compelling women
6x6x30 is a collective exhibit created over the course of 30 days, one 6×6 inch piece of art in any medium each day.
“Hope is a woman who has lost her fear.” ― Alice Walker, Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart
In a world full of injustice, trauma, and inequity, complacency and fear may often seem like an easier place to land than hope. Hope is the antidote to despair. In our beautiful broken humanity, we all seek hope in various and mysterious places. Some find it through faith in a higher power, others in connection with loved ones, others by immersion in our natural world, and others by looking to inspiring individuals who are doing good work every day to make our world a better place. For many of us, it is a combination of these that keep us grounded, yet reaching for the sky while slogging through our everyday struggles. Each illustration represents a compelling woman whose actions and choices have shaped the world in some way. A collection of thirty hardly scratches the surface of influential women, yet each likely reminds us of another, as well as the women in our personal lives. Time was spent researching each individual and the illustrations are representative of both their characteristics and traits, as well as the meanings and symbolism of their names. Drawings were compiled digitally, allowing disparate elements to become integrated. Learn more about these inspiring and influential women below.
Wangari Maathai (1940 - 2011) // Environmentalist, Educator, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate // Wangari was the founder of the Green Belt Movement and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She was a renowned environmental, social, and political activist in Kenya and beyond.
Laverne Cox (1972 - ) // Actor, Artist, Activist // Laverne is an actor, an LGBTQ activist, and the executive producer of the documentary Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen.
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (1981 - ) // Singer-songwriter, Producer, Dancer // Beyonce is a singer, dancer, songwriter, and one of the world’s best-selling recording artists of all time.
Kamala Harris (1964 - ) // History maker, Vice President, Justice seeker // Kamala is the 49th and first female, African American, and Asian vice president of the United States.
Maya Angelou (1928 - 2014) // Poet, Civil Rights Activist, Public Speaker // Maya was an activist and writer, focusing on themes of identity and racism, and is celebrated for her autobiographical works.
Harriet Tubman (1822 - 1913) // Abolitionist, Activist, Suffragist // Harriet escaped slavery at the age of 27 and guided dozens of of enslaved people to freedom through the Underground Railroad.
Chanel Miller (1992 - ) // Writer, Artist, Survivor // Chanel authored the book Know My Name, sparking a national discussion around the topic of sexual assault.
Amanda Gorman (1998 - ) // Wordsmith, Change-maker, Poet // Amanda is the first National Youth Poet Laureate, and the author of multiple books.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933 - 2020) // Judge, Activist, Feminist // Ruth was an associate justice of the Supreme Court and an advocate for gender equality.
Tori Amos (1963 - ) // Singer-songwriter, Spokesperson, Survivor // Tori is a renowned pianist and singer and a spokesperson for the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).
Valerie Kaur (1981 - ) // Filmmaker, Activist, Author // Valerie is a documentary filmmaker, faith leader, lawyer, educator, and founder of The Revolutionary Love Project.
Ani DiFranco (1970 - ) // Musician, Poet, Activist // Ani is a prolific singer-songwriter who uses her platform to support social justice organizations and movements. Lyrics by Ani DiFranco.
Frida Kahlo (1907 - 1954) // Artist, Visual Autobiographer, Political Activist // Frida was a Mexican painter, most well known for her self-portraits exploring identity and mixing fantasy and realism.
Mae Jemison (1956 - ) // Engineer, Astronaut, Dancer // Mae was a doctor in the Peace Corps, the first black woman to travel to outer space, an educator, and is the founder of multiple organizations.
Dolly Parton (1946 - ) // Musician, Businesswoman, Philanthropist // Dolly is a celebrated multi-instrumentalist, actress, author, humanitarian, and advocate for literacy through her Imagination Library program.
Tara Brach (1953 - ) // Psychologist, Author, Teacher // Tara is a writer, champion of Buddhist meditation, and the founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC.
Brandi Carlile (1981 - ) // Singer-songwriter, Musician, Producer // Brandi is an acclaimed musician, a powerful advocate for social justice causes, and cofounder of the Looking Out Foundation.
Helen Keller (1880 - 1968) // Suffragist, Pacifist, Advocate // After losing her sight and hearing at 19 months, Helen went on to be a prolific writer, speaker, and activist for many causes.
Jordan Marie Brings Three Horses Daniel (1988 - ) // Runner, Activist, Indigenous Advocate // Jordan is a citizen of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. She is an elite runner who uses this platform to advocate for indigenous equity and the founder of Rising Hearts.
Serena Williams (1981 - ) // Athlete, Philanthropist, Fashion Designer // Serena is one of the greatest tennis players of all time, creator of a sustainable fashion line, cofounder of the Yetunde Price Resource Center, and a fierce advocate for a plethora of social justice causes.
Anita Hill (1956 - ) // Educator, Survivor, Author // Anita is a university professor, lawyer, and author. Following her testimony about her experience of sexual harassment by Clarence Thomas, she has continued to be a national voice to issues of gender and race.
Toni Morrison (1931 - 2019) // Truth-teller, Novelist, Educator // Toni continues to be one of the most celebrated authors in the world. Her writing garnered her many accolades, including the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Rosa Parks (1913 - 2005) // Abolitionist, Seamstress, Civil Rights Activist // Rosa helped to launch the civil rights movement by refusing to give her bus seat to a white man. She continued to advocate for equity through the remainder of her life.
Amelia Earhart (1897 - 1937 disappeared) // Aviator, Author, Feminist // Amelia earned many early aviation awards, including being the first woman to complete a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
Alicia Garza (1981 - ) // Civil Rights Activist, Author, Speaker // Alicia is a cofounder of the international Black Lives Matter movement and a powerful organizer around issues of social justice, equity, and oppression.
Greta Thunberg (2003 - ) // Environmental Activist, Student, Speaker // Greta is a Swedish activist known for open criticism of world leaders regarding climate action. She is the founder of Fridays for Future, a school climate strike.
Rosemarie Aquilina (1958 - ) // Judge, Advocate, Change-maker // Rosemarie empowered over 150 survivors of sexual abuse by allowing their impact statements to be heard in the trial of their abuser.
Abby Wambach (1980 - ) // Athlete, Writer, Activist // Abby is a soccer legend, author, and cofounder of WOLFPACK Endeavor, a leadership training program.
Jacinda Ardern (1980 - ) // Leader, Child Advocate, History-maker // Jacinda is the 40th prime minister of New Zealand, and youngest leader of the Labour Party.
Sylvia Rivera (1951 - 2002) // Activist, Entertainer, Advocate // Sylvia was a transgender rights and gay liberation activist, and cofounder of STAR, which formed the first LGBTQ youth shelter in the United States.