#inspiring women

[bebx]

Eva Green is a goddess

#eva green #goddess #hollywood #goth #gothic #dark academia #dark academic aesthetic #aesthetic #film #films #movie #movies #feminine deity #dark feminine energy #feminine aesthetic #feminine #divine feminine #powerful woman #inspiring women

[barbielore]

April 22 is Earth Day, an annual international observance to promote environmental protection, having run since 1970. 2024's theme specifically is "Planet vs Plastics".

Which brings us to Barbie.

There is no doubt that Mattel is aware of the issues of environmental protection, climate change and the impact of plastics on the environment. The 2022 Barbie "Career of the Year" was Eco-Leadership.

These dolls were advertised as being made from recycled plastic (with the fine print noting that this is true only of the bodies, not the heads or hair) and featured Barbie in various eco-themed careers (including what Mattel describes as an "advocate" but to me looks like a "protester").

The dolls are made of "certified CarbonNeutral products", as are some other Barbie products especially those themed around the environment, such as the Jane Goodall Inspiring Women Barbie (also described as being made from 75% recycled plastic, excluding the head, hair and chimpanzee... which you may recognise as being a pretty significant portion of what is available in this release).

In 2021, Mattel updated their website with a page on sustainability, featuring the tagline "The future of pink is green" and promising that they were "working towards a goal of achieving 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastic materials in our products and packaging." This page also provides links to a number of dolls in their line they are advertising as being made of recycled products, such as "Barbie Loves the Ocean".

They promise "more" coming in 2024, but ultimately I don't know if Mattel is really doing all that they can. I recognise that Barbie is a capitalist product i.e. a toy, a toy designed to be sold in as many numbers as possible, made of plastic and packaged in plastic. But if Mattel wants to make sustainability a cornerstone of their brand (which to be clear, I applaud), I wish we were seeing more.

#barbie #earth day #mattel #barbie loves the ocean #recycling #sustainability #jane goodall #inspiring women #barbie eco-leadership team #career of the year

[luxuryandbrown]

Amal Clooney

the perfect embodiment of feminine & masculine energy.

Feminine in her mannerisms and how she presents herself but rightfully masculine in her career, Amal Clooney is a beautiful representation of what it means to balance your feminine and masculine energy.

who is she?

Amal Clooney, now 44 years old, is an international lawyer, human rights activist, mother, and wife to the famous George Clooney. When she’s not representing powerful clients before international courts, she is advising political governments and individuals on legal issues. She is a brilliant woman known for her high profile cases, accomplishments, husband, and fashion. She is described as “a brilliant legal mind” and “knows her brief inside out”. Her accolades make her the ideal role model and inspiration for young women.

her background

Amal is a Lebanese-British lawyer and activist specializing in international law and human rights. She was raised in England by her educated father and entrepreneurial mother. Following high school, she studied at Oxford University and graduated with her bachelor’s before attending New York University of Law where she got her Master of Law degree. 

influenced by strong women

Amal is a product of her environment. As mentioned, she was raised by an entrepreneurial mother. Her mother, Baria Alamuddin, is an award winning journalist. Baria has interviewed some of the most notable and prominent figures in the world. Amal’s mother and grandmother both are strong supporters of women empowerment and education which you can see in Amal’s philanthropic work. Another example of being influenced by strong women is when she worked in the office of Sonia Sotomayor, the first woman of color and Latina to serve on the supreme court. She even had the pleasure of working with the judge for the United States Court of Appeals and a NYU Law faculty member. It’s obvious that Amal was fortunate enough to have examples of strong and powerful women not only in her home but in the workplace.

personality

I admire Amal for her intelligence, wit, and ability to keep most of her personal life private. Not much is said about her private life, but colleagues have mentioned that Amal has a ‘commanding presence”. This is obvious when watching her interviews — her energy fills the room. She never overshares or says more than necessary, but when she does speak it’s worth listening to. As you probably guessed, she is an intelligent woman. Fluent in English, French and Arabic. Her cleverness and well articulated speeches immediately captivates those around her.

love life

One person who was captivated by her mind is her husband George Clooney. In the world of law, she was already a celebrity but became one in the literal sense when she became involved with the well known bachelor, George Clooney. George had a long history of dating gorgeous, famous women but never settled down. He even publicly said he would never get married... this was until he met Amal in July of 2013, in Lake Como Italy.

