This week is National Women’s Health Week, organized by the US Department of Health and Human Services to encourage women to make their health a top priority.  It’s ironic that their theme this year is “It’s Your Time,” because my friends and I have been talking a lot lately about how as women, we’re often so busy taking care of others, that we forget to take care of ourselves. 

I was reminded of that this past Sunday when CNN Health posted, “Moms Make The Toughest Patients,” by Anthony Youn, M.D.  Dr. Young writes about almost losing his mother to heart failure several years ago, and how - even while in the hospital - she continued to worry far more about her family than herself.

I know so many women like this!  But this week, I want all of you women out there to schedule a check up, and take some time out for yourselves!

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!