Jo Ann A. Mathews's Blog, page 7

Women and Adversity: Adele Myers, Novelist

Adele Myers, Novelist (Photo by Jo Ann Mathews)

Women and Adversity:
Adele Myers, Novelist
The Tobacco Wives

Pelican Bookstore in Sunset Beach, North Carolina continues to schedule authors to give presentations. These authors appear at nearby Silver Coast Winery in Ocean Isle Beach since the bookstore has limited space. Novelist Adele Myers, a North Carolina native, gave her presentation March 31 and talked of her first novel, The Tobacco Wives. As I’ve written in the past, I ask women who have made a name for themselves as successful writers what obstacles stood and still stand in their way as a writer.

“I fumbled my way through,” she says. “I had no idea how long it takes and how many setbacks there are. You just have to be persistent, and I think there’s a lot of luck.”

The book:

Myers opens the door into the lives of tobacco industry wives from the 1940s. She knew a lot about the tobacco industry since her parents and grandparents worked for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Her grandmother was a hairdresser for many wives who were married to tobacco industry executives, and she labeled the women ‘the tobacco wives.’ In the book, teen Maddie Sykes comes to live with her Aunt Etta, a seamstress for the ‘tobacco wives.’ Maddie learns about their lives and discovers a letter that reveals a tobacco industry secret about the dangers of smoking. All the world knows about them now.

Myers bio:

·         Grew up in Asheville, North Carolina
·         Spent a lot of time in Winston-Salem
·         Earned a degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
·         Moved to New York where she got—and still has—a full-time job in advertising
·          Married, has a son

Writing career:

·         The Tobacco Wives started as a short story more than  20 years ago
·         About eight years ago, she decided to write a novel
·         The obstacle: “Not knowing how to write a novel,” she says.
·         A former teacher suggested some books on plot and character
·         She joined a writers’ group where other women were published. “That made a difference,” she says. “They encouraged me and said I could get the book published. Sometimes your obstacles are your own beliefs or limited beliefs about yourself and lack of confidence.”
·         Contacted 70-80 agents over 18 months before an agent had faith in the book.
·         The Tobacco Wives was published in 2022.
“My path to publishing has been paved with women who have encouraged me and validated me,” she says. “I always knew I wanted to write. To spend so much time on a story, not knowing whether anyone’s going to want to read it, I think you kind of have to have a couple of screws loose.”

What obstacles she faces now:

·      Has a contract to write her next book. “I have a year to write it,” she says. “That will be a different experience from my first book.”

Learn more:
www.adelemyersauthor.com

https://www.writersdigest.com/be-insp...

My ebooks available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com: 

Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists  

 

 

 

 

 

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Women and Adversity: March, Women’s History Month, Marie Benedict, Writer of Historical Fiction

Marie Benedict, Writer, Historical Fiction (Photo by Jo Ann Mathews)

Women and Adversity:
March, Women’s History Month
Marie Benedict
Writer of Historical Fiction

As I said in my post about Pam Jenoff, I can’t let Women’s History Month pass without featuring women who write historical novels.

Marie Benedict is well known for digging into history to find women who were overlooked despite their accomplishments. She says her mission is to “excavate from the past the most important women in history to really shine the light on them and their contributions, their legacies and the modern issues.”

I met Benedict in January when she gave a presentation and book signing at Silver Coast Winery in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. She was gracious enough to answer the two questions I ask women who have made a name for themselves as successful writers:

What obstacles did you have to overcome when you decided to be a writer?What obstacles do you face now that you are a successful novelist?

First, let’s learn a bit about Benedict.

