Rise, Girl, Rise: Our Sister-Friend Journey. Together for All

Inspired by an Easter Sunday kitchen table conversation between Steinem and Gbowee in 2009, this picture book, this ode to sisterhood is both poetic and empowering. It compares and contrasts the childhoods of both of these changemakers, showing how they were inspired to work to make the world a more inclusive place, especially for women. Steinem traveled around the US with her parents, who sourced and sold antiques, while Gbowee grew up in Liberia and experienced the fear and deprivation cause by the war in that country that started in 1989.

Both women realized that they had more in common than not, especially since they held to tenets such as equality, self-determination, respect, and freedom. Together, they celebrated building community, working together, and relying on the wisdom of those who have gone before. This is a rallying call for sister-friends to gather and work for positive change. Notes at the end tell us more about this conversation, as well as the authors.