The Sisterhood
My life wouldn’t be as much fun or as meaningful without my women friends—my sisters. To celebrate the power of women working together and supporting each other through thick and thin I created this section, here on my website
I have interacted with each of the entities listed here. Some are non-profits and some are for-profit. Other than the money thing, they have a great deal in common, especially their missions.
Non Profit
Days for Girls
A woman friend hooked me up with an organization called ‘Days for Girls’ because she knows I’m a sewer (but you don’t have to be one to join in on the fun), and because I care about issues of women and girls.
Girls all over the world are forced to miss days of school every month when their periods arrive. Many of them drop out of school because they fall behind. You can join me and all the other women and men to help stop this cycle.
I went to my first ‘kit making’ marathon three weeks ago. One of the local organizers opened her house for us. The kitchen was full of women (and one guy – the son of one of the leaders) at sewing machines and sergers. I was in the living room learning to use a hand-crank machine that die-cuts many layers of flannel at once. We were together for about four hours and completed 25 kits total.
You can find more details about the kits and find yourself a local chapter to join at the Days for Girls website here.
Their mission: “Turning Periods into Pathways.”
Days for Girls increases access to menstrual care and education, be developing global partnerships, cultivating social enterprises, mobilizing volunteers, and innovating sustainable solutions that shatter stigmas and limitations for women and girls. Together we are creating a world with dignity, health, and opportunity for all.
Their motto:
Every Girl. Everywhere. Period.
Their site here.
Girls Who Code
This org I put on my list because of my daughter and all the women engineers I know. Amazing women, each and every one of them.
Their goal:
We’re building the world’s largest pipeline of future female engineers.
Their site here.
For Profit
The following entities I have personally done business with.
Love, love, love them. They were founded by women and their products and services are outstanding.
Check them out!
The Carbon Almanac
The one exception to the women owned businesses: The Carbon Almanac. It wasn’t inspired and by a woman, it was inspired and led by a fellow I greatly admire, Seth Godin. Early in the fall of 2021 he set out to bring together a group of people interested in starting a dialogue about climate change. Not to engage with climate deniers, but to present the facts to believers and those whose minds were still open.
A few months after the project began, Seth sent out a second call. I sat at my computer staring at the screen saying to myself, “I don’t have time to get involved in this, I have two books to get done and my podcast”. Then an answering voice responded inside my head: “do you really want to look your children in the eye and say that?”
You guessed it, I responded to that call. At the first meeting I asked what was going to happen with all of this information? I wanted to know how they were going to bring it to instructors and children. Seth said, “that’s a great question.” The rest is history. A group of us started meeting and the edu doc team was formed. We’ve created Educational Activity PDF’s that will be available to instructors, parents, tribal leaders, scout masters, everyone everywhere when the book goes live midsummer 2022. I have worked with people from all over this planet: Canadians, Dutch, Chinese, Indian, Americans, German, Hungarian, British, and Czech. There are over 300 people from 50+ countries working together on this incredible book. The Carbon Almanac can be pre-ordered, the links are provided, just clink on the link below. I hope you will take a look and share it with those you love and respect because the solution to this problem lays in our hands.
The site here.
Grrrl Clothing
Founded by Kortney Olsen. To the left is the pledge that comes with every item you buy. I learned about them when I bought my daughter her first pair of Grrrl brand workout leggings. I have since purchased a pair for myself plus a pair of shorts and a crop top.
This is their ‘why’ statement on their site.
We are here for those who’ll follow: the teenager who thinks she’s too fat; the 10-year old ‘encouraged’ to take up gymnastics when she really loves football; the baby girl who was born as you read this sentence. We’re making their path smoother. As our path today was made easier by those who fought before us. Generation after generation of unstoppable women who’ve helped us get here today.
Check out their sizing chart. Everything about this company is body-positive, no matter what size you are.
The site here.
Mess in a Bottle
Founded by Kalilah Wright. During this past year of isolation, the only one to see these messages were me, my family, and the squirrels in my back yard. This brand I found for myself. I swear I don’t need one more sweatshirt or t-shirt, but I can’t help myself. Who could resist a shirt that says:
“As strong as the woman next to me”? Or
“Pay me, like you pay him.” Or
“There are those who will change history, and those who will be sad they didn’t try.”
Their mission:
We create MESSages that evoke change, give a voice to the voiceless, and create a community of unapologetically authentic humans.
During the 2020 holiday season, Kalilah and company had growing pains. I so admire her. She made a video and posted it, apologizing for the delays and explaining what was happening. I was shocked and sad to hear in the video that women were posting negative and hurtful comments all over the net because they hadn’t gotten their merch in a timeframe they expected. That video was Kalilah’s way of responding with grace. Do I admire her, hell yes!
Check out Kalilah’s company here.
Wicked Smart Designs
Dar Dixon is and has been my cover and tchotchke (stuff) designer since my first book. Her work is amazing and so is she. Check her out here.
Beth Photography
I think of Beth’s style as intimate-photojournalistic. (I just made that up) She makes me laugh and I am always at ease in front of her camera and the immediacy she brings to her work has the power and intensity of watching something momentous happening—even if it’s something every day like a headshot, a senior pic, a wedding, or an anniversary.
When I had a stupid accident and broke the upper portion of my right thumb (I am right-handed) Beth helped me get over my self-pity. We dressed up my broken digit in its ugly splint and did a photo shoot.
The Library of Slime
A slime shop specializing in creating soothing sensory experience aimed towards adults. If you are not already aware, slime is a sensory toy made from a mixture of borax and glue, which creates a holdable non-Newtonian fluid. All the products featured in The Library are inspired by literature and stories from around the world. The Library of Slime offers products with a variety of textures, from soft and pillow like to crunchy and popping. Slimes are scented with essential oils sourced from local businesses. All slimes come in sustainable glass jars, and The Library has a continuing commitment to sustainable business practices.
The Sisterhood Community
Several years ago, a medical crisis threatened my life. It took me years to recover, during that time, it was my female friends who carried me through in ways my loving husband, and children, couldn’t.
It was then that the seeds of this series were first set into the earth of my imagination and allowed to germinate. Simply put, I wondered what would happen if women secretly banded together during a time when they were viewed as property and had little or no control over their lives or fortunes? What if they formed a society, where they supported and empowered each other, much like my friends had done for me. What amazing things could happen?
The Present
My friends inspired me with their stories of survival, and their willingness to drive me to my doctor visits and take notes when my brain was so fear-driven I couldn’t understand anything, take numerous calls, answer a bazillion questions, and so much more, I hope my Sisterhood stories inspire you to think about places in your own lives you can be of service to others.
How do I join the Sisterhood?
If you are part of an entity that demonstrates Sisterhood, or you know of someone who should be mentioned here on my website, please send me a message.
Look for opportunities to help the people in your life. Older, younger, your peers—it doesn’t matter. And you are free to define the word ‘help’ as little or as big as you choose. Sharing a cup of tea with a friend who’s having a rough day, holding a door open for a parent with a stroller, volunteering, promoting a deserving woman—you decide. Then post on the Sisterhood Facebook Group, letting me and the rest of the community know what you did and the outcome. That makes you a member of the Sisterhood.
I hope you will gather together with others to do incredible things because the world needs incredible, caring people doing incredible things now more than ever!
Stay tuned for more stories of the Sisterhood. If you’d like to be notified when a new book is about to be released, go here to join my email list.
Until we meet, take care, Annie P.