 

Marie Benedict bio:

Born Heather Marie Benedict in 1969 in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaGraduated from Boston College, concentrating on history and art historyGraduated from Boston University School of LawPracticed law in New York for 10 years

Personal life:
Married James Terrell in May 2002
The couple has two sons

Writing life:
Benedict published seven books under her married name, Heather Terrell, before she began publishing under Marie Benedict

The Chrysalis was the first published in 2007The Boundary was the last published in 2014

    Benedict began writing  under Marie Benedict with:

The Other Einstein in 2016 and followed it with seven more books, most recentlyThe Mitford Affair in 2023

  She has two audible books:

Smoke SignalAgent 355

  The answers to my questions:

What obstacles did you have to overcome when you decided to be a writer?  She says:First of all, it was risky. I had a very successful, established career as a lawyer.What obstacles do you face now that you are a successful novelist?It’s time. I published one-to-two books a year. Trying to balance that.

Learn more:
w ww.authormariebenedict.com
http://agnes-books.blogspot.com/2017/01/before-my-research-for-other-einstein-i.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/18/books/review/marie-benedict-only-woman-in-the-room-best-seller.html
The History of Marie Benedict | Stories About the Best-Selling Author (girlsthatcreate.com)

My ebooks available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com:

Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists  

 

 

 

 

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Women and Adversity: March: Women’s History Month, Pam Jenoff, Historical novelist

Pam Jenoff, Historical Novelist (Picture taken by Jo Ann Mathews)

Women and Adversity
March: Women’s History Month
Pam Jenoff, Historical novelist

I can’t let Women’s History Month pass without featuring women who write historical novels.

Pam Jenoff has written 17 books, some of them romances but most of them historical fiction concerning the Holocaust and Jewish issues. I met Jenoff in February when she gave a presentation and book signing at Silver Coast Winery in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. She was gracious enough to answer the two questions I ask women who have made a name for themselves as successful writers:

What obstacles did you have to overcome when you decided to be a writer?What obstacles do you face now that you are a successful novelist?

First let’s learn a bit about Jenoff.

Pam Jenoff bio:
Born June 1, 1971 in Maryland
Grew up in  New Jersey
Earned a bachelor’s degree in international affairs from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Earned a master’s degree in history from University of Cambridge in England
Earned a law degree from University of Pennsylvania Law School
Special assistant to the Secretary of the Army
Assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Krakow, Poland in 1996
Developed an expertise in Polish-Jewish relations and the Holocaust
Worked on preservation of Auschwitz and restitution of Jewish property in Poland
Teaches legal writing and six other courses at Rutgers University in New Jersey

Personal life:
Married
Three children
Lives in New Jersey

Writing life:
2007 – The Kommandant’s Girl, her first novel
16 novels later
2023 –  Code Name Sapphire

Jenoff says her writing journey began in 1996 when she was a diplomat in Krakow. The U.S. government told her to write about war and Holocaust issues. “It changed me,” she says, and adds:
I came back 2 ½ years later and wanted to write a novel about my experiences there.
I went to law school and was hired at a large law firm in Philadelphia and started on September 4, 2001, a Tuesday.
One week later was 9/11. I call it my epiphany. I thought if I had died in 9/11, I wouldn’t have fulfilled my dream
of being a novelist. I took a night course at Temple University that was ‘Write Your Novel This Year.’ I started
The Kommandant’s Girl. It was not a hop, skip and jump. Eleven months after submission, it was accepted. It was 2005.

Jenoff says she continued practicing law to pay off her college debt but mornings would write from 5am to 7 am before going to work. She does all her own research.

Now for her answers to my questions.
What obstacles did you have to overcome when you decided to be a writer?
I had five years of rejections from 39 publishers, so it was a very long road to publication.
What obstacles do you face now that you are a successful novelist?
Time and pressure to keep doing well, but really it’s quite a joy.

“The only reason I got published is that I kept knocking at the door until somebody came in,” she says.

Learn more:
www.pamjenoff.com
Interview with Author Pam Jenoff – YouTube
https://germmagazine.com/interview-with-bestselling-author-pam-jenoff
https://theglossbookclub.com/interview-with-pam-jenoff

My ebooks available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com:

Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists  

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Women and Adversity: Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States

Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States (scaled-e1676668685890.webp)

Women and Adversity:
Kamala Harris
Vice President of the United States

It’s logical for me to feature a black woman during February, which is Black History Month. Since I’ve been writing about women politicians for the last several months, I have to include the most senior of Black women politicians in the United States: Kamala Harris, our vice president. Several people continue to pronounce her name with the accent on the second syllable of her name, but it is on the first, Ka⸍ma la. Harris is the first woman vice president and the first Black vice president.

