amplify HER voice

amplify HER voice

by RM Allen, Feb 27, 2019

I recently learned of the global initiative to edit Wikipedia specifically to include the contributions of women and femmes, so I signed up to participate. One needs only to open a Wikipedia account, read the guidelines on referencing and such, and do a few practice bits. Then you are ready to amplify the fading voices of yesterday’s women by adding HERstory into HIStory as it appears online today. So, I have been adding in the names of women and minorities into the current incomplete HIStory of my NH town.

Then I wanted to add a brand-new entry for an author from my town who wrote six books in the 1960s and 70s. But that listing was denied by the moderators, reason listed as both she and her books were not notable enough. This made me wonder what it is to be considered “notable” and who decrees on the value of any published book.

To wit: I recently the book The Truths We Hold by presidential candidate Kamala Harris and I loved it. Later, I read a review about the book by a reviewer from NPR – who did not love it – reason being that she felt it was not really a normal book, but a political platform piece. But that is exactly why I thought it was great!

It is my conjecture that Kamala is participating in the creation of a new genre of book, and one that is sorely needed. Her book is a combination memoir, auto-biography, and political platform. Coming away from this bio-plat book you feel you know not only her resume, but her entire value system. I feel this is important information to have when I am casting my vote on election day. She amplified her own voice by setting this bio-plat book out there and in doing so SHE set the tone, not her challengers or the media.

I believe that greed and sustainability are situated at opposite ends of a spectrum, and Kamala has proven that she sits far closer to the sustainability end and roots out and prosecutes those who do their shady deals at the greed end. Kamala is a woman of values who has been working in a man’s world since she began her career. This strong woman has evidently learned how to move right through the BS and get things done, while still being likable. For example, by writing this bio-plat for the public in spite of knowing that a book of this nature blurs some fixed genre lines in the world of the literati.

I am not quite sure of the genre of the small books that I write either, nor do I care. What is important to me is that my voice amplifies the voices and thoughts of many other women I know on the matters of feminine spirituality and sustainability.

Through the “sacred art of inspiration” I hope my goddess guidebook series will encourage women to contribute more publicly. Deeds not words my friend, and small deeds count as well! Through the reading of this blog post, perhaps you dear reader will be inspired to “amplify her voice” by editing the Wikipedia entry for your town. Or perhaps to make it your business to; add notable women into school curriculums, create art or film or stories on them, or speak in public about them. Maybe one or two of you will even run for office yourself – and become a “notable” while you serve others!

Namaste 😊