Throughout my life and career, I’ve always been lucky enough to be supported by women mentors who encouraged me to make a difference, and do what I felt was ‘right.’  So I was really struck by the work of Laura Burhenn, an artist who recently released a new album and portrait project celebrating women revolutionaries. 

Here’s more about her work and new album, “Generals,” from music news site Ellenwood:

The album’s name comes from a Richard Avedon photo entitled “Generals of the Daughters of the American Revolution.” Looking at the portrait of upper class ladies in their pristine satin gowns, Burhenn considered her own supposed eligibility to be a member of DAR and thought about what true revolutionary American women look like. The lineage of women that have stood up to injustice for well over a hundred years – women like Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks, Gloria Steinem, Naomi Wolf – they get their hands dirty. And Burhenn wanted to pay tribute to that.

In conjunction with the release of the album, Burhenn is launching a portrait project called The New Revolutionists (www.thenewrevolutionists.org). In an election year when so much time, energy and money will be spent on political contests, Burhenn wanted to shine a light on women making a difference – often on shoestring or even nonexistent budgets – in their own communities all over America, whether they’re making headlines or not.

I know a lot of “revolutionary” women who have inspired me in life.  If you know of some too, go nominate them at www.thenewrevolutionists.org!