Ordinary Women Shaping Extraordinary Times

The world watched in horror and outrage as the Russian military defied international law and invaded the sovereign nation of Ukraine. The world also watched with awe and reverence as ordinary women defied norms and expectations and rose in defense of their values, families, friends, and country.

One such woman stood alone before a heavily armed Russian soldier, and with defiance said,

Take these seeds and put them in your pockets, so at least sunflowers will grow when you all lie down [die] here.

Like Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, whose similar courage and resolve ignited the global Black Lives Matter movement, or Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Amelia Earhart, Shirley Chisholm, and Sandra Day O’Connor before them, ordinary women become extraordinary when the moment in history beckons.

2022 Women’s History Month Events

We were pleased to provide the following offerings to the CIIS community in honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day.

Women's Spirituality Associate Professor, Alka Arora, presented at the Dawn of Interspirituality: Women’s Spiritual Leadership for the 21st Century. Her panel was titled, “Awakening to the Divine Feminine.”

To honor International Women’s Day, our department was proud to host independent scholar and feminist historian, Max Dashú, who presented “Rebel Shamans: Women Confront Empire.” This visual presentation showed how indigenous women draw on their cultural traditions to resist colonization… [making] the spiritual political.

Professor Emerita and program Co-Founder Mara Keller and Chair Annette Williams were interviewed for KPFA’s radio program, Women’s Magazine by the show’s founder and producer, Lisa Dettmer. Women’s Magazine is a weekly hour of programming devoted to womanist/feminist perspectives on news and culture.

Author Lynne Edwards was in conversation with Annette Williams about her thrilling and intriguing mystery novel, Return of the High Priestess, whose main characters are seemingly unbound from time. Dr. Edwards also discussed dreams, dreaming consciousness, and the implications of dreams for everyday life and reality.

Related Academic Programs

Ph.D. in Women's Spirituality

M.A. in Women, Gender, Spirituality, and Social Justice