Bringing young women together to inspire and create, through art, fiction, history, and literature.
As a professional student of American history, there are many reasons why I have an enormous respect for Malcolm X. The most powerful of these reasons, however, is also the simplest: he was a man who never feared to change his mind. Think about that for a moment. How hard is it, sometimes, to admit... Continue Reading →
In the halls of Kenwood House, a mysterious portrait has fascinated art scholars for hundreds of years. On paper the story seems generic. The Earl and Countess of Mansfield commissioned it, and it portrays their two nieces, Dido Elizabeth Belle and Elizabeth Murray. It’s only when you look at the portrait you see the story,... Continue Reading →
I spent a lot of years searching for my personal Civil Rights hero. History classes taught me the big names: Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, President John F. Kennedy. None of them connected with me. None had the mixture of goodness, integrity, and grit that makes someone my hero. And then, in... Continue Reading →
The situation for African-American actors in Hollywood is a constant topic of discussion in the industry, and for good reason because it needs improvement. (Remember the #OscarsSoWhite controversy a couple years back?) Black History Month seems like the perfect time to look back at the past for a source of inspiration that black actors working... Continue Reading →
How much social prejudice would you endure to change the world? In the 1940s, the interracial marriage of Prince Seretse Khama, heir to the Bechuanaland throne, to an English clerk, Ruth Williams, shocked the world. The couple faced criticism from his royal uncle, but soon won over the people of his nation, who were reluctant... Continue Reading →
Alongside Florence Nightingale, known as the “Lady with the Lamp,” was another woman who improved the desperate conditions of soldiers in the Crimean War—Mary Seacole. For this edition of Femnista, I hope to show the racial prejudices, personal, and financial struggles this remarkable woman faced in caring for her fellow human beings. Born around 1805... Continue Reading →
Sidney Poitier. How do I describe a man who stood beside Martin Luther King Jr. during his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963? How do I describe a man who often was the only African American on the set of his movies? How do I describe a man who makes me laugh and breaks... Continue Reading →
This month, Femnista celebrates remarkable individuals throughout history who have left an impression on us, either through their contributions to social advancement, entertainment, or who lived extraordinary lives simply because society would not allow them to do otherwise. We invite you to join us as we explore some of our favorites, and share your heroes... Continue Reading →
NOV / DEC 2017: BY CAROL STARKEY I’ve loved science fiction for as long as I can remember. From Flight of the Navigator to E. T. to Aliens, to the countless novels and short-story collections, to TV shows like Star Trek and Quantum Leap, sci-fi has surrounded me pretty much since birth. I wish I... Continue Reading →
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