Similar to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the two met through a mutual friend. This is why your connections, network, and personal brand matters — those can open more doors for you than a dating app can. While most women would fall at the feet of George, Amal didn’t. In fact, he chased her for months before they became serious. He claims he fell for her because of intelligence and personality, but I assume the chase also had a huge impact. Amal is highly intelligent and understands seduction. She knows if she were like every other woman, she would get treated like every other woman. Instead, she stayed committed to her career and mission while making time for him when she could.

In 2014, the two love birds became engaged only after a year of dating. The Clooney’s were married in Sept of 2014 by no other than the former mayor of Rome. Their beautiful multi-million dollar wedding was in Venice, Italy and was one to remember. After they said “I do”, the couple moved to a multimillion-dollar estate built on a small island in London before having their twins in 2017. Together the couple committed to philanthropic work for women’s and human’s rights. It’s rumored that they’ve donated over $22M to a variety of charities. In 2016, her and George Clooney founded Clooney Foundation for Justice. She has partnered with several other charities, such as Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, and has her own scholarship program to send young girls to college.

awards & achievements

I would love to end this off not talking about Amal’s love life but the amazing things she’s accomplished. Her list of her achievements and awards are way too long to cover so I’ll mention the few I thought were most notable. Amal was awarded the most fascinating person in 2014, the World Economic Forum’s 2016 Young Global Leader, and Time magazine’s Woman of the Year in 2022. Her fight for human rights has made her a noble activist, leader, and role model. She uses her celebrity status to shed light on political issues that may have otherwise been thrown under the rug.

Amal has shown us that you can be a feminine family woman while being successful at your career. Her brilliant mind has captivated the red carpet, magazines, and one of Hollywood’s best actors. Amal is an inspiring mother, wife, and activists. Her poise, style, and grace are just a few elements to her feminine charm. Her healthy balance of masculine energy is portrayed in her ability to relentlessly peruse her career, fight for meaningful causes, and excel in a highly competitive field.

X, @luxuryandbrown | You might like: Meghan Markle: Femininity Breakdown

#amal clooney #george clooney #inspiring women #hypergameous #hypergamy #luxury and brown #power woman

[canadianabroadvery]

Upon her arrival to Auschwitz in 1943, Jewish ballerina Franceska Mann was told to strip her clothes and change into prisoner's outfit. She stripped "in a distracting way", stole an SS guard's pistol, and shot him dead.

She was also able to wound another guard in the stomach, before she was killed. Then another woman who was present there, took her attack as an opportunity, and convinced a few other women to rebel. Before they were all murdered, they managed to scalp one Nazi, and tear the nose off another.

#Franceska Mann #HISTORY #women #heroes #Auschwitz #inspiring women

[whispersofthepurplevalley]

There's a thin line between confidence and arrogance, between self love and loving only self, between fame and a beautiful name, between a good vibe and a puzzling vibe, and it's called The Line Of Politeness. You are not only what you think, you are also how you act.

-Sabina Yesmin

#aesthetic #spilled ink #spilled thoughts #writeblr #writers on tumblr #my words #poem #my writing #quotes #positivity #sabina yesmin #sabinayesmin #words of inspiration #inspiring women #motivatedmindset #life quote motivation #motivationalquotes #life quote

[coochiequeens]

Su Min is an inspiring woman

In late 2020 Su Min left her unhappy marriage behind and hit the road. The 58-year-old retiree had raised her family and done her duties, and her husband, she says, was treating her badly. So she studied online videos about road trips and set off across Chinaalone in a VW hatchback with her pension and a rooftop tent.