In her powerful speech in Munich, Germany February 18, she said the U.S. concluded that Russia has committed crimes against humanity in its invasion of Ukraine and  people “will be held to account.” Let’s hope this outcome is realized when the war ends.

Harris’ mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was of Indian ancestry and was a breast cancer scientist, who received her Ph.D. the year Harris was born. Her father, Donald Harris, was born in Jamaica and is a professor emeritus in economics at Stanford University. Her parents divorced when Harris was seven. The family lived in Berkeley, California, and Harris began school in 1969, being the second class to integrate Berkeley elementary schools. She was bussed to Thousand Oaks Elementary School. When she was 12, her mother accepted a job teaching at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and did research at Jewish General Hospital.

Harris’ parents were activists and took her to civil rights demonstrations. She developed a strong sense of justice from them and has continued to be, as she said the first time she stood up in court, “Kamala Harris, for the people.” She has a very controversial political career, which is outlined at 55 Things You Need to Know About Kamala Harris – POLITICO.

Kamala Harris bio:

Born October 20, 1964 in Oakland, California
Has a sister, Maya Harris
Kamala means lotus
1981 – graduated from high school in Montreal
1986 – graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C. with a major in political science
1989 – graduated from Hastings College of Law, University of California, San Francisco

 Political Career: 

1990 – Alameda County, California District Attorney’s office, specializing in prosecuting child sexual assault cases,
then managing attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office; then chief of the Division on Children
and families
2003 – Elected District Attorney of San Francisco
2010 –  Elected Attorney General of California
2016 – Elected senator from California
2020 – Accepted Joseph Biden’s invitation to be his running mate
November 3, 2020 –  Elected vice president of the United States

Personal life:

2014 – Married Douglas Emhoff, also a lawyer
Accepted his two children from a previous marriage

 Learn more:

55 Things You Need to Know About Kamala Harris – POLITICO
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/kamala-harris-10-things-you-might-not-know-n1236468
Who is Kamala Harris? A look at her background and career in politics – Bing video

My ebooks available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com:

Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists  

 

 

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Women and Adversity: Katerina Sakellaropoulou President of Greece

Katerina Sakellaropouolou, President of Greece (thedailyscrum.ca)

Women and Adversity:
Katerina Sakellaropoulou
President of Greece

We in America don’t pay much attention to women politicians around the world. Even when a country elects “the first woman” in a high office, it is not banner news in America, especially if we can’t pronounce the woman’s name. Besides, unless there’s an invasion that affects America, such as in Ukraine, we aren’t aware of wars being fought on other continents. I was surprised to learn that Katerina Sakellaropoulou (sak⸍ a la roo pooh lou), the first woman president of Greece, stands by Cyprus in warding off Turkish aggression. I didn’t know that Cyprus has been warding off this aggression since 1974. Sakellaropoulou stands by U.N. efforts to negotiate a settlement.

In history classes students in America learn about ancient Greece, its system of government, its philosophers and its invaluable contributions to the arts. They know its general location is in the far southeastern part of Europe and is comprised of more than 2,000 islands. It is bordered primarily by the waters of the Mediterranean, Ionian and Aegean seas. Albania and North Macedonia and Bulgaria border it to the north and Turkey borders on the east. It is one of the 11 countries on the Balkan Peninsula. They know its capital is Athens. They may not know that Athens is Europe’s oldest capital city.

In January 2020, Greece elected Sakellropoulou as president. The prime minister chose her to serve as president, and when Parliament voted, she received 261 of the 300 votes. She only needed 200. The Prime Minister has been criticized for having so few women in his cabinet.

