![On January 10, 1940, the first UN General Assembly session convened in London, and one of the documents it reviewed was a draft of the Declaration on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, what would later be known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was a document advocated for by world leaders in the aftermath of World War II to ensure the rights of individuals everywhere. During the assembly, the draft was transferred to the Commission on Human Rights, headed by Eleanor Roosevelt. Roosevelt worked with eighteen other individuals of differing political, cultural, and religious backgrounds to create the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Rene Cassin of France composed the first draft, while Charles Malik of Lebanon, Peng Chung Chang of China, and John Humphrey of Canada all prepared the structure and blueprints of the document. It is Roosevelt, however, who is recognized as the main motivator for the Declaration's adoption in 1948. The document asserted "the dignity and worth of the human person and [the] equal rights of men and women," and was one of the launching points for the discussion of women's rights in the UN in the future.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c5e917_7f6bb4652cef4207b1a0b4b3d0e1f588~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_1601,h_1198,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/c5e917_7f6bb4652cef4207b1a0b4b3d0e1f588~mv2.png)
![On January 3, 1987, singer Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Hall inducted its very first members -- all men -- just one year prior, in 1986, and critics quickly commented on the lack of female representation. Although many were pleased with the Hall's choice to include a woman in its second class, gender [in]equality has continued to plague the organization. In over three decades, only around three dozen female performers or bands -- just over 10 percent of all honorees -- have been inducted into the Hall, with no behind-the-scenes individuals, such as managers or producers. Aside from her groundbreaking induction, Franklin -- also known as the Queen of Soul -- had an astonishing career spanning over five decades. She was nominated for forty-four Grammy awards, including eighteen wins. A self-taught pianist, she also performed at the inauguration of three U.S. presidents. Franklin passed away on August 16, 2018, at the age of seventy-six.
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R - E - S - P - E - C - T !!!!! Go, Aretha Franklin!
Not only is she the first woman to be inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but she is also a woman of color!!! This is not only a win for women artists but a huge win for black musicians. The beauty and burden of intersectional identities is this: the ability to represent multiple, underrepresented demographics.
And, guess what. She was just 25 years old when she got inducted into the Hall. So, that's a win for yet another demographic: young musicians.
Franklin's most famous and renowned song, "Respect", is often referred to as the anthem for female empowerment, but it also became an empowering song for the black American community. Like with what I wrote about Oprah Winfrey, I can't imagine how incredible it would be to have witnessed the revolutionary rise and acknowledgment of a young, female, black singer, who came to be known as the "Queen of Soul." I get shivers down my back thinking about it. And to think that someone of that intersectional identity could be a role model for not only her direct community but also for anyone who is familiar with being treated with anything less than respect in their lives.
R E S P E C T
Find out what it means to me!
I love this line where she empowers herself with a very clear dictation of what she deserves, and prompts the recipient to do some work. It's not really difficult work. Everyone deserves respect and shouldn't have to ask for it, but I guess this isn't really evident to some folks. And, sadly, many men didn't (and don't) get it.
Sheesh, I don't know. It's not calculus or anything. It's really so simple. One of the first things we learn as kids: treat others the way you want to be treated!
Lately, my younger sister and I have been extremely vigilant and analytical about the lyrics we are inundated with in popular culture. So many tunes are sung, without thought, and praised as brilliant even though, many times, the lyrics are degrading to women in one way or another. I am listening to Aretha Franklin's top tracks (shared on left) on Spotify while writing this, and the theme of individualism, freedom, and equality course through most of them, and am realizing that we have a drought of artists who freely express female empowerment as refreshingly as she does. And, it's not just in the context of love.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c5e917_dee32bc801c44d3b90494d89fd269281~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_790,h_790,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/c5e917_dee32bc801c44d3b90494d89fd269281~mv2.jpg)
Nov 24, 202111 min read
Nov 10, 20219 min read
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HEN HE ATA INT RETTY
W
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D
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a bulletin board for the thoughts and information in my brain
"Those who never change their minds never change anything."
