Power in the Pack

These women-led platforms give other women something to believe in

- BARRY RODGERS

In the summer of 2020, my Instagram feed was peppered with a raft of celebs, influencers, and colleagues who began posting well-lit photos of themselves in black-and-white, usually accompanied with a caption espousing the virtues of women in general and maybe two to three women in particular with the hashtag #womensupportingwomen, #blackandwhitechallenge or #challengeaccepted. Although it’s unclear how exactly this latest challenge started – one iteration of the trend apparently originated from women in Turkey who were responding to growing frustrations over gender violence and femicide, there were several social media users who asked whether posting images of women who need our support (now more so than ever) would be more beneficial in aiding female empowerment. Then there were others who suggested that influential women with platforms use the challenge to promote female-led businesses. In keeping with the essence of the cause, here are a few noteworthy women-led platforms that are helping their tribe achieve goals, secure help, and find purpose.

SISTERS IN SWEAT