Breaking Barriers, Building Brands: Women in Beauty Entrepreneurship
HistoryAs beauty historian, makeup artist, and entrepreneur Lisa Eldridge notes, the history of cosmetics is deeply intertwined with the history of women. Cosmetics usage by women marks pivotal moments in time as a sacrament, a symbol of social status, a colorful act of rebellion, a subtle sign of seduction, a path to self-care, or a clue to counterculture. From ancient ages until today women adorn themselves in reaction to the societies they live in. The history of cosmetics is also the history of women entrepreneurs. Black hair care guru Madame C.J. Walker was the first woman self-made…
A New Direction in Women's Liberation
My family thought I would be different than the other Neal women. I was born in 1979: disco was waning, hip-hop was burgeoning, and punk was morphing into New Wave. The dust was settling on many revolutions. It was a period of coasting on the waves of all that was won for the women before me. I took advantage of the opportunities afforded to Gen X women. I moved around the country at will and without care. I was the first in my immediate family to earn a bachelor's degree and then the first to receive a graduate degree. I've sat in rooms with corporate executives; I have my own stock…
Pi Day: Celebrate Literary and Mathematical Constants
Getting Witchy for Women's History Month
Rakisha, Branch Manager/Kings Bay
I was sitting at my kitchen table flipping through my first deck of recently purchased tarot cards. A stack of young adult books about paganism, magic and witchcraft sat in front of me. As I shuffled the cards from my left hand to my right, I asked out loud: “Am I witch now?” My quick-witted 16-year-old replied: “Historically, yes. You’re an older, divorced, Black woman who wears pants. You’re a witch.” Well, dang. Technically, they weren’t wrong in their assessment and it inspired me to delve into the connection between women, marginalized communities and witchcraft. Pagan …
POTW: Happy Women's History Month from three Queen Esthers
Kevina, Center for Brooklyn History
The Contest
A.Y.
My name is Mia. I’m going to tell you about the day that changed my life forever. It was a normal school day. I was waving goodbye to my mom when I saw a bright neon orange sign on the school door. The sign said, ”Do you love to write? If so, enter our teenage writing contest. For more information and details, please visit our website www.teenagewritingcontest.org.” I screamed silently in my head. I love to write. Asking me that is like asking a dog if it likes peanut butter. I walked into school that day, and for the first time, could not wait until it ended. As soon as school was over, I…
Amelia’s Dream
A.Y.
My name is Amelia, and I ride horses. Now, typically women don't ride horses. They cook or clean. However, I burn everything I try to cook including water and I couldn't clean if my life depended on it. I always dreamed of riding horses and entering the yearly riding contest. I said to myself, why not teach myself how to ride, and enter. One night while everyone was asleep I snuck out into the barn and taught myself how to ride. As it turned out, I was great at it. One day I decided to ride during the day. Pa had gone hunting and was not supposed to be back till that night, and Ma was…
Women's History Month Book Recommendations
Brianna Liu
Three Memoirs & Biographies to Read for Women's History Month
March is a very special month, especially for me. We celebrate International Women’s Day on the 8th, and Women’s History Month for all thirty-one days. Additionally, my kind and loving mother was born in March. As a staunch queer and intersectional feminist librarian, and former women and gender studies major in college, I am forever passionate about centering ALL women’s stories and experiences. If you, too, are itching to read about the fascinating lives of three incredible women of…
Our Story
Michelle Lin
We are thought to be invisible in history- to not voice our thoughts, and to stay at home and not be seen. We are thought to be silent- to listen and not be heard to swallow and gulp down our words of anguish beneath our tongues. But we can no longer be invisible, because we have learned to raise our voices- the meeting at Seneca Falls, and the series of protests that follows. We as women have united and will no longer be silent under abuse, to voice our thoughts and sufferings and to be set free under the wings of independence. Michelle Lin is…
Young Women's Stories of Past and Present
Yesterday, March 8th was International Women's Day and March itself is Women's History Month. While a Women & Gender Studies major in college, I learned all about how women's lives and experiences have NOT been front and center in literature, the news, history, media, etc. for far too long. Especially Women of Color (WoC) and queer and trans women. Therefore, I present to you five of my favorite novels about young women and their quest to better understand themselves and the world around them in the past and present. Displacement by Kiku…