“When I was seventeen, I got a job as a telephone salesperson of ink cartridges. The worst thing about the job was that I was so good at it. I was promoted and was eventually earning a serious lot of money.
I don’t know what made me a successful ink cartridge seller but I use the example to say that in a similar way I can’t fully explain why I feel good at being a woman, I just do.
What I do know how to explain is why International Women’s Day means a lot to me – it is the day that women collectively celebrate the full meaning of woman-ness in a profound, rounded, powerful, holistic and elemental way. It is also the day that we shed tears over the way that the world treats women. Today is the day when, more than any other, I viscerally understand that women’s attitudes towards life on earth, our perceptions of power and how it should be used and protected, our anti-patriarchal, anti-oppression attitude, is what keeps this world turning without loosing the very purpose of life, namely to live. Most of all, today is the day that reminds me of all the foremothers, mothers, daughters, sisters, aunties and revolutionary women that have brought the world one step closer to ending the politics of hostility.
Below are voices of African women bloggers who answered the question:
What does women’s day mean to you?
Uduak Odu(o)k, editor of Ladybrillemag.com and Africamusiclaw.com
Women’s day is an opportunity for me to reflect on the socio-political struggles and achievements of women, particularly African women. It is also an opportunity for me to take a personal inventory and make sure I am honoring my pledge to self to use my gift of advocacy to continue to lend a voice to the voiceless, particularly African women.
International women’s day is an extension of a celebration that I uphold daily. It’s a commemoration of the strong women of our past, who fought to pave the way for the courageous women in our present, who are actively influencing the soon-to-be women of our future. This day, and everyday, I look forward to celebrating the progress we have made, while bearing in mind the journey that lies ahead. . .”
Read the full feature on Minna Salami’s Ms. Afropolitan Blog.
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
