Words of inspiration and vision from the Assistant Professor and Chair of Africana Studies
March 2024 – Women’s History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the women who continue to make valuable contributions to our world. In the realms of politics, art, activism, and research, women have long produced important—in fact, world-shaping–work. As someone whose own research and teaching often focuses on Black women and the importance of intersectionality, I find the link between Black History Month and Women’s History Month particularly clear.
As women continue to do important work, it is crucial that we take time to both honor their work and acknowledge ongoing forms of gender oppression around the globe. In my course, Black Women in Anthropology, students are tasked with centering the voices of those who have historically written from the margins of the discipline by reading and engaging with the work Black women have produced over decades. This March, I encourage you to find ways to highlight and amplify the voices of women in your life and community. In writing an essay, is it possible to seek out and include the theoretical contribution of a woman whose work you had not previously encountered? When organizing events for student clubs, are there ways to prioritize the contributions and voices of women? These interventions may seem small, but added together they are transformative. As Jane Goodall has said, “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you.”
