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"I’m delighted to be hosting series two of To the Woman. To the Woman is a series that brings together inspirational women to talk about the women who have inspired them and who’ve also helped shape them, and change their lives, and help make them who they are.
The most surprising thing about writing letters and what that’s brought out of me, but also listening to the letters, is how important it is to actually celebrate and tell the women who have made a difference in your life.
“Of the letters that I wrote myself, which of those do I find the most poignant to write?” I think, to my great grandmother. My great grandmother was an extraordinary woman. She was illiterate, she came from a very poor village in Ghana, but she somehow managed to become a successful market trader and became wealthy in her own right. And now looking back, I’m able to see the influence that she had on me, even when I was so young and not realising the impact that she had. And so, it’s really nice to be able to celebrate her legacy and her memory.
Feminism is a word that sadly gets a bad rap, and I think that’s also because a lot of people don’t actually understand the true definition - which is somebody that supports or is in favour of equality between the sexes. I think it has the negative connotation as being something that represents male bashing, or is saying that women are better than men, and actually it’s not. It’s about saying that actually equality is better for everyone.
I think this podcast has a fantastic job of including people. I would have never signed on otherwise. What’s wonderful is that there is such a vast array of storytellers. Women from different walks of life. We have women from leading authors and thinkers to a sex worker. Being able to be a part of something like this, which really celebrates women in all our forms, is quite a beautiful thing.
Letter-writing is a way that allows you to express yourself authentically, in a way that perhaps is easier than even talking to someone. If it’s something difficult, it’s very hard to say. Often, people also have a difficult time expressing how much they love somebody, and sometimes that’s also easier to write. Here, we have women that are so different. Women who have been broken and somehow managed to repair themselves. Women who have been trailblazers and changed the world. And women who are still figuring it out. We have it all there, and I think what this series does is it’s a lovely demonstration of wherever you are on your journey - your story matters and your voice counts.”
To The Woman is Audible UK’s flagship podcasts series for International Women’s Day 2019
In this series, June brings together a group of exceptional women from both sides of the Atlantic to celebrate inspirational women from around the world.
This is an Audible Original Podcast. Free for members. Discover more podcasts here.
