Global Sisterhood
By Lisa Bjornberg
Queen Elizabeth II is credited with saying, “I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm, and their inspiration to work together.” We at Big Ocean Women absolutely believe this as evidenced by our tenet, “We work in partnership with our global sisters to create generative solutions.”
Without discounting the power of one to stand and serve in her sphere, we recognize that when women work together to identify issues and create solutions there is an increased strength. This is why we meet together in cottages to learn and grow together, to see the needs of our communities, and then work to help meet those needs.
In Houston, the Big Ocean cottage recently collected donations for the Victory Family Recovery Center (https://victoryfamilycenter.org/) which is a “Faith-based Christ-centered recovery program that is free for all residents, accommodating both men and women.” The Houston Cottage is also planning to host a Social Media/Technology Parent Awareness Night this spring to help parents make informed decisions regarding the use of technology in family engagement and use discernment when establishing household media guidelines. Other cottages around the world continue to meet and discuss the tenets and stand, inspire, and serve.
March also brings with it the opportunity for Big Ocean Women to send a delegation to attend the 63rd Commission on the Status of Women at the UN in New York City. CSW draws people from all levels of society around the globe to discuss issues that directly affect women and children. This year, we will be working with our friends from Sweden, HARO, to give a presentation about the societal importance of children forming attachments to their mothers and fathers.
Destiny Herndon-De La Rosa of New Wave Feminists will also be joining us there. We love this opportunity to build bridges and join the conversations on how to improve life for women the world over.
As we continue to have these conversations, working together locally and internationally, the power of women’s voices and the strength of women’s determination to improve the world around them grows. Each of us has talents, insights, and enthusiasm that we can share to create generative solutions for lasting impact.
