Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on July 31, 2020

Gene Hall(Photo: special to the democrat)

Joel 2 foretold a time when God would pour out his Spirit on all flesh: "Your sons and daughters will prophesy." Upon arriving in Philippi, Apostle Paul found no synagogue, but he did find women praying at the river. One of them, Lydia, offered hospitality to Paul and Silas (Acts 16: 14-15).

Even more astounding, Mary Magdalene was the first to see the risen Lord (John 20:14). According to Scripture that I read recently, she was the first person Jesus sent with the message of hope.Lord knows we still need our women to spread messages of hope throughout America and the rest of the world.

Amid the national tumult over COVID-19, racial unrest, and economic recessions are high-level calls for us to have honest ongoing efforts to bring about social, economic, and political equality, not just to placate our citizenry.

The new Viola Liuzzo statue by Detroit artist Austen Brantley dedicated to the civil rights activist murdered by the Klan has been unveiled at Viola Liuzzo Park in Detroit, Tuesday, July 23, 2019.(Photo: Kathleen Galligan, Detroit Free Press)

We must concentrate on what unites us our commonalities, and not so much what divides us our differences. Although we have had and will always have dynamic men to lead our nation and its institutions, I believe now is a good time for more women to step forward, enlighten, and lead our international society into a place of peace and prosperity.

Scientists from a myriad of professional disciplines support my belief that if we can eradicate the ignorance, we can eradicate future generations of racism, bigotry, and poverty.

Malala Yousafzai, youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize recipient, has completed her Oxford University degree, June 19, 2020.(Photo: Getty Images for EIF & XQ)

A May 8, 2020, an op-ed in Company Culture magazine by Jessica Grounds and Kristin Haffert contend that having more women in leadership positions does make a difference in improving outcomes meaning, we all might be better off during this pandemic. The authors go on to say beginning with leadership style, we start to see differences. For example, women tend to exhibit a collaborative and democratic style; men more often use a command and control approach.

Which style do we need to transform our fears during times of COVID-19, racial unrest, and economic stagnation? I believe it may be the right time for women to step up and do as researcher Alice Eagly calls the androgynous leadership style known as transformational leadership.

Transformational leaders act as inspirational role models, foster good human relationships, invest in their teams, develop the skills of followers, and motivate others to reach beyond the scope of their job descriptions.

Without question, I see the current social ills affecting our nation and the rest of the world as platforms that enable new insights on how our leaders handle the biggest modern crises of our time. What evidence is there that women can lead this charge?

Well, lets take a look at capable women leaders who were the catapults of change during times past.

Mary McLeod Bethune, approximately 1943.(Photo: State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory)

Among female heroes who inspire me and (if they are willing to admit) many other men are: Anne Frank, Sojourner Truth, Malala Yousafzai, Viola Liuzzo, Harriet Tubman, Fannie Lou Hamer, Eleanor Roosevelt, Grace Hopper, Alice Walton, Melinda Gates, Naomi Parker Fraley, Betty Friedan, Indira Gandhi, Portia Miller, Benazir Bhutto, Judge Sandra Day OConnor, Cathy Hughes, Elizabeth Taylor, Madeleine Albright, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Dr. Katherine Johnson, Dr. Patricia Bath, Aretha Franklin, Celia Cruz, Junko Tabei, Miriam Makeba and Meryl Streep.

Epidemics such as COVID-19 and even racial unrest may occur on an intermittent basis.

But what seems to be more perennial are declines in our economies. We need stability as we acknowledge that America is just a microcosm of these global tensions. Who can we depend upon to ensure our kids, grandkids and other generations prosper in their chosen vocations?

Again, I predict that our country will have to lean upon the wherewithal of our women. Not convinced yet? Well, just take a look at these Fortune 500 companies being led by women. Among them are: Mary Barra (General Motors), Carol Tome (United Parcel Service), Corie Barry (Best Buy), Phebe Novakovic (General Dynamics), Tricia Griffith (Progressive Corp.), Lynn Good (Duke Energy), Vicki Hollub (Occidental Petroleum), and Beth Ford (Land OLakes, Inc.).

Wheres the Christian compassion so many of us subscribe to, that our women leaders so clearly possess? Let us consider what confronts todays children our future leaders of tomorrow.

A philosopher once said: our solidarity is our strength, and the fight for what is just and reasonable is a marathon and not a sprint. Ratified on Aug. 18, 1920, the 19th amendment guarantees all American women the right to vote. Achieving this milestone took over 100 years.

Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune so eloquently said, Invest in the human soul.Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough. In order to overcome many of the socio-economic cataclysms facing our world today, I believe we must inculcate the love and nurturing mother wit of our women.

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Now is the time for more women to emerge as leaders - Tallahassee Democrat

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