Young Leaders
Young women are a vital part of the emerging pattern of global spiritual leadership. This is an excellent time to support and nurture the leadership of young women in seminaries and universities, starting young families and launching careers, in feminist organizations and faith-based communities. At a time when the “stained glass ceiling” hampers full participation of women in religious communities all over the globe, when women make up only sixteen percent of elected officials in the U.S. and when women struggle to bring their feminine leadership qualities in hierarchal organizations, it is essential to lift up, encourage, and learn from the next generation of feminists, religious pluralist theologians, thought-leaders and grassroots activists. WSF has launched a Young Leaders Council to engage young leaders and create unique events and projects build connection and nurture their leadership.
Contact: Alisa Roadcup alisa.roadcup@mac.com
Mentoring Project
As we’ve listened to women of all ages and from diverse backgrounds, we hear them expressing a shared yearning for mentoring opportunities, which is best expressed directly in the voice of one of our Young Leaders: "I want to take all of the good instincts in me, all of the parts of me that haven’t been totally twisted by the past thirty years, and give them space and support to grow. But…I need someone to model it for me. Sure, I could make it up as I go along, and I suppose much of what I will do will be just muddling along - after all no generation ever copies the last one exactly - but what I have learned in the last year is how much easier that can be when I can watch others who are also walking the path and have covered more ground than I have." Mentoring offers the chance for this through a sharing of experience and a way to support each other as we come out into the world. Previously defined primarily as a one-way exchange from elder to younger, WSF sees women looking for a mutual exchange of wisdom and support. Seasoned leaders have just as much to gain from their relationships with young women. This mutual exchange of wisdom and support can occur in a variety of creative ways: in mentoring circles or one-on-one intergenerational pairs of elder and younger or pairs of peers with shared passions. WSF has launched a Mentoring Project to offer such opportunities.
Contact: Laura Paskell-Brown laurapb@gmail.com
Local Circles
Clearly we believe in the value of coming together with other women in circles. You are invited to create a local WSF Circle and join us in our exploration of the questions at the intersection of spirituality and women’s leadership. Our website offers information about how to start your own circle and how to connect with other circles.
Contact: Kay Lindahl thelisteningcenter@yahoo.com
Women at the 2014 Parliament of the World’s Religions
WSF was born at the 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne, Australia. We are very excited about the opportunities to make women’s leadership visible at the 2014 Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. We will be launching several new initiatives to build the stream of feminine leadership as we head for Brussels.
Contact: Kathe Schaaf katheschaaf@cox.net
Women of Spirit and Faith Canada
A new initiative to engage and connect Canadian women was born
at our Alchemy gathering in 2011.
Contact: Louise Mangan mangan.louise@gmail.com
