Finding Female Kinship at Barnes and Noble

Earlier today a reporter posted an online article about the fact I was taking two busloads of women to the Women’s March on Washington, DC on January 21, 2017 to stand shoulder to shoulder and toe to toe with hopefully a million other women making sure the new administration did not forget about women’s rights like pay inequality and our right to choose about our body. As soon as the article came online it was filled with really tough comments about me, the event and our mission. I never doubted having the article placed, but I needed to get away from the computer to soak in some inspiration.

I headed to Barnes and Nobel to be in peace without a computer. I decided to look for a couple Women’s Rights books and words from some foremothers to cheer me up and sustain me. As I was starting to search, a bright 20 year old woman came up to me to ask if I needed help. In typical form, I couldn’t just say “I’m looking for a book on Women’s Rights,” I had to tell her the whole online article issue and my need to find words to sustain me.

Immediately she said, “I love Women’s Rights” and I have the perfect book for you. She proceeded to hand me “The Feminist Fight Club” by Jessica Bennett and said I think you’ll love this. Without looking through the book, I took it and said “Thank you I trust your opinion.” I proceeded to tell her about our plan to walk on Washington and she said she would love to attend. I gave her my business card and told her I wanted her to join us. We both went off smiling having met each other in an unexpected time and place but realizing we were soul sisters in feminism. I made sure to also pick up the book “Feminism Unfinished” to give me more historical perspectives on the American Women’s Movements.

My defeated spirit spurred by some men’s comments to the article changed when this one woman lifted me up with simple but compassionate words and actions. It is a reason I love women and have worked so hard to support them. We get each other. We support each other. We want to be better together. That is the reason I am marching on Washington DC because women deserve every single equal ounce of rights and justice in this world. We are amazing people with extraordinary abilities to support and help each other and the world. We can and will make it different.