On this week’s 51%, we tune in to some of the sounds from a few of the many women’s marches the day after the presidential inauguration. We learn about a network for women entrepreneurs 40 years and older and hear about an Afghan woman’s take on beauty. I’m Allison Dunne and this is 51%.
That was part of a song by a Los Angeles singer-songwriter that was performed by a flash mob of women in pink, pointy-eared hats at the Women's March on Washington. It is being heralded as the anthem of the movement. MILCK , whose real name is Connie Lim, led some two dozen singers in her song "Quiet," which is about overcoming physical and sexual abuse. Film director Alma Har'el wrote on Facebook that she chanced upon the singers and captured footage of them performing. Her clip went viral. The song is part of a social media campaign for #ICantKeepQuiet, which hopes to raise awareness against abuse of women and minorities.
Meanwhile, sister marches to the March on Washington D.C. were held across the globe January 21— from Boston to Budapest, from New York City to Nairobi. I went to one in the Hudson Valley region of New York, in Poughkeepsie, on the pedestrian bridge Walkway Over the Hudson.
On the West Coast, one of several marches was held in San Jose, California. It is being called the largest protest of any kind in the city’s history. Mayor Sam Liccardo, in a Facebook post, estimated that up to 35,000 took part. Reporter Leslie Griffy spoke with a few marchers about what brought them into the streets.
We now turn to our 51% segment called “Force of Nature,” from Dr. Sharon Ufberg. This week, she interviews Joanne Roberts, who is an entrepreneur, TV/video producer and new media pioneer. Roberts created and led the production of three award-winning TV series and numerous web communities in partnership with major media companies including AOL, CBS, Nickelodeon, Fox and PBS. Roberts latest production is WHAT NOW WHAT NEXT, a collaborative network for women entrepreneurs 40 years and older, where they find the community, connections, support and the expertise they need to launch and grow their ventures. Roberts is co-founder if WHAT NOW WHAT NEXT and Ufberg asks what inspired it.
Dr. Sharon Ufberg is co-founder of the personal development/wellness company, Borrowed Wisdom. She blogs for The Huffington Post and lives in California's Napa Valley.
In Afghanistan, a man and woman may meet each other for the first time at the marriage altar. And when the groom pulls back the veil and does not like what he sees, he can send the woman back -- shamed and tainted-- back to her family. To avoid such a fate, more women are considering plastic surgery in Kabul. Greg Warner has an intimate look at the fear that prompts this and the courage of one woman who is accompanied by the reporter into the surgeon's office.
This story was produced by Bending Borders.org as part of the Global Story Project, with support from the Open Society Foundations. Presented by PRX, the Public Radio Exchange.
And that's our show this week. Thanks to Patrick Garrett for production assistance. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock. Our theme music is Glow in the Dark by Kevin Bartlett. This show is a national production of Northeast Public Radio. If you’d like to hear this show again, sign up for our podcast, or visit the 51% archives on our web site at wamc.org. And follow us on Twitter @51PercentRadio
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