Art as a Voice for Afghan Women
2015–16 AAUW International Fellow Mahnaz Rezaie has dedicated much of her time as a photojournalist, documentary filmmaker, writer, and poet to advocating for the rights of Afghan women. Read more »
A Global Anthropologist Found the Worst Sexism Was at Home
Cora Du Bois was a force to be reckoned with. In a field dominated by men, she made a name for herself. But Du Bois, the 1961 AAUW Achievement Awardee, realized that the United States still had a long way to go toward women’s equality. Read more »
Teaching through Big Bird: The Woman behind Sesame Street
As a young woman, 1984 AAUW Achievement Awardee Joan Ganz Cooney never imagined she’d become a successful television producer and creator of one of the most influential American children’s shows of all time. But her dedication to and passion for providing education to young people from all backgrounds spurred a beloved TV show and built a legacy of programming for children that continues to provide quality educational television around the world. Read more »
She Was Told to Stop Caring So Much for Her Students — So She Started Her Own School
Marva Collins was told by a principal to “stop worrying” about and “expecting too much” from the children she taught. She decided to ignore that advice. Read more »
Blazing Trails on the Stock Market Floor: Julia Montgomery Walsh
Although women have made tremendous strides in the financial world, it’s still largely male dominated. However, more than 50 years ago, one AAUW member broke through barriers for women right on the floor of the stock exchange. Read more »
The Keeper of D.C.’s Forgotten River
Decades of abuse have left the Anacostia River toxic with sewage and urban runoff. But one AAUW alumna and her students are trying to reverse the damage and restore the health of the Anacostia. Read more »
The Achievement Award Series: Gwendolen Carter
Carter helped to pioneer the first African studies program in the United States at Northwestern University in 1948. Today, this field of study has evolved from being active on just one campus to being a thriving program that’s offered at more than 300 colleges and universities across the country. Read more »
Navigating Ocean Conservation as a Woman of Color
2010–11 AAUW American Fellow Ayana Elizabeth Johnson works as an independent consultant with nonprofit organizations that specialize in ocean conservation. Being a leader and a woman of color in a white, male-dominated field has not come without its bumps in the road, but, she says, she refuses to allow these stereotypes to stop her from doing her job. Read more »
Solving the Gender Equality Equation: Increasing Education and Decreasing Violence
We are all stakeholders in gender equality: educators, families, communities, male allies, and the public and private sectors. It is imperative that all women and girls receive the support; training; legal, environmental, and social protections; and human and civil rights needed to overcome gender-based violence and achieve their personal aspirations. Read more »
