusive movement.

Janet Mock has previously worked in media for People.com, Time Inc., and has also created her own podcast Never Before. Currently, Mock is a “writer, director and executive producer for FX drama series POSE and Netflix limited series HOLLYWOOD and MONSTER” (Janet Mock, n.d.). In 2018 Mock made the list for TIME’s 100 most influential people. Janet Mock continues to make history being the “first trans person to sign a production pack with a major studio” in 2019, when she signed with Netflix (Janet Mock, n.d.).

Ideas for Art:

• Portrait of Janet Mock in front of a trans flag
• Sketch of Janet Mock in front of books
• Fanart dedicated to the FX show Pose, starring trans women of color in New York City

Works Cited:

Mock, Janet. janetmock.com, https://janetmock.com/bio/.

Siriano, Christian. TIME, https://time.com/collection/most-influential-people-2018/5217624/janet-mock/.

Wilma Mankiller was an American Cherokee activist born November 18, 1945 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Although she is most known for being the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee, she also has a rich history of activism. When she was 11, her parents moved to California where she was inspired by the Occupation of Alcatraz (Tyler 2018).

Mankiller was devoted to activism, which caused a strain, and ultimately a divorce, in her first marriage. She moved back to Oklahoma with her two daughters where she was elected as the Principal Chief of the Cherokee in 1985. While leading, “she advocated for extensive community development, self-help, education and healthcare programs that revitalized the Nation of 300,000 citizens” (Wilma 2015). She was instrumental in making a number of structural changes, including improving access to water. She held this position until 1995 in which decided not to re-run due to various health problems.

After finishing her terms, she continued to do activism for her community. In 1993, she published her autobiography, Mankiller: A Chief and Her People. She also published the book, Every Day Is a Good Day: Reflections by Contemporary Indigenous Women (2004). She was recognized with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998.

In 2010, she passed away due to pancreatic cancer. Within the same year, Barack Obama issued a statement acknowledging her life and her many accomplishments.

Ideas for Art:

• Draw her giving a speech
• Create a piece showing the various things she has done for her community
• Paint one of the awards she received

Works Cited:

Taylor, R. (2018). Wilma Mankiller. Retrieved February 08, 2021, from https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/wilma-mankiller

Wilma Mankiller. (2015). Retrieved February 08, 2021, from https://www.womenon20s.org/wilma-mankiller

Wilma Mankiller. (2020, October 14). Retrieved February 08, 2021, from https://www.biography.com/activist/wilma-mankiller

Andrea Jenkins was born in 1961 in Chicago and moved to Minneapolis in 1979 to attend the University of Minnesota. She holds degrees in Human Services, Creative Writing (MFA), and a Master’s degree in Community Development. She was a vocational counselor for the Hennepin County government for nearly 10 years (Minneapolis, City of, “About”). Jenkins is well remembered for notably earning a fellowship that permitted her to establish and lead the Transgender Issues Work Group in 2014, and for organizing a transgender equality City Council Summit later that year (Minneapolis, City of, “About”).

 Following this long career of activism and public service, Jenkins shattered a glass ceiling when, in 2017, she became the first African American openly trans woman to be elected to public office. She represented Minneapolis’ Ward 8 and currently works as the Vice President in Minneapolis’ City Council (Minneapolis, City of, “Ward 8”). While she continues her activism and leadership, in addition to her performance arts, Jenkins continues to advance both her experience and education.

Ideas for Art:

Works Cited:

Minneapolis, City of. About Andrea Jenkins. https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/city-council/ward-8/about-andrea-jenkins/. Accessed 28 Jan. 2021.

Minneapolis, City of. Ward 8 - Andrea Jenkins. https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/city-council/ward-8/. Accessed 28 Jan. 2021.