We are all siblings in this wonderfully complex world. Yet each of us experiences it in a very different way. To create the loving world we all want, we need a deep understanding of how the lives and experiences of others are different from our own. Books are a critical resource for deepening our knowledge and broadening our points of view.
Books help us understand the experiences of those suffering from discrimination, oppression, poverty, and separation. And they also show us that change is possible through means that might not be evident and how joy and beauty can be created.
Many of the issues discussed in the books on our Summer Reading List 2023 intersect with the experiences of Mary’s Pence Grantees and ESPERA women and are the motivation for their work. For example:
- Hood Feminism addresses the poverty and oppression at the root of many of our grantees’ work in the United States.
- Fresh Banana Leaves discusses women’s lives in Central America, Mexico, and the U.S. and the environmental effects of losing Indigenous knowledge and our relationship with the earth.
See the full Summer Reading List 2023 here.
With wonder and open hearts, let’s learn about the world’s complexity so that we can create the world we want – a place where all can flourish.
In love and solidarity,
Katherine Wojtan
Executive Director