Who inspired your feminism? Was it your grandmother who awakened you to the inequalities women and girls face? Was it your mom who led by example? Perhaps a teacher who grew into a mentor? Maybe it was the work of an author you never met, like Bell Hooks’s Feminism is for everyone. Maybe it was more recent, like the speech from Emma Watson, who urged both women and men to reclaim the other f-word and take on the battle for gender equality.
Give her - or him, or them, or it - some proper thanks during our #myfem2tree. We want to know where your feminist roots began: whether from a person, book, or organization. And we also want to know how you plan to spread your branches through the feminist activism you are engaging in or hope to engage in.
At the Young Feminists and Allies chapter, there are countless people and organizations we can thank for being our feminist roots. One such organization is the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI), @abzugleaders, which teaches mostly underprivileged girls and young women to become leaders. It’s only fitting, considering Bella Abzug’s global feminist work, including mentoring Gloria Steinem and starting the national Women’s Equality Day. Liz Abzug, Bella’s daughter, continues her mother’s legacy through her work in BALI and beyond, personally mentoring quite a few of us YFA members.
Join us and pay homage to your feminist leaders, like Gloria Steinem did in her recent HBO documentary "Gloria: In Her Own Words," noting how she drew strength and inspiration from Bella. We are especially interested in giving thanks to the feminist s/heroes HIStory often forgets, like the women-of-color leaders. Overlooking minorities is something that continues to present day, demonstrated well through Mikki Kendall’s viral #solidarityisforwhitewomen hashtag. Please tweet a picture or link, or just the name of the person, people or organization that planted the seeds to your feminist tree using the hashtag #myfem2tree. Please also discuss s/heroes feminists should know better – both in herstory and NOW.
**UPDATE: You can also send your thanks to our Tumblr page here at http://myfem2tree.tumblr.com/submit