As she travelled, Su filmed and posted videos and diaries of her journey, speaking candidly of her dissatisfying life of housework. She also marvelled at the beauty of the country she was finally exploring, and made new friends.

Su built a following of millions and regularly trended on social media, featuring in a Net-A-Porter advertisement for International Women’s Day.

As Su travelled and her fame grew, many women saw her as an accidental feminist icon, for rejecting the traditional expectations of a housewife and grandmother and taking control of her life. She shyly dismisses the moniker and says she’s not that famous, but enjoys how often she is stopped on the street, and how older women in particular have related to her story.

“As an ordinary housewife, someone who no one pays attention to on the street, to now have a lot of people see me and 

recognise me, this means there is an improvement in my life ,” Su tells the Guardian via Zoom. “I am at least acknowledged, and I think a life in which you are acknowledged is really good.”

Su had married in her early 20s. After growing up in Tibet and moving to Henan after high school she married after meeting her future husband just a few times. She says the marriage soon became unhappy, but she didn’t leave, fearing the strong social stigma around divorces.

Her husband has not spoken publicly about her trip or her accusations against him.

Change came in 2019 when Su saw an online video about someone living what has been popularised in the west as “van life”, and made a decision: when the grandchildren she was helping to care for entered kindergarten, she would leave, and she has barely looked back since.

“I met many like-minded travel pals, and fans who like me, so my life is wonderful on the road,” Su says. “I am very fulfilled, and so there is no feeling of loneliness or discomfort. On the road, my friends keep me company.”

Along her journey she upgraded the hatchback to a campervan. “I finally have my own home,” she told viewers in one post. “In the past, many things don’t belong to me in my family. There was not my name on those things. But my name is finally on this van now.”

Last month, after two years, 80,000 kilometres, 10 provinces and 200 cities, Su came home.

She returned to Henan province to spend the mid-autumn festival with her family, and to tell her husband she wanted a divorce. Su says her husband made no contact with her the entire time she was away.

The reunion, filmed and uploaded to her social media, appears awkward and hostile. In the video her husband seems to make comments about her return, saying she couldn’t survive out there any longer. One Weibo discussion hashtag about the video has been viewed more than 380m times, with streams of mostly supportive comments.

“I’m so happy for her! Su Min has changed,” said one commenter. “She can finally be free, so she is changing her fate. Go, Su Min!”

Su says she has the support of her children in seeking a divorce, and hopes her husband will grant her one. But if he doesn’t, she will just continue her travels.

“Divorce is just a piece of paper, it doesn’t have much meaning,” she says. “I won’t have a second family or seek other partners anyway, I will rely on myself … My husband did not interfere with my travelling, so if I go on the road again, he will just let me be.”

Additional reporting by Xiaoqian Zhu and Chi Hui Lin

#Inspiring women #china #su min

[wild-wombytch]

Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, representing Te Pāti Māori, was appointed New Zealand's youngest MP at 21 (since James Stuart-Wortley, who was elected in the country's first general election in 1853 when he was aged 20 years and 7 months).

During her maiden speech in December 2023, Maipi-Clarke criticised the National-led coalition government, claiming that it had "attacked my whole world from every corner." She identified health, the environment, water, land, natural resources and children as key areas of disagreement with the Government. She performed a haka for said maiden speech :

Maipi-Clarke has ancestry in Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou, Te Āti Awa, and Ngāi Tahu. The broadcaster Potaka Maipi is her father. She is the grand-niece of Māori language activist Hana Te Hemara. Taitimu Maipi, whose activism contributed to the removal of the Captain Hamilton statue in 2020, is her grandfather. Wi Katene, the first Māori MP to be appointed to the Executive Council, was her great-great-great-great-grandfather

#radblr #radical feminism #centering women #female activist #woc activist #indigenous women #Māori #te reo māori #New Zealand #Politics #world news #feminism #indigenous rights #ecofeminism #land back #inspiring women #women of color #✨ women✨ #haka #fuck white supremacy #speech #badass #queen shit #Maipi-Clarke #Hana-Rawhiti Maipi Clarke #Te Pāti Māori #historical events #positive news #good news #wholesome

[dangerousdesiress]

In honor of Black History Month…

Kellita Smith ✨

With over 25 years in the game, Kellita Smith has graced our screens with her charming performances and captivating beauty.

