For Such a Time as This!
Turbulence and distress are impacting the lives of friends, family, and strangers we care about, in ways we may never have imagined. Nearby peoples include those in Ukraine (for those of us in Europe) as well as others further afield in Afghanistan, Syria and Ethiopia, to name but a few. Existing challenges are further compounded by the environmental crisis and our gradual emergence from a global pandemic. At such times, we look for leaders who make sense of the moment, who inspire us to take a stand, who remind us of what really matters and who actually ‘walk their talk’.
Today is International Women’s Day (and month), a time when we focus on the specific achievements and continued challenges of women whether economic, social, cultural, spiritual, or political.
It’s well-known that turbulence and distress (including war, global warming, and the global pandemic), continue to negatively impact women and girls in unique ways. On the positive side women and girls often approach old or familiar challenges in refreshing and distinctive ways too. Unfortunately, we seldom get to hear their voices because they are drowned out, silenced or muted.
But what if (with God’s help) we could gather just a few of the greatest leadership minds (women and girls) in one room and invite each of them to share their wisdom with us ‘for such a time as this’?
As it happens… I had a dream that I was stuck in a lift (or elevator for our North American friends) with 18 amazing women leaders from different parts of the world, current and historical. Okay, so it was a BIG lift (with lovely windows!).
It was a vivid dream, so I got to hear everything they were saying (just stick with me on this… and no I haven’t had one too many ladoos - those melt in the mouth balls of deliciousness enriched with flour, ghee, sugar and spices! – As you can see I’m celebrating Pink Ladoo Day early and definitely getting carried away now!). Back to the dream… I invited these courageous, strong, bold, visionary women and girls, whose words and actions have inspired and strengthened me over the years, to join me in a conversation about the kind of leadership that is necessary for our times. It went something like this… I began by asking Mary Mother of Jesus:
CK What are your thoughts on injustice in our world?
He (God) has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty… Mary Mother of Jesus Luke 1:52-53
CK What if people say it’s not a woman’s place to challenge the status quo?
I raise up my voice—not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard… We cannot succeed when half of us are held back. Malala Yousafzai
We cannot solve a crisis without treating it as a crisis. […] And if solutions within the system are so impossible to find, then maybe we should change the system itself? Greta Thunberg
Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives. 5 Daughters of Zelophehad Numbers 27:4
CK What if we don’t fit everyone’s expectation of what a leader should be and do?
One of the criticisms I’ve faced over the years is that I’m not aggressive enough or assertive enough or maybe somehow, because I’m empathetic, it means I’m weak. I totally rebel against that. I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong. Jacinda Ardern
There's power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice. Michelle Obama
There is so much societal expectation out there whereby because you are a woman, you are put into some kind of box. When you try to do different things, they say ‘I thought you were just a lawyer’. I am not just anything! I am more than one thing, and I am everything that I am called to be by the grace of God, some of which I am still finding out. I can’t at this stage give you everything I am because I am not at the end of my journey. I never feel pressured to give people a set answer. It is okay not to have an answer to everything. Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu
What I want young women and girls to know is: You are powerful and your voice matters. You’re going to walk into many rooms in your life and career where you may be the only one who looks like you or who has had the experiences you’ve had. But you remember that when you are in those rooms, you are not alone. We are all in that room with you applauding you on. Cheering your voice. And just so proud of you. So you use that voice and be strong. Kamala Harris
CK But can women really be strong leaders?
A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman. Melinda Gates
… I was able to see that if I had a contribution I wanted to make, I must do it, despite what others said. That I was OK the way I was. That it was all right to be strong. Wangari Maathai
That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Sojourner Truth
Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women. Maya Angelou
CK In your opinion what enables leaders to excel?
If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader. Dolly Parton
Fight for the things that you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you. Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Okay, so this was a daydream!!!! Or perhaps it was a God-given dream... Either way, what a dream for International Women’s Day… At such a time as this!
With so many to choose from (If I could have squeezed any more in, I would have) and a world full of ladoos to sample and enjoy, you could have your own God-given dream conversation with a few women (and girl) leaders who have inspired you. Take time and thank God for them and then share it with others!
Cham Kaur-Mann & Kate Coleman
