Hey Ladies, Continued

If Malinali started a Lean In circle, would she have invited Pocahontas? Although the daughter of Powhatan wasn’t sold into slavery, she was a prisoner of war and held for ransom. The two Johns, Rolfe and Smith, relied on Pocahontas for her negotiation skills, not unlike Cortez of Malinali. Since time is not an issue in my imaginary women's club, they should definitely invite Sacagawea. She was yet another enslaved wife, and damn, she was pregnant and delivered a baby on that epic trek across the country. Gee thanks, Lewis and Clark, for all your service.

Weekly discussion questions might include:

What does gratitude even mean at a time like this?
Do the men need to know I don't translate everything word-for-word?
How many generations before we get credit for this bullshit?

I didn't learn about many in social studies class, but the internet led me to a couple others with lots to offer the girls' group. Nanye-hi, a beloved Cherokee warrior and diplomat, famously scolded U.S. treaty commissioners by saying, "we are your mothers; you are our sons." Later, there was Mourning Dove, the pen name for Swy-ayl-puh, who wrote herself into history by crafting her own novel and short stories. More research would certainly reveal a list much longer. Yet for all that we do know about women throughout history, Lord only knows what we don't.

Certainly, there were countless women who never made it to the history books. Champions of their people. Fierce mothers and daughters. Hunters and healers. Artists and teachers. Sharp-tongued divas who didn’t let their husbands and fathers write the story of their lives.