Most remember her from The Bernie Mac Show and Z Nation. However, Kellita Smith’s career spans all the way back to the early 90’s.

From her first appearance in the hit TV show, In Living Color to her reoccurring roles on Martin, The Jamie Foxx Show and many more. She has shown her versatility in acting whether it’s comedy or drama.

Raised in the inner city of East Oakland, California; Kellita Smith grew up as a Black Panther’s cub attending Oakland Community Learning Center.

Here is where she would learn the importance of character development, what it meant to be an impact in her community and moving her culture forward. These are values that she would take with her into adulthood and also use to help cultivate her craft as an artist.

More than just an actor, Kellita Smith is also a philanthropist and speaks to many disadvantaged women outside of the spotlight.

Kellita Smith being one of my favorite actresses and top women I admire, I wanted to make this post in dedication to the influential figures we celebrate in Black History and their impact.

As just one of her many supporters, I celebrate Kellita Smith and her contribution to Black Television, the acting world and her community. ✨

“…I really think what it is to be uniquely different or to be uniquely impactful is to be black… It’s unique!” - Kellita Smith

Writer: Cemecia M.

(Ref: IMDb) (Ref: YouTube: Nate Jackson Radio Show - Kellita Smith Interview - February 2020) (Ref: Touré Show - Kellita Smith Interview - November 2020)

#black history #black women #90s icons #black tumblr #kellita smith #black beauty #inspiring women #pressure #desire #aunt wanda #philanthropist #black panthers #top tier #the bernie mac show #black actresses #z nation #underrated talent #dangerous desires #writerscorner

[stupid-quotes-inc]

#so true #inspirational #dream #Beauty #deep quotes #motivation #motivational quotes #poopy butt #sarah schauer #alternative girl #girlboss #lgbtqia #pride month #wlw yearning #vcg #violating community guidelines #brittany broski #inspiring art #inspiring women #amazing body #funny #bella hadid #military wife

[simder-talia-blog]

Lynda Carter for Maybelline

(source)

@reallyndacarter

#blog #share #lynda carter #inspiring women #happy international women's day #march 8th #lynda carter is awesome

[bebx]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GINA DEUTERS

one of the kindest, most fierce, most gorgeous, most intelligent, most powerful, most inspiring women out there. I will always love and admire her for everything she's done for her dear friend, Johnny Depp, and how she's always been by his side since day one. a true friend and a badass queen.

#gina deuters #I love her so much #yes this is a gina deuters stan acc #johnny depp #classic academia #dark academia #inspiring women

[barbielore]

April being National Poetry Month, I am disappointed to have to tell you that there are very few Barbies who could be described as poets. Technically Writer Barbie from the 2023 film could be a poet, for all we know, but I don't think that's what they were going for.

As a result, probably the best and only example of Barbie as a poet is the Maya Angelou Barbie from the Inspiring Women series.

Portrayed in doll form as holding a copy of one of her many autobiographical works, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Barbie as Maya Angelou represents the author, activist, teacher, poet - among many descriptions of Angelou.

Angelou is an important figure for both her authorship and poetry, and her civil activism.

In a statement about the creation of the Barbie, her son Guy Johnson stated:

My mother, Dr. Maya Angelou, was a pioneer and an activist with an invincible spirit for justice. Through her words and actions, she developed a unique ability to create deep connections with people around the world. She used to say, 'I write from the Black perspective, but I aim for the human heart.'

#barbie #inspiring women #barbie inspiring women #maya angelou #poetry #national poetry month

[wheredostarsgowhenyoudie]

Fan Post

So I just finished Wonderland of Love. I can't pick what to watch next and ended up starting The Legend of Zhuohua.

