WINNER of the SPOTLIGHT “Inspiring Women” Monthly Contest!

DRUMROLL PLEASE…

Member Kate Van Dermark is the winner of March engagement! Read her submission below and remember to submit yours at comms@womenscaucus.co.uk (please click here for details) for a chance to be April’s winner!

Maya Angelou (by Kate Van Dermark)

She lived a life full of adventure and learning, activism and passion. She was a streetcar conductor, actor, singer, dancer, playwright, director, producer, journalist, writer, speaker, activist, and poet. She travelled the world. She spoke 6 languages. She was told she cannot achieve, and she laughed in the face of failure. When she was attacked by her mother’s boyfriend at 8 years old, she refused to be subdued. She was a voracious reader, and a virtuoso poet. She embodied grace and hope, full of inspiration and ambition. Maya Angelou is a true inspiration.

And that is what she instilled in me, when at 8 years old, I had the privilege of seeing her speak. She planted the seeds of learning and adventure, aspiration and hope. As I grew, so did my admiration. I read her books and poems, marvelled at her on the national stage, and watched her make history. I came to respect her struggle and perseverance, admire her grace and strength. And when she passed away in 2014, I felt the immensity of her contribution, the light of her wisdom, and the endurance of her spirit. She is an American hero.

You can see a glimmer of her radiance here, as she reads her famous poem, “Still I Rise”: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=JqOqo50LSZ0.

Contest details:

Participate in the April competition for Women’s History Month/Herstory Month! Email us at comms@womenscaucus.co.uk with your name, a photo of your #WCW, and a paragraph or two explaining why she inspires you.

Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 pm GMT on Friday 23 March. The April prize is a free Women’s Caucus t-shirt! We look forward to reading all about your inspirations!