Katerina Sakellaropoulou bio:

Born May 30, 1956 in Thessaloniki, Greece
1964 – family moved to Athens
Attended private schools
1974 – 1978 – studied law at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
1989 – 1990 studied law at Sorbonne II, Paris
She speaks English and French
Has written several essays and articles on constitutional and environmental law

  Political Career: 

1982 – appointed assistant judge at the council of State, the Supreme Administrative Court of  Greece
1988 – promoted to Associate Councillor, worked on cases regarding education, civic service  and local government
2000 – promoted to Councillor of State dealing with environmental law
2015 – promoted to vice president of Council of State
2018 – appointed president of the Council of State
2020 – elected President of Greece

Personal life:

One daughter – no age available
Her partner – Pavlos Kotsonis

  Learn more:

Who is Ekaterini Sakellaropoulou, the Likely First Female President of Greece? (greekreporter.com)
President Sakellaropoulou presents RBG’s memoir in Greek (greekcitytimes.com)
4 things to know about Greece’s first woman president (fastcompany.com)

My ebooks available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com:

Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists  

 

 

 

 

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Women and Adversity: Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia

Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia (Official Portrait)

Women and Adversity:
Kaja Kallas
Prime Minister of Estonia

This blog is meant to encourage women to overcome what is standing in their way so they can achieve their dreams. Enjoy reading about successful women in this blog and tell me what you, as readers, have learned from women who have encouraged you to attain your dreams.

In this post I feature Kaja Kallas (pronounced Kaya Kollas), Prime Minister of Estonia. Estonia was the only country in the world that had a woman President, Kersti Kaljulaid, and woman Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, at the same time. That unique government lasted from January 26, 2021 to  October 11, 2021. There wasn’t enough support for Kaljulaid to secure another five-year term. Instead a man, Alar Karis, was elected. The president’s position in Estonia is primarily ceremonial. The prime minister has the power.

It was pouring rain the day my husband and I visited Tallinn, Estonia’s capital. That didn’t prevent me from browsing the shops, and I came away with a beautiful tablecloth and two table runners from their numerous linen shops.

The country is the northernmost of the three Baltic states which also includes Latvia and Lithuania. It regained its independence when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, and in 2004 it joined the European Union and NATO. Its 1.3 million residents speak Estonian, but Kallas also speaks English, French and Russian. When she took over as prime minister, she balanced her cabinet with women in key positions. Her father, Siim Kallas, was prime minister from 2002-2003.

Kallas  bio:

Born June 18, 1977 in Tallinn
1999 – Earned her law degree from University of Tartu
Until 2006 – partner at Tark & Co. law firm
2010 – Earned an Executive Master of Business Administration degree in economics from Estonia Business School
2006-2011 – partner at  Luiga Mody Hääl Borenius law firm
2010-2011 – Executive coach at Estonia Business School

Political Career:  

2010 – Joined the Estonian Reform Party
2011 – 2014 – Member of  Estonian Parliament
2014-2018 – Member of European Parliament
2019-2021 – Member of Estonian Parliament
2021- present – Prime Minister of Estonia
2021-2022 – energy crisis nearly caused her government’s collapse
January 2022 – announced a plan to reduce the cost of energy
2022 – present – vows to stand with Ukraine; has delivered more military equipment to that country as a proportion of the gross domestic product per capita than any other country in the world.

Personal life:
2002-2006 – Married to Roomet Leiger
Until 2014- partner of Taavi Veskimägi, politician and businessman. They have one son.
2018-present – Married Arvo Hallik, banker. He has two children.

Learn more about Kaja Kallas:

www.politico.com/news/2022/02/01/esto...
twitter.com/kajakallas/status
Kaja Kallas is on the TIME100 Next 2022 List | TIME

My ebooks available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com:

Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists  

 

 

 

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Women and Adversity Blog: 2023

Women and AdversityBlog: 2023

 I began writing Women and Adversity in 2014 to promote women writers and praise their achievements. I believed their words would be inspirational for those aiming to get their stories and books in print.  Kimberly Lawson Roby of the Reverend Curtis Black series; Carly Watters, literary agent with P.S. Literary Agency; and Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas, Illinois short story writer and historian, were the first three women I featured. I asked them what obstacles they had to overcome to succeed as a writer. Their answers are still available at my blog by going to jamathews.com/blog. At Archives, scroll down to 2014.