I already know I love Xu Kai, and now Jing Tian too because they are both epic and Wonderland of Love was so awesome. I have long been crushing on Xu Kai since I watched him in Falling Into Your Smile.

As a girl and then a woman and a creative spirit and as a cool person in general, I always prefer stories where girls and women save themselves and then others (even the heroes) because for the love of everything, the damsels in distress thing is NOT all we can do. Heck, we're way stronger, smarter and more capable than that if we actually put effort into it. On that note, that is also why I love books like 'The Princess Saves Herself On This One by Amanda Lovelace' and things like that.

But going back to Jing Tian, so it's only my second time watching her in 'The Legend of Zhuohua' and once again, she's that strong, independent, brilliant, wiseass and cunning female lead. Can I just say I love her roles?⭐ Like, she's so great at picking them!

Now, in my fav cdrama cast/heroines, she's right there with Zhao Lusi as Bai Fengxi/Princess Xi Yun in Who Rules the World. I'll also add Enola Holmes to the list haha.

So yup, I think Jing Tian is awesome. And google says she's 35. She's still so beautiful and super talented and I think she's a role model for it.

The thing is, I have also seen posts about people targeting actors/actresses for their age and having younger partners/leads. The one I saw was targeted on Bailu in SOKP. I can't speak about the casting truth be told. It isn't my place. But personally for me, 5-10yrs is alright.

The only one I wanted to watch but ended up feeling cringe about is 'Dating in the Kitchen'. Sorry if you're a fan. Tbh, I love the story plot too and I love Zhao Lusi. It seems like a good show, but I tried it and the age gap is just too vast for me. I couldn't fully enjoy it like the other shows, so I just watched clips.

If you have suggestions for dramas/books with strong female leads and handsome heroes, do share please :)

Bottom line, yup, Jing Tian is awesome haha.

#Jing Tian #strong female leads #the heroine saves herself and the hero too #badass heroines #capable strong female leads #cdrama #fiction #female role model #the legend of zhuohua #inspiring women #wonderland of love

[frasa-in]

Fatimah merupakan wanita pilihan, Ummu Abiha (ibu bagi ayahnya), putri Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, Al-Qurasyiyah, Al-Hasyimiyah, dan Ummu Al-Husain. Ia dilahirkan saat sebelum Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam diutus sebagai Nabi.

Fatimah dengan Ali bin Abi Thalib dinikahkan oleh Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam pada bulan Dzulqa’dah, dua tahun setelah perang Badar.

Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam sangat mencintai dan memuliakan Fatimah. Fatimah merupakan sosok perempuan yang sabar, baik hati, menjaga diri, menerima, dan bersyukur kepada Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

Suatu kali Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam pernah marah kepada Ali ketika sampai padanya berita bahwa Ali ingin menikahi putri Abu Jahal. Ketika itu beliau bersabda, “Demi Allah, putri Nabiyullah tidak boleh dicampur dengan putri musuh Allah. Sesungguhnya Fatimah merupakan bagian dariku. Sesuatu yang meragukanku berarti meragukannya dan sesuatu yang menyakitiku berarti menyakitinya.”

Aisyah ra. berkata, “Jika Fatimah datang sambil berjalan, gaya jalannya terlihat sama dengan gaya berjalan Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam. Lalu beliau berdiri seraya berkata, ‘Selamat datang wahai putriku!’.”

Aisyah ra. juga berkata, “Aku tidak pernah melihat seorang pun yang perkataan dan pembicaraannya menyerupai Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam selain Fatimah, dan jika Fatimah menghadap Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, maka beliau berdiri lalu menciumnya dan memanjakan dirinya. Begitu juga Fatimah memperlakukan Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam.”

Diriwayatkan dari Asy-Sya’bi, dia berkata, “Ketika Fatimah sakit, Abu Bakar datang lalu meminta izin. Ali lantas berkata, ‘Wahai Fatimah, ini ada Abu Bakar meminta izin menemui dirimu.’ Fatimah berkata, ‘Apakah kamu ingin aku mengizinkannya?’ Ali menjawab, ‘Ya’.”

