Editor-in-Chief note 3/8/17: I wrote this 14 years ago and have no recollection of writing it, but of course I do remember my friend and colleague Joan Lester. Although I never met her, Eleanor Holmes Norton is a shero.
Today marks International Women’s Day and folks are celebrating #DayWithoutAWoman with the first US-wide general strike. No Shopping, no Work, Wear Red.
We are a LGBTQ owned business so we are honoring the strike. What are you doing?
by Akilah Monifa
ARISE – Feb/Mar 2003
In like a lion, out like a lamb. February brings us a whole host of holidays from Ground Hog’s day, President’s Day, Valentine’s and March ushers in spring and includes Ash Wednesday, International Woman’s Day on March 8th and St. Patrick’s Day.
It’s amazing but in late 2002 Robert Johnson became the first African American to be the principle owner of any major league sports team. And Halle Berry became only the 5th woman of African descent to grace the cover of Cosmopolitan Magazine. The magazine had gone twelve years without a single woman of African descent on the cover. In their 38-year history of 356 covers, that means only five women of African descent and 351 white women. Coincidence?
In this combined issue we pay homage to both Black History Month in February and International Woman’s Day in March. Of particular note is a hook that combines both, examining the legacy of black women slaves. In Praise of Black Women: Heroines of Slavery. The book is reviewed briefly in a new section of Arise Magazine: Editor’s Choice. In this book section , the editors of Arise select several excellent books to profile. Books by, for, and about folks of African descent. In addition to In Praise of Black Women: Heroines of of Slavery, we also profile Gumbo for Your Soul, Positive/Negative: Women of Color and HIV/AIDS: A Collection of Plays, Seeking Enchantment: A Spiritual Journey of Healing from Oppression., The Great Wells of Democracy The Meaning of Race in American Life, Gumbo: An Anthology of African American Writing, and What’s Money Got to do with it?: The Ultimate Guide on How to Make Love and Money Work In Your Relationship. We also do a separate feature on a book written by Joan Steinau Lester as authorized by prominent politician, Eleanor Holmes Norton.
Of course we also have our usual departments, columns and musings about art, style, travel, entertainment, and people. Finally we feature the Pan American Film Festival, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and Interior: Modern Lines.
Be safe, know your HIV status, get tested, regardless of self-identity or the identity of those with whom you are being sexual.
Peace.
Akilah Monifa
Managing Editor
KikiPosts 