Getting More Women in Technology

In honor of International Women's Day, Facebook created a video to encourage more girls to study computer science. As part of the the National Center for Women and Information Technology's Sit With Me campaign, we asked people at Facebook to share their stories and why they believe there should be more women in technology.

Celebrating Women

I attended 2 events back-to-back at the Life House today.

The first was Reel Women, a film series in celebration of International Women's Day (March 8). I believe the entire month of March at the Life House is Women's Month.

So, this Saturday's film was Real Women Have Curves, which is one of my favourite films. I have watched it, I'm sure at least 50 times. Since it is a film I've seen countless times, I was initially not going to go, but decided to meet up with my friend there as she had not seen the film. Watching the same film can be different every time you see it if you are with different groups of people. And so it was today. And every time I watch it, I'm struck anew about the hard choices we have to make in life even when our loved ones do not support us.

Following Reel Women, was an Open Mic evening titled Women Rule and which featured a film called Scent of the Street by director, Remi Vaughan-Richards, a photography exhibition by Lolade Cameron Cole, music by songstresses Ruby, Modele, Omolara, and Aramide. There was also some inspiring poetry and spoken word by Lala Akindoju, Tosin Otudeko and Ugoma Adegoke of Life House.


Scent of the Street (with cheesy BBC voice-over, which was not on the version that was screened)

Members of the audience were encouraged to read poetry and so a gentleman called Gbubemi read a lovely poem dedicated to his Mum. Before I knew what was happening, I was also asked to read a poem. It all happened so fast. What can I say? I was there to watch others and not be watched.

I read Phenomenal Women by Dr. Maya Angelou, which is the modern day ode to women's power. It's ubiquity might cause many to forget how truly beautiful a poem it is and what a wonderful tribute it is to the magnificence of women.

So, in honour of women all over the world, I salute you all phenomenal women:

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

V Monologues 2009

To celebrate the International Women's Day, Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) - www.kind.org - presents V Monologues: The Nigerian Story, a play based on interviews from 150 women from all over the country. The aim of the play is to raise awareness on violence against women and girls in our society. The gate fee will be donated to charity.

When & Where:
Mar 21 at Goethe-Institut, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island (please register!)
Mar 25 & 26 at Muson Centre
Mar 27 at National Arts Theatre, 5PM

Read my post on last year's performance.

International Women's Day: Call for Participation

It's almost time for 2009's International Women's Day (Sunday, March 8) commemoration and the Women's Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) is inviting participation in this year's celebration of women's achievements all over the world.

Here's what you need to do:

To commemorate IWD, please write about your ‘shero’. Who is a shero? This is a woman, who you admire for the things she has done to encourage and empower other people – particularly other women. This could be a woman you know personally or are yet to meet, whose life story you have drawn inspiration from because of the challenges she has overcome, the positive changes she has led in her community, her achievements, or acts of kindness.

Your write-ups will be published on the W.TEC blog.

Please send your write-ups to info@w-teconline.org by Monday, March 2 2009.

W.TEC is a Nigerian non-governmental organisation working to encourage Nigerian girls and women to learn how to use technology as a means of empowering themselves socially and economically (see www.w-teconline.org).

Pambazuka News Celebrates IWD

Sokari Ekine at Pambazuka News celebrates International Women's Day by profiling 6 blogs by African women. I am honoured that Ore's Notes was included among such exceptional blogs.

I am also happy to note that Sokari includes Black Looks. With Sokari at the helm, Black Looks has maintained its position as a blog extraordinaire with her incisive writing on social issues affecting the African continent. While readers might not always agree with what Sokari has to say, they know that they can expect blogs that continually challenge us to think about Africa's socio-economic problems. In the past year, she has continued to innovate by opening up her blog to a team of talented writers.

I hope that in the next year more African women are encouraged to share their thoughts on blogs - either on theirs or through contributions to someone elses.

Happy International Women's Day - March 8

Another year has gone by. To celebrate the last International Women's Day, Sokari and Mshairi had African women blog about other African women who had impacted us significantly in some way or the way. It was such a great idea and I loved writing my blog and reading what other women had to share.

This year's celebration almost escaped me - things have been kind of busy for me at the mo - but you can visit the Gender section of the Development Gateway web site for events marking the day.