Collective female struggle is not new, and the forces pushing back on the advancement of women’s rights are mighty and increasingly emboldened. This month, we offer perspectives from female artists whose work acknowledges the challenges confronting women (and all oppressed groups), and who stand unflinching and raise the call for resistance.
Art
Elizabeth Catlett
American and Mexican artist Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012) was known for her sculptures and prints featuring African American women. She is the subject of a traveling retrospective, Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist, opening March 9, 2025, at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
Catlett grew up in Washington, DC, during the Great Depression, and attended Howard University. She was the grandchild of an enslaved family, a legacy that influenced her art. In the 1940s, she traveled to Mexico on a fellowship where she was influenced by the politically charged murals of Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco.
Characterized by bold lines and voluptuous forms, Catlett’s powerful work speaks directly to all those united in the fight against poverty, racism, and imperialism.
Art
Elizabeth Catlett
American and Mexican artist Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012) was known for her sculptures and prints featuring African American women. She is the subject of a traveling retrospective, Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist, opening March 9, 2025, at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
Catlett grew up in Washington, DC, during the Great Depression, and attended Howard University. She was the grandchild of an enslaved family, a legacy that influenced her art. In the 1940s, she traveled to Mexico on a fellowship where she was influenced by the politically charged murals of Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco.
Characterized by bold lines and voluptuous forms, Catlett’s powerful work speaks directly to all those united in the fight against poverty, racism, and imperialism.
Music
“Let Not (Your Heart Be Troubled)” by Lady Blackbird
Lady Blackbird, aka Marley Munroe, is an American jazz and soul singer-songwriter who has used her music to advocate for faith and resilience. Her cover of Nina Simone’s “Blackbird” was released in 2020, days after George Floyd’s murder, and resonated with many people. With her 2024 LP, Slang Spirituals, she continues to establish herself as a voice for our time, blending artistry and advocacy in a way that uplifts and unites. “Let Not (Your Heart Be Troubled),” with its minimalist yet hauntingly beautiful arrangement, transcends mere performance and stirs the soul. The song’s lyrics are both profound and uplifting, drawing on the rich tradition of spirituals to inspire listeners to hold fast in the face of adversity. (More on Lady Blackbird in The Guardian).
“From the outset with “Let Not (Your Heart Be Troubled),” Lady Blackbird has the aura of a flower child singing in tongues of fire from a heavenly scroll.”
Film
Birthing Justice: Every Woman Deserves a Beautiful Birth Story
Black women in the United States are 3 to 4 times more likely to die during childbirth than white women. Birthing Justice (2023), a powerful feature-length documentary featuring 11-time Olympic medalist Allyson Felix and nationally recognized physician Dr. Elaine Batchlor, captures the experiences and challenges of Black women. With a compassionate and clear-eyed lens, the film follows women through the profound journeys of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, illuminating the unique challenges they face at every stage. Ultimately, this pivotal film celebrates the efforts to fix America’s broken medical system and to transform this narrative of tragedy into one of hope.
Watch the trailer. Available for purchase on DVD.
Featured Writing
Black Women Writers at Work, edited by Judith Tate
Black Women Writers at Work is a collection of interviews with fourteen 20th-century Black writers from across the bounds of literary form, including Maya Angelou, Audre Lorde, Alice Walker, and Toni Cade Bambara. The book captures the creative genius, cultural activism, and resilience of women whose work has redefined literature, culture, and the broader struggle for justice.
One of the most striking aspects of the interviews is their unfiltered portrayal of the challenges and triumphs faced by these writers as they navigated a world shaped by systemic oppression and intersecting injustices. The themes of Tate’s collection are not confined to the past; they remain vital in today’s fight for reproductive justice and women’s rights.
