Club Letter No. 5: Welcome to Women's History Month (We do that year 'round)

We are consistently asking ourselves the following question: What do we want our readers to get out of the Ozuree? What value are we offering?

The answer lies in the notion that we are driven to create a publication that you can count on to inspire you, and one that has a distinctly female-focused lens that is often missing from mainstream media. Some of the content might be lighter, some might be more philosophical, but it will always be brought to you thoughtfully and with the hope that you leave the club letter feeling a little bit more enlightened and empowered than when you arrived. We also want to turn “community” into something real, rather than just a buzzword. Social media is less social when we all have different feeds and fragmented experiences of various realities. Here, you can feel comfort in the fact that a curious and beautiful group of people are pondering the same thoughts as you and perhaps even waiting for a fellow reader to share a thought, ask a question, or prompt a discussion that helps bridge the gap between online discourse and feeling connected through common human experiences and explorations.

IN TODAY’S LETTER

First on the agenda? Its officially Women’s History Month. Check some dates with the Almanac, catch major highlights from the last week, enjoy an art exhibit, ponder this thought, learn some words and witchy herstory, read our blogger’s thoughts of the week, and rock your way into the weekend with this week’s soundtrack. Reminder: Everything green and italicized is a link :)

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Celebrating women and women’s history is our vibe year ‘round, but we’re excited for some special spotlights within the month of March to join in on the conversations at-large. But first, let’s get this oldie but goodie out of the way…

HEAD IN THE SKY

ECLIPSE SEASON: On April 8, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Don’t miss it, unless you want to wait twenty years for the next one, but make sure you’re up to date on safe eclipse viewing. Looking directly at the sun is something we cannot, in good conscience, recommend.

ASTROLOGY: Your March horoscope has arrived.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

1692: The very beginning of the Salem Witch Hunt. Keep scrolling to learn more about Tituba, one of the first to be accused.

1864: Rebecca Lee Crumpler becomes the first Black woman to earn a medical degree.

OTHER THINGS TODAY

Self-Injury Awareness Day: In addition to raising awareness and facilitating access to support, SIAD is also about challenging the misconceptions and prejudices surrounding self-harm. The stigma attached to self-injury can be a barrier to seeking help. “SIAD helps combat this stigma by promoting understanding and empathy, encouraging people to view self-harm as a symptom of an underlying emotional struggle rather than a character flaw.”

Fashion and the Polls: The sustainable clothing company, Reformation, launched a campaign with Monica Lewinsky to remind you that your vote is powerful, so use it. (This is also a great place to shop if you’re in the market for some new jeans.)

Post-Roe America: Olivia Rodrigo announced that a portion of proceeds from her concerts will go to Fund 4 Good, a global initiative committed to building an equitable and just future for all women, girls, and people seeking reproductive health freedom. It takes GUTS…

Wealth: An unprecedented amount of assets will shift into the hands of US women over the next three to five years, representing a $30 trillion opportunity by the end of the decade. Ellevest Founder, Sallie Krawcheck, writes about what a world without a wage gap looks like. Read it

WORD

LIT QUOTE

SOMETHING TO PONDER

“Don’t try to create and analyze at the same time. They’re different processes.” - From Corita Kent’s TEN RULES

LYRIC SPOTLIGHT

Rebel Girl- Bikini Kill “When she talks, I hear the revolution/In her hips, there’s revolution/When she walks, the revolution’s coming/In her kiss, I taste the revolution”

CHECK IT OUT

DID YOU KNOW? Almost all women – 98% – said they have been told to smile at least once in their life. What’s more, 15% even said it is a weekly or “more frequent” experience. It wasn’t always that way… learn more about the history of what a woman’s smile meant to those around her. Furthermore, what’s your go-to reaction when this happens to you? Leave a comment!

ART: This exhibit explores notions of beauty across time and cultures.

Talk about an enigma. There are many questions yet to be answered about Tituba, a woman whose name is forever entwined with one of the darkest chapters in American history: the Salem Witch Trials. Born in the late 17th century, Tituba was enslaved in the household of Reverend Samuel Parris in Salem, Massachusetts. Though likely a South American Indian, her origins are unclear.

Tituba's involvement in the Salem Witch Trials began innocently enough, as she was known for telling eerie stories and practicing traditional Caribbean rituals. However, when strange occurrences afflicted young girls in the village, Tituba became a prime suspect. Under intense pressure and coercion, she confessed to being a witch and implicated others in the community. Her exact motives are unknown to this day.

Her confession set off a wave of hysteria that resulted in the arrest and execution of numerous innocent people. Tituba's fate remains shrouded in mystery, with some accounts suggesting she was eventually released from jail, while others claim she perished in prison.

Her story is one of the great warning tales regarding the dangers of prejudice, hysteria, and the scapegoating of marginalized individuals. “Tituba suffered only the indignity of a warped afterlife, for reasons she might have appreciated: It made for a better story.”

Interested in learning more about the Salem Witch Trials? Here’s a read I can personally recommend: The Witches: Suspicion, Betrayal, and Hysteria in 1692 Salem

_{CLUB SOUNDTRACK NO. 5:}

A list of tunes inspired by the mythical power of women and celestial events.

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xx C&C