Leading Conversations is celebrating Women of the World in honor of International Women’s Day, March 8, and Womenâs History Month in March. Cruise our archives to learn from great women of the world we have had in conversation!
This week, Cheryl Esposito welcomes Philo Ikonya of Kenya, a human rights activist, social change motivator, ardent poet, writer and lecturer. Philo holds postgraduate degrees in the Arts, and consults on gender, governance and media issues.
Philo courageously writes about the injustices of Kenya. In her series, Kenya Is Burning, she reflects on her countryâs struggles with the devastating violence that has claimed so many lives and turned its people against each other.  âThe women of Kenya have always been aware of injustice in our societyâ¦weâve always known that the deep inequalities in our country would lead to the destruction of this nation.â  To continue to be a voice against social and political injustices,  Philo has had to leave Kenya, where her life was threatened if she continued to speak out. Today she lives in exile.
When Philo was still living in Kenya, she decided to wear sacks instead of regular clothes to peacefully protest the violence in Kenya. She helped organize a campaign urging Kenyan women to wear sacks for clothes âfor as long as we do not have peace in Kenya; as long as we do not have justice and reform.â She has taken action in the face of fear and is a voice for those who dare not speak. Maybeâ¦just maybeâ¦women will save the world. Join Cheryl Esposito & Philo Ikonya to hear this extraordinary story of courage and vision for a just world.
