Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States of America. They also recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of our history in a variety of fields.

 

To the many phenomenal women who have gone before us, we pause to say Thank You. It is on the backs of your struggles and your victories that we rise to heights where our voices can be heard louder and our faces can be seen more clearly. You have paved the way for a generation of girls who are hungry for change and who now have a blueprint as to how to make that change happen. Your accomplishments have become our open doors. While we believe women should be recognized for their greatness every day, we stand with our nation in celebration of Women’s History Month and applaud your contributions to this country and the world at large. 

 

To the many women whose names we will never know because your stories will never be told, we say Thank You. Women who fought systems, inequalities, and injustices and never got to taste victory for themselves, but never relented. Your persistence is your gift to us. It told the powers that be we will not be ignored because we, too, are intelligent, we are capable of leading, and we can change the world. 

 

To the phenomenal women who have gone before us, we want you to know that Cinnamongirl, Inc. recognizes your contributions. We are committed to doing our part to developing the next generation of girls who, like you, will change the world. 

 

With much love,

Cinnamongirl

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we turn our spotlight on the incredible Winny Obure, a Kenyan feminist and human rights activist. Ms. Obure dedicates her life to the eradication of rape and sexual exploitation of women and girls, and empowers them with education to help them thrive. 

 

At the age of 16, Winny founded Teenseed, a grassroots organization that develops young African leaders through education of their sexual reproductive health and rights, community outreach, leadership, and mentorship. Through these programs, she gives her students alternatives to viewing transactional sex as their only resource for survival.

 

Cinnamongirl was made aware of Ms. Obure and her work through one of

Teenseed’s board members. Like so many powerful women leaders before her, we know Ms. Obure will continue to fight to bring about the necessary change that is needed for women and girls in her country. If you would like to help support Winny and the work she is accomplishing through Teenseed, please feel free to visit www.teenseed.org  

 

 

For the past few years, Cinnamongirl has been a part of this amazing 2-day event in downtown Berkeley. The most fascinating authors from around the world will be interviewed by amazing moderators. Our Cinnamongirls will be among the moderators.  Additionally, our Write Your Story Cohort of Cinnamongirls will be on stage discussing their experience and presenting their short stories and poetry that will be published in the 2023 Anthology, I Am the Change: Voices of a New Generation We will be selling our books, lots of Cinnamongirl Swag, and hosting an authors' book signing. 

 

Check our website for the days and time of our interviews, book presentation and author book signing. We'd love to see you.

Passport book club is wrapping up what has been a fantastic year of reading engaging books and listening to dynamic authors. Girls are now preparing for interviews on the Book Club for Kids podcast, hosted by Ms. Kitty Felde. This coming May you’ll see Passport girls in action as they will be interviewing amazing authors at the Bay Area Book Festival.

Write. Revise. Write. Revise. The girls in WYS 2022 are still hard at work well after the cohort has ended. They are making revisions to their short stories and poetry to submit them for publishing. They are almost at the finish line! Please find their work in this year’s “I Am the Change” anthology. Also, we can’t wait for you to read the stories of these brilliant young authors who will present at this year’s Bay Area Book Festival, May 6 - 7th.

Ms. Erica “EVarize” Varize will speak to our Entrepreneurgirls about storytelling and branding in our upcoming masterclass. Erica is the owner of EVarize apparel and founder of the award-winning Sew What Sewing camp in the Bay Area. In 2017, Erica became the Executive Director of Bay Ganda foundation, an organization that teaches the art of sewing to Ugandan girls. She is raising awareness in the urban communities about the importance of passion discovery within young girls and has established the business ambassador program within the BayGanda foundation.

Author and Cinnamongirl volunteer, Misa Sugiura, celebrates the launch of her new book, “Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind.” 

 

Misa Sugiura’s ancestors include a poet, a priestess, a samurai, and a stowaway. Her first novel, It’s Not Like It’s A Secret, won the Asian Pacific Islander American Librarians’ Association’s Award for Young Adult Literature; her highly acclaimed second novel, This Time Will Be Different, made the Best of 2019 lists of YALSA, Kirkus Reviews, the New York Public Library, and the Chicago Public Library. Her short story, “Where I’m From” appears in Come On In, a young adult anthology of stories about immigration.

 

Misa was born in Chicago, earned a B.A. in English at Princeton University, and taught English as a second language in Japan before moving back to the States to earn her M.Ed at Stanford University. She taught English at a local public high school for several years before “retiring” to be a stay-at-home parent. Currently, she lives and writes under a giant oak tree with her husband, two sons, and two cats. You can find her at misasugiura.com.