Winston Churchill, Finest Hour
UNTANGLING THE DATA
research journey
THIS DAY IN WOMEN'S HISTORY
365 Extraordinary Women and Events That Shaped History
Happy New Year, everyone !!! I don't know about you, but I am very excited for what 2022 has in store for us and this blog. While looking for a balance between getting into the habit of writing and not forcing myself to produce empty pieces, I received the perfect, beautiful gift from my sister this Christmas. Along with a few nonfiction pieces on Korean and world history (which she gifted me for my blog!!! -- T T honestly, so grateful), she also gifted me this daily desk calendar which contains information about a woman or event in history that happened on that specific day, that has impacted and shaped women's lives today.
So! You may think this cheating a little, but to help me keep the momentum going on this blog, I decided to share what I learn every day about women's history for all 365 days of 2022. This way, I can practice writing every day. I have no rules attached to this exercise, other than that I will click publish at least once a day. I'm looking forward to sharing with you what I learn, and to see where my interest in each of these topics takes me. Some days, I might just share the little snippet of information straight from the calendar, and, on others, I might do a little more exploration.
resources
TECH TALKS
Technical, Political, Social & Thoughtful Pieces on the Tech World
When I took my first computer science course, I was lost, intimidated, and completely out of my comfort zone. I trudged through an extra year of undergrad to crank out the requirements for my degree, and I remember feeling extremely alone in the process. Though my college offered a variety of resources for computer science students, for one reason or another, I didn't fit in. Definitely a huge part of what made me feel like a fish out of water is the fact that I am a woman.
What motivated me and kept me interested in my classes was mostly the way of thinking that is required of computer science students: logical, creative, and problem-solving perspectives. All of which are totally me, but I was missing what makes a good computer science student: passion, curiosity, and confidence in the material. I rationalized my way through the courses, getting some of the lowest grades I received in college, ignoring my feelings. I was pretty miserable and my imposter syndrome was unmanageable.
I was inspired to begin a series of research-based blogs and resources on anything related to AI, data science, and computer science in general to make this a more accessible field for others who might be in the same shows I was in a few years ago.
quick
facts & figures
wtdap articles
MAPS OF ASIA
Understanding American History Through the Lens of Asia
I am interested in learning about each of the countries in Asia: geography, history, relation with western society, immigration patterns and reasons, culture, politics, etc... These are all of the very important lessons we weren't taught in high school. They're missing pieces of our education which I intend to fill with research on every Asian country.
This, I hope, will give me a more accurate depiction of who we really are as "Asian Americans", how the term affects each community within it, who has been neglected from the conversation, who has been misunderstood by this umbrella term, and, from a personal objective, get to the bottom of why "Asian American" just doesn't quite sit well with me as an identifying word for myself.
countries
resources
HEALTHCARE, HUMANITY, & THE WORLD
An exploration of global human rights issues that are inextricably connected to healthcare.
Let's take a look at some of the world's human rights violations such as human trafficking or maltreatment of the elderly, and bring them back to the question of public health. In this section, I'll share with you some important resources and information on how healthcare and global issues go hand-in-hand with one another.
quick facts & figures
terms
terms and definitions that may equip you as a well-informed citizen of the world.
film, television, podcasts & books
WATCH, READ, LISTEN
timeless "musts"
current obsessions
worth a discussion
classics & favorites to re-evaluate
Sustainable Thinking : How to Be a Conscientious
Consumer and Creator of Information
Oftentimes, we hear this concept of sustainable thinking and conscientious consumption when it comes to the material world. And, it's an invaluable way of living when it comes to global environmental issues and decluttering our lives. But have you heard these phrases when considering the information that you consume or put out into the world?
There is most definitely such a thing as wasteful information. And, as consumers of television, news, media, social posts, etc in this increasingly information-centric world, we need to be intentional in what we choose to put into our minds, just as much as we are intentional about our purchases.
This isn't to say that we should say good bye to the days of endless binge watching (though I do think there's a case for that), but t
"not only to make a Cyrus, which had been but a particular excellency, as nature might have done, but to bestow a Cyrus upon the world to make many Cyruses, if they will learn aright why and how that maker made him"
Philip Sidney, Defense of Poesy
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