'Girl is Not a 4 letter Word'

                                        

Ukrainian Soldier with blue and yellow sunflower in her hair

sketch by Meera Rao from a twitter photo

Smithsonian Engagement Calendar Week of March 6-12 2022 Week 11

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Ukrainian Ministry of  Foreign Affairs noted on twitter that more than 15%of the regular Ukrainian Army are women. Girl is not a 4 letter word!!! How true - these women are taking their unique feminine qualities to a tough fight. Who knew then there is going to be so much destruction and blood shed ? I pray for a peaceful resolution for Ukraine and for the rest of the world.  

The skateboard is a prototype designed by Cindy whitehead in 2013. "Professional skater Cindy Whitehead designed this skateboard with just the right blend of edginess and bling, showcasing her original artwork as the signature product for her 'Girl is not a 4 letter word'  brand. Geared toward women and girls, her products were among the first from a woman-owned company to offer inclusion in the male-dominated sport of skateboarding."

Phyllis Wheatley pencil drawing -copy by Meera Rao 

Smithsonian Engagement Calendar Week of March 7-13 2021 Week 11

When I saw the photo of 'Poems of Phyllis Wheatley'  I realized I had never read any of her poems and knew very little about her. So I went googling her and her poetry. This is probably the first time, my entry in the Smithsonian Engagement Calendar is not by chance but by design. I also found a drawing of her done 50 years after her death at the National Museum of African American History and Culture- I used that sketch as my reference wondering the whole time if it was really her! The Poems of Phyllis Wheatley is from 1909 and is displayed in the museum. "In 1773, Wheatley became the first African American to publish a volume of poetry, which she did while enslaved in Boston. A version of the poet's portrait by enslaved artist Scipio Morehead(active 1770s) is depicted on the cover of this 1909 edition of her poems."