Women, Faith and Development Blog
Join our email list to keep up
with the latest from the WFDA
Why Some are in Attendance
Moments before the St. Thomas Gospel Choir erupted in song, marking the start of the Summit, we spoke with several women of faith in attendance about their thoughts on the cause of female empowerment. Alli Hardy, a 23-year-old international affairs graduate student at Georgetown University, is here with her mother Sandra Hardy. "I'm trying to get my church more involved in this cause," Sandra said. "I'm interested in how the faith community can be more involved in female empowerment. I believe that women can change the world. "
Her daughter is interested in the development perspective and in the potential for women to support themselves through business and land ownership. "The fact that there are so many women throughout the world who are impoverished - that is something that should really be at the forefront of our minds and of our international policy," she said.
Lydia Lund, 23, is here with fellow members of the National Community Church. She is here as part of her preparation for an upcoming move to Kenya in order to work in educational centers in impoverished areas. "Women are the backbone of society, but they are often marginalized," she said. "It's our duty to show them how valuable they are and how worthy they are of having a voice."
Lund said she was impressed by the diversity of the audience members in attendance and added that the National Cathedral was a powerful symbol of faith. "I'm here to learn so that I can be better equipped to help people," she said. "I'm a Christian, but I believe that whoever we worship, we are called to live out social justice."
.gif)