Many more women answered my questions including Vanna White, Debbie Macomber, Janet Evanovich, Jodi Picoult, Hazel Prior….The list goes on. You can search using the words, Women and Adversity blog, then put in your favorite author and see if she is featured.

I switched to featuring women in other professions, living or deceased, who overcame obstacles. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors; Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of the United Kingdom; and Susan Wojcicki, Polish-American CEO of YouTube, are women who became world renowned for their accomplishments. They are examples of moving forward and using their skills.

When I wrote my three ebooks in 2020: Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, and Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists, I featured them on my blog. Some are historical figures while others are living their dreams or pursuing their dreams.

In April 2022, I began writing about women around the world who are leaders of their governments. I started with Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain then Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh.  I’ve covered women in Europe, Asia,  Africa, Central America and island nations. Currently, there are no women heads of state in South American countries.

To start 2023 I will continue to feature women around the world  who are political leaders. I will look into featuring women who have made monumental achievements past retirement age.

This blog is meant to encourage women to overcome what is standing in their way so they can achieve their dreams. Enjoy reading about successful women in this blog and tell me what you, as readers, have learned from women who have been influential in your lives.

More information
Available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com:

Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists  

 

 

 

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Women and Adversity: 21st Century Women Erna Solberg Former Prime Minister of Norway

Erna Solberg, Former Prime Minister of Norway (regjeringen.no_.jpg)

Women and Adversity
21st Century Women
Erna Solberg
Former Prime Minister of Norway

With Christmas a few days away, I wanted to feature the female political leader who lives in the country closest to the North Pole. The answer is complicated because it depends on how you measure the distance from the North Pole. Canada is the closest by coastline since it extends right up to the North Pole. Greenland is the closest by travel time because a flight takes only three hours. However, by longitude Russia is closest with 168 degrees east. Let’s do latitude. Ah, ha! Bingo! Norway is closest, measuring 71 degrees north. Norway is on the western and northernmost section of the Scandinavian Peninsula. It is considered the most developed democracy in the world and has about 5.3 million people.

It happens that Erna Solberg was Prime Minister of Norway from 2013 until 2021. She is listed as a “power woman” comparable to Angela Merkel, the former Chancellor of Germany. Solberg continues to stay in the political realm as leader of the Conservative Party, a post she’s held since 2004. She is an advocate for women’s and children’s rights and female education. She co-wrote an opinion piece in 2014 in which she states, “If you invest in a girl, she feeds herself, educates future children, lifts up her community and propels her nation forward – charting a path that offers dignity for all in the process.”

 Solberg  bio:
Born February 24, 1961 in Bergen, Norway
Nickname: Iron Erna
Is said to have been treated for dyslexia
1986 – Graduated from University of Bergen with a master’s degree in sociology, political science, statistics and economics

  Political Career:  

1979-1983 and again 1987-1989 – deputy member of Bergen city council
1989 – present – elected to Norwegian Parliament
2001-2005 – minister of local government and regional development
2004 -present – leader of the Conservative Party
2013 – elected Prime Minister
2017 – reelected Prime Minister
2016 – co-chair of the United Nations Secretary General’s advocacy group for Sustainable Development Goals

 Personal life:

Married to Sindre Finnes since 1996
Two children: daughter, Ingrid; son, Erik
2021 – admitted she broke the COVID rules for having 13 people at her 60th birthday party. Ten was the limit.

Learn more about Erna Solberg:

www.facebook.com/ernasolberg
www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03302-4 (Solberg writes, “Ocean science can boost jobs and wellbeing”)
https://thewomenleaders.com/erna-solberg
Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg Fined for Birthday Party in Violation of COVID Rules (newsweek.com)

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Women and Adversity: 21st Century Women Tsai Ing-wen President of Taiwan

Tsai Ing-Wen, President of Taiwan (Photo by nhu-xuan-hua-for-time-e