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51% #1636: Awakening Feminine Buddhism

Pamela Weiss
Courtesy of Pamela Weiss
Pamela Weiss

On this week’s 51%, a woman who made history in New York politics takes in Kamala Harris’ victory; there’s a changing landscape in theatre arts funding and a Buddhist teacher brings Buddhist women to the fore.

New York state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who made history in 2019 as the first woman to lead the chamber, is celebrating fellow Democrat Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’s history-making victory.

In 2012, Stewart-Cousins, of Yonkers, became the first woman, and African American woman, to lead a New York State legislative conference. In 2019, she was elected Temporary President and Majority Leader of the State Senate.

There is a changing landscape of arts funding in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. KFAI’s Sheila Regan brings us this report. 

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The first Black woman to assume the top role leading fellow students at the U.S. Naval Academy will take up that position next semester as brigade commander. That’s according to a release from the academy. Midshipman 1st Class Sydney Barber will be the commander for the spring semester. Brigade commander is the highest leadership position within the student body. The semester-long position is selected through an application and interview process by senior leadership and the commandant’s staff. Barber, of Lake Forest, Illinois, is a mechanical engineering major and aspires to commission as a Marine Corps ground officer. Barber will be the 16th woman selected for brigade commander in the 44 years women have been attending the academy.

Barber initiated a STEM outreach program that leverages mentoring, literature and service lessons to serve middle school-aged girls of color, and led a team to organize the inaugural USNA Black Female Network Breakfast to bridge the generational gap between current black midshipmen and alumni. She most recently mobilized a team of more than 180 midshipmen, faculty and alumni to develop the Midshipman Diversity Team to promote greater diversity, inclusivity and equity within the Brigade. 

Dr. Sharon Ufberg returns with her 51% segment “Force of Nature.” This time, she sits down with Pamela Weiss, a Buddhist teacher and author of “A Bigger Sky: Awakening a Fierce Feminine Buddhism.” Weiss is a guiding teacher at the San Francisco Insight and sits on the Teacher Council at Spirit Rock Mediation Center. She’s also a leadership coach and pioneer in bringing mindfulness programs into the workplace. 

Dr. Sharon Ufberg is co-founder of the personal development/wellness company, Borrowed Wisdom, in California. 

That’s our show for this week. Thanks to Tina Renick 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

“Contributions to 51% #1636 come from the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.”

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