Menurut aku (Asy-Sya’bi) dia ketika itu mempraktekkan sunnah Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, tidak mengizinkan seorang pun masuk rumah suaminya kecuali atas izin suaminya.

Fatimah mempunyai dua orang putra, yaitu Hasan dan Husain, sehingga ia mendapat julukan Ummu Al-Husain. Ia juga mempunyai dua orang putri, yaitu Ummu Kultsum (istri Umar bin Khattab) dan Zainab (istri Abdullah bin Ja’far bin Abu Thalib).

Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam bersabda kepada Fatimah ketika beliau sakit, “Sesungguhnya aku akan meninggal karena sakitku ini.” Mendengar itu, Fatimah menangis. Namun beliau menenangkan dirinya dengan memberitahukan bahwa dia adalah keluarga Rasulullah yang pertama kali bertemu dengan beliau.

Ketika itu dia adalah pemimpin wanita dunia ini. Dia pun menerima dan menyembunyikannya. Ketika Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam telah wafat, Aisyah bertanya kepadanya, lalu dia bercerita kepadanya tentang berita itu. Aisyah berkata, “Fatimah hidup selama enam bulan setelah Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam wafat. Kemudian dia dimakamkan pada malam hari.”

Frasa: Perempuan, Ilmu, dan Rasa

#frasa #tokohperempuan #inspiring women #perempuan #women #muslimah #knowledge

[whispersofthepurplevalley]

Don't distance yourself from people because you want them to feel your absence and remember your worth, do it because you finally know that you deserve better and your own company is all you ever needed to feel alive and whole.

-Sabina Yesmin

#aesthetic #spilled ink #spilled thoughts #writeblr #writers on tumblr #my words #poem #my writing #quotes #positivity #sabina yesmin #sabinayesmin #words of inspiration #inspiring women #motivatedmindset #life quote #deep quotes #aestheticedits

[coochiequeens]

Ladies please reblog to spread the word about these ladies and their fight to protect their homes from the destruction of the Oil industry

BY NEMONTE NENQUIMO AND NONHLE MBUTHUMA

DECEMBER 15, 2022 7:00 AM EST

Nenquimo, co-founder of Amazon Frontlines and the Ceibo Alliance, is a Waorani leader who has won the Goldman Environmental Prize. Mbuthuma is a leader of the amaMpondo people in South Africa and spokesperson of the Amadiba Crisis Committee, a collective that defends her community’s rights to steward their ancestral land.

We are two Indigenous women leaders writing from the frontlines of the battle to save our oceans, our forests, and our planet’s climate. We have good news to share: We know how to beat Big Oil.

From the Amazon rainforest to the shores of the Indian Ocean in South Africa, we have led our communities to mighty victories against oil companies who hoped to profit off our territories. In September 2022, we succeeded in getting a court to revoke a permit that would have allowed Shell to despoil Indigenous farming communities and fishing grounds along the pristine Wild Coast of South Africa. Just a few years earlier in April 2019, we organized Indigenous communities deep in the Ecuadorian rainforests to resist the government’s plans to drill in pristine rainforests and were victorious, protecting half a million acres of forests and setting a legal precedent to protect millions more.

Both were David vs. Goliath victories—and both were opportunities for us to learn where to point that fabled slingshot.

Big Oil has the deepest of pockets and a horrific track record when it comes to corruption, scandal, and environmental crimes. Across the world, Indigenous and local communities know that once the industry gets a foothold in our lands, it leaves ruin in its wake. For instance, the A’i Cofán people of Ecuador’s northern Amazon have borne the brunt of decades of oil industry contamination, deforestation, and health impacts. And the Ogoni people of the Niger Delta have lost their fishing and farming lands to polluting oil operations, and have seen their leaders threatened and murdered when they dared to speak out.

As frontline communities, we must work together to stop Big Oil before they enter our lands. But this, in itself, is no easy task. The industry offers alluring promises of “progress” and “development.” And they have people—in government, the military, police forces, shadowy paramilitary groups, and sometimes in our own communities—who are willing to intimidate, harass, and even kill leaders like us who have the courage to stand up to them. They also have billions of dollars riding on getting permits to suck the oil out of the ground and sea.

So, how did we stop them?

First, we kept our communities together. We fought against the industry’s “divide and conquer” tactics by grounding our battle in our own sacred connection to our lands. Our ancestors and elders understood, as we do today, that Mother Earth is sacred and worth fighting for. We are connected to her through our breath, our stories, our dreams, and our prayers. She gives us everything: water, food, medicine, shelter, meaning. And in return, we protect her.

We also helped our people cut through the false promises and threats by exposing Big Oil’s lies and abuse around the world. That is, we made sure our villagers could learn from the A’i Cofán people of Ecuador, the Ogoni of the Niger delta, and the countless other frontline communities that have suffered at the hands of Big Oil.

As Indigenous women leaders, we know that if we can keep our sacred connection to the land and keep our people united, then we have a fighting chance against any oil company in the world.

We also have the law on our side, which makes Big Oil really vulnerable. In 2007, the U.N. General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which recognized our right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) for any activity that affects our ancestral lands. Our shorthand is “Nothing About Us Without Us.” We, Indigenous peoples, the ancestral owners of some of the most biodiverse, carbon-rich places on the planet (the places that the oil industry wants to get their hands on more than anything), have the internationally recognized legal right to decide what happens on our land.

In South Africa, we were able to protect 6,000 square miles of pristine marine ecosystems off the Wild Coast, saving dolphins and whales from deafening seismic blasts on the ocean floor while also protecting local communities and our planet’s climate from the threat of ramped-up offshore drilling. And on the other side of the world, in Ecuador, we leveraged our internationally recognized rights to protect some of the biodiverse rainforest in the Amazon, jamming the Ecuadorian Government’s plans to drill across millions of acres of Indigenous territories.

But the law alone isn’t enough. To move courts and politicians—and to create legal exposure and reputational risk to companies—we need global community support to keep going.

That means getting financial resources to the frontlines, so that we can protect our leaders, organize our communities, and secure our rights. Only a fraction of 1% of all climate funding currently makes it to Indigenous communities on the frontlines of the climate battle. We need to change that.

It also means sharing our stories and shining a spotlight on our struggles, so that local courts and politicians know that the world is watching. Public solidarity not only prevents corruption and back-room deals, but it also energizes our grassroots campaigns.

We need to continue to pressure governments around the world to finally adopt our internationally recognized right to decide what happens in our lands in their national laws and constitutions. Our peoples have been putting our bodies on the line in the battle to protect Mother Earth for centuries. It’s not only a moral imperative that global governments finally recognize and respect our right to self-determination, but it is also one of the most urgent and effective climate strategies—it’s no coincidence that we are the guardians of over 80% of our planet’s biodiversity. In the Amazon rainforest, half of the remaining standing forest is in our territories. Without us and without our territories, there is no climate solution.

To have a fighting chance of keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius, we can’t afford to be opening up new oil fields in the lungs of the earth. We need to keep our forests standing. We need to transition to renewable energy.

We are writing this because we see that world leaders, businesses, and NGOs are only making slow, incremental progress on climate despite the urgent existential threat we face. Instead of getting frustrated, we’re doubling down on sharing our formula with other Indigenous guardians on the ground.

We know that time is not on our side—but our spirituality and our rights are. So here’s one idea from two Indigenous women leaders that beat the oil industry, and protected our oceans and our forests: Listen to us for a change.

#Indigenous Women #Big Oil #Amazon Frontlines #Ceibo Alliance #Inspiring Women #Alexandra Narváez #Cofan #Ecuador #Climate change #protecting rainforests