By Sophie Greenberg
As a women-owned business, it’s our mission at Java Love to support, elevate and empower women. Every day and especially this month, we are celebrating the strength, passion and accomplishments of women across the globe.
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re exploring influential women and their powerful and inspirational stories. Continue reading for spotlights on female change-makers, their inspiring impacts and their memoirs that provide a closer look into their stories.
In 2012, a 15-year-old Pakistani girl was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman, shocking the world and sending her into the international eye. Malala Yousafzai, a female education activist and the world's youngest Nobel Prize laureate, has spent her entire life standing up for her rights and the rights for girls’ education across the globe. I am Malala is the story of how Malala and her family championed the fight for girls’ education while their lives were simultaneously uprooted by terrorism. It’s an inspiring true story of bravery, perseverance and strength.
Next, consider one of the most compelling and iconic women of our era, Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States. Michelle Obama’s 2018 memoir, Becoming, explores themes of identity, race and womanhood as it follows her life from childhood to her time in the White House as First Lady, the first African American to serve in that role. Michelle Obama continues to captivate people and laminates herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and globally.
Emerging in the late 60s and early 70s as a leader in the second-wave feminist movement is Gloria Steinem, an American writer, political activist and feminist organizer. She was a columnist for New York magazine and co-founder of Ms. magazine. My Life on the Road, Steinem’s 2015 memoir, is a moving and profound story of how she uses her “life on the road” for personal growth and the growth of a revolutionary movement for women’s equality.
Finally, Maya Angelou is a long-celebrated author, poet, and civil rights activist who transformed literature and still mesmerizes readers through her powerful words. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, is a poetic, powerful and poignant memoir that “captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right.” Readers resonate with the human spirit weaved in her words.
Each of these women have their own unique and ambitious story. We can honor women throughout history and those in our lives today to find inspiration as we chart the future. If you’re interested in reading any of these books, we encourage you to shop women-owned by supporting Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ (in-person or online) or your local women-owned bookstore.
