Seeing someone homeless, living off the streets, scared, alone—it touches me. I would be terrified if I were in their shoes. But it’s also an opportunity to see more than just suffering, to also see strength. That’s where my path has gone much more: from that recognition of our common humanity and the need for […]

I think my mentor saw in me, early, the ability to do more, experience more, and then also she encouraged me to express my opinion and take leadership positions. And I think it takes that— somebody to pull you up, so to speak. To recognize, maybe, raw talent and give that person an opportunity or […]

Become more self-confident, try to believe in yourself more, to have more courage and trust your instincts. There’s a big world out there, and there are folks who will try to make it narrower for you, try to close you into a smaller world, and you have to have the strength and courage to fight […]

I believe passionately that when women flourish, then families thrive, communities thrive, nations thrive. Therefore, let us no longer walk into a room and assume that everybody knows better than we do. -Linda Katz, Co-founder of Women Give San Diego, Community Leader, Philanthropist, Civic Activist, Feminist, Del Mar, CA 

The word “feminist” connotes equality of opportunity, giving women the chance to succeed or fail. It should be cleansed of its political trappings. Every woman and every man who believes in equality of opportunity is a feminist. -Lynn Schenk, Attorney, Former Member of the United States House of Representatives, Feminist, promoted the Equal Rights Amendment […]

I think my entire life—and this comes from my mother—is founded on the notion of fairness and equality, the idea that we should all have access to the same things. That one child, irrespective of birth, should have access to the same school as another, or medical care, or access to the legal process. But […]

There’s nobody so ugly he doesn’t have beauty within him, and no one so poor there isn’t richness within him, and no one so weak he doesn’t have strength within him. Every person is invaluable in this world, and so I serve every person, every prisoner, with love; I hope and pray through the Holy […]

My hope for Sudan is that we are going to be a great nation. Because all our time was wasted in war. I’ve never really been stable in my life. All my youthful period was a waste. But I think now we are beginning anew, and what I went through, I hope my child will […]

At age 7, I was taking food to my father, who was imprisoned for voicing his objection to political oppression. I had no childhood, no Barbies. At 17 I became student leader and general secretary of my college student union, leading marches with other women, protesting against social and political oppression. I had to leave […]

I always felt that it’s really important to maintain your faith, be a good person, and do the right thing. And if you did all of those things, at some point they were going to come back to you, because I think those are the laws of the universe. I’ve seen it work in my […]

I am the fourth daughter of my freedom-fighter parents, who dedicated their lives for the freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi. My mother was 14 when she joined the movement. It was that culture, those ethics, and those values that shape me. As a lawyer, practicing law in support of women’s issues in India, I […]

As a result of the Bosnian war, I became a refugee, and for the first time realized the impact of trauma on women as a result of war. In healing myself I wanted to heal others, particularly women who are survivors of war rape and sexual violence. While in camp I established a women’s group. […]

As a straight-A 10-year-old, I received my first F on a math test and was devastated, crying hysterically. I felt I had disappointed everyone. My grandfather immediately took me for ice cream and consoled me, informing me there will be other tests and opportunities to succeed. When I reached home, still hysterical, my mom placed […]

I found my life’s passion when a professor of mine died from AIDS. He handed in our exams one day, and the next week he was gone. Later, my Ph.D. supervisor and best friend also died from AIDS. It appeared that a virus was able to peck out the very things that make our society […]

I tend to be a stressful, perfectionist-oriented person. I need things to be certain. So in overcoming obstacles I have to stay patient. That’s the hardest thing for me. I have to be able to sit down and analyze what the issue is and how I can go through with it in the most graceful […]

Sometimes there’s a place for men to step back and make a space for women to take the lead in a particular issue. And sometimes it’s really important for men to step forward and support women and take the lead so a woman doesn’t always have to do it. You create balance by making it […]

I know a nonviolent world will happen; I know it’s possible. I know the violence that people endure and go through and end up being really graceful and gracious after it happens. I know that it can stop. I’m not going to see it in my lifetime, so I’m not Pollyanna enough to believe that. […]