The Fem Word Vol. 61

CURATING STORIES OF BOLD WOMEN IN CREATIVE SPACES.

weekly dose of female excellence ahead xx

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand’s Parliament passed a bill decriminializing abortion last week. The bill allows women the choice to terminate a pregnancy up to 20 weeks - where previously an abortion required to approval of two doctors and only if the woman’s life was in danger. This law is the result of legislation introduced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Learn More

SCOTLAND

The music scene in Dundee is diverse in sound...but it runs flat when it comes to gender parity. A very small percentage of DJs in the area are women, and the Polka Dot Collective is working to change that. Founded by musicians Frankie Elyse and Jozette (who are also twin sisters,) the collective takes on female students who want to make music in Dundee and diversify the scene. Learn More

INDIA

In the midst of social distancing, it’s easy to forget about those who are most vulnerable - the elderly. In India, Mahita Nagaraj is developing a network of “caremongers” to deliver medicine, food, and other such goods to the elderly populations of India. This growing network of altruism resides in a Facebook group “Caremongers India” that boasts over 6,500 members. Learn More

FEM TECH

Lisa Su is one of the most powerful women in the tech industry, but she traveled a long road to get there. When she became the CEO of AMD, a computer chip manufacturer, the company was headed straight to bankruptcy. Su took big risks in 2014, and they are paying off today in the form of cloud technologies, artificial intelligence, data centers, and gaming...basically, she invented the next generation of technology. Learn More

COVID-19

Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks are back in the States. After spending two week in medically supervised quarantine in Australia for COVID-19 treatment, the couple were glad to be back home (still practicing social distancing, of course!) Rita had a lot of gratitude to share on social media, remembering her victory over cancer years prior. She stated that she was “celebrating the beauty of this life [...] and my continued health.” Learn More

FEMSPIRATION

If you’re in need of a heart-warming project in these strange times, head over to The Today Show’s latest project called “Thank You Notes”. It features multiple strong women from all walks of life sharing thank you letters with their role models. The genuine strength and support in this series will lift you up...and possibly make you cry. Learn More

ALICIA

Alicia Keys opened up in an interview with NPR about her newest and self-titled album and debut book More Myself, stating that they both reflect the journey to herself. Keys came of age in the spotlight, and it took her a long time to find self love. Keys stated that these new works are a product of “thinking so much about who I am, and what makes me that way.” Full Interview

FEMPRENEUR

Whitney Wolfe Herd didn’t like Tinder...in fact, she sued them due to a lack of punishment for sexual harassment on their app. Then, she set about starting a better dating app. When she pitched Bumble, many worried it wouldn’t take off. Now, Herd sits at the head of a $3 million dating app empire at the age of thirty, and every household knows the name of her app. She doesn’t stop there, however - she also works tirelessly to pass stricter legislation for online sexual harassment. Learn More

PARALYMPICS

Amidst disappointment and uncertainty over the postponements due to COVID-19 for the Olympics and Paralympics, athlete and professional swimmer Mallory Weggemann spoke up. Weggemann mused that “as Paralympic athletes this is our job. We are constantly in a fight with our bodies and we are constantly finding ways to adapt.” Her attitude is one that will hopefully spread, as we all find new ways to adapt to these changes. Learn More

IN MEMORIAM

Maria Mercader, journalist, producer, and talent executive for CBS News, died last week after losing her battle with coronavirus. She was 54. Mercader worked with CBS for over three decades, fought and beat cancer earlier in her life, and helped produce coverage of some of the world’s biggest stories - such as the death of Princess Diana and the 9/11 attack. She will be missed, but not forgotten. Learn More