2021 2022 2023 AND…
“Our way of living together in America is a strong but delicate fabric….
– Wendell Willkie
For God’s sake, let us not tear it asunder. For no man knows, once it is destroyed, where or when man will find its protective warmth again”
After a silence of nearly 2 years, I am moved to try to connect again with all my former and newer contacts. Hope my energy and my memory will help me!
In addition to my traditional quote or two, I am attaching a page of those I have used over my lifetime and hope you will find a couple useful.
In earlier discussions about my first idea for an acceptance of women having access to their own bank accounts, it was clear to me that would mean women ownership over their own work and benefits of their production. Others whom I met at the 1975 UN Conference in Mexico City were working for women owning their own reproduction as well. We discussed working for a change to support women entrepreneurs owning their own production.
Others were workingfor women owning their own reproduction as well. With Joan Dunlop we talked about the idea that this meant real power for women and their VOICES it would also require working to change banking and gov’t foreign policy to make it a reality. In those early days of designing such a strategy, it was a different world. When I would say that this would lead to shared power between men and women others would say, “that’s pie in the sky”.
After seeing the two new blockbuster movies (BARBIE and OPPENHEIMER) I conclude that women and men are moving in that direction. Woman are gaining power and using their voices, while the patriarch is beginning to realize society can no longer lock all information affecting society in the hands and heads of a few EXPERTS – mostly men. (I cannot ignore the news that the President of Stanford University has resigned because of “inaccurate reporting in some of his own research”.)
FINALLY – after my long commitment to trying to help make it easier for younger women – I may be hearing and seeing my dreams for women coming true – having a voice with power (whatever and wherever) in the newly emerging global world.
The past year has been a glorious one in so many ways. Even though I am told it is dangerous for someone as old as I am to travel alone I have had a year of numerous adventures alone and with others:
Europe to visit friends, godchildren and new babies, reunions with special friends and colleagues, the streets and romance of Paris, Morocco for a wonderful visit with my dear friend ZUZU, and with John Hammock to Cali for FUNDACION WWB Columbia’s 45th Anniversary Gala.
The BIGGEST surprise and a DREAM COME TRUE was WWB’s 24th global meeting and Board Meeting reunion with so many Founding and New partners of WWB in India.
The Photo of Mary Ellen Iskenderun, Nancy Barry and Me who carried our dream for nearly 50 years says it all…
The unexpected experience and pure joy of recognition as the Founder of something new is my wish for any and all of you who have had or will have such an adventure!
One of my current adventures has included working here in NYC with the Murray Hill Preservation Committee helping to collect information about famous people who have lived here and stories of neighbors who live here now. A real sense of freedom has been the completion of a ten years
Obsession of clearing out all files, boxes and clippings from my long life. So many forgotten treasures, opened doors to so many memories and reconnections with many students and people who have meant so much to me.
In addition to the clearance of all THE STUFF, last year ended with meeting the Founder and the Director of The Womens Leadership Institute at Villanova College. They were colleagues of my friend from Manhattanville College. I was thrilled that the school accepted my donation of all the books and articles from my library built over the life of a 65 years career. The Director is a major voice in recognizing and building confidence among students and networks of women in business eager to learn to build, use and share their experiences and wisdom with each other.
As every year, the days and memories were filled with new emotions and connections with family.
I had a trip to KCMO for a wonderful visit with my older sister Mary before she left us. And then a trip to California for her funeral. I shared in a family reunion to celebrate and honor my brother Jerome, under the tree that is dedicated to him in Central Park. Now we can still visit Jerry!
Most recently, my sister Sarah and I traveled to Colorado to have a fun and loving reunion with our sister Deirdre and her family and to accept an award to our Aunt Frances Marie who had been President of Loreto Heights College The joy and recovery of that trip is still too fresh to describe.
In closing I must comment on the impact that feeling that life is still giving me the joys of learning
From adventures and so many people I have met. Recently I asked a young college student who spent the summer in Africa working with animals, how he felt after such an experience his reply:
“I never realized the world was so big.” During our conversation, he also taught me a new phrase “EVIL ENERGY” which is my new reference for things that I feel are destroying so much of our world.
This young man and many of the other young people I keep working with are my reasons for Optimism and Hope for the Future. I wish you the same!
My Thanks and MY Prayers for Global Peace in the years ahead.
Cheers and Luv