“Alexa, who inspires you?”
If you ask your little Amazon robot this question, she responds with a female mathematician, a woman scientist, a labor rights activist–and tells you all about them!
You can also tell Alexa, “Happy International Women’s Day!” to hear information on lady trailblazers like architect Zaha Hadid, environmental scientist Rachel Carson, and activist Dolores Huerta.
“Our goal is to showcase some examples of the far-ranging impact women have had on all aspects of culture, and inspire women and girls to be their own trailblazers,” said Lilian Rincon, Google Assistant’s Senior Director of Product Management, in an interview with USA Today.
This fun feature coincides with the launch of Women InCharge, an initiative launched in partnership with Amazon and Belgian fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg in honor of International Women’s Day.
“I am thrilled to work with Amazon to highlight women-led businesses and share their stories with millions of Amazon customers in celebration of International Women’s Day,” said von Furstenberg, in an interview with Chain Store Age.
The program highlights female business owners, authors, and entrepreneurs selling products through Amazon’s platform. In honor of the InCharge program, the DVF brand also released a series of limited edition merchandise, including tote bags, tee shirts, and jewelry (available through Amazon, as well!).
Amazon sums up the program with this inspiring page description: “The #InCharge movement is a platform, a place to rally, to use our individual connections to help all women be the women they want to be.”
Surfing through the collection, one can shop for products sold from women-owned companies, learn more about highlighted small business owners, and read inspirational stories from the program’s participants.
“Being a woman InCharge means writing your own epic success story, instead of waiting for someone to include you in theirs,” writes Alex Aster, an author featured in the Women InCharge collection. “The year before I got my book deal, only 2% of children’s books were written by Latinx authors. I set out to sell not only a book, but a series, inspired by Latinx legends from my childhood. And, fresh out of college, that’s what I did. But my story didn’t end there. The best part of writing your own epic success story? You decide when it’s over.”
Another Woman InCharge is Margaret Wishingrad, Founder of Three Wishes Cereal, a company that makes high-protein, low-sugar, grain-free cereal for children.
“I feel a sense of responsibility to other women who have taken, or want to take, the brave step of being a leader in whatever area of life they care deeply about,” writes Wishingrad. “There are so many amazing women all around the world, and the more we can support each other in our pursuits of passion and achieving our goals, the more effective we will be. It’s a lot easier to believe what you can see. Holding a leadership position, I am proud to set an example for future girls to do the same.
In addition to the Women InCharge landing page, von Furstenberg began a series of online videos called The InCharge Conversations. Over the course of March, women from the InCharge program, along with celebrities like Gloria Steinem, Jameela Jamil, and Lauren Bush-Lauren, joined von Furstenberg for online presentations on the importance of women’s empowerment and financial leadership. The videos are available on von Furstenberg’s Instagram account.
The program didn’t stop then — since the onset of COVID-19, von Furstenberg continued the InCharge Conversations through #InChargeAtHome, a series of video interviews featuring Amazon entrepreneurs, celebs, and business owners alike. In these videos, speakers share the ways they have pivoted their business plans to account for COVID-19, adjusting to working from home, offering new online programs, and sharing resources to get through these unprecedented times.
“What are the lessons we can learn from this very unexpected moment in history?” asks the official Diane von Furstenberg Instagram account. “One is to be grateful for all that we have and all the things we’ve taken for granted. Another is to try to help and support the ones most affected at this uncertain time.”
With the world under lockdown, a little positivity goes a long way right now. In the realm of feminist philanthropy, we should all strive to be #WomenInCharge, sharing our successes so that others may follow in our footsteps.
For more information on the Women InCharge program, visit www.amazon.com/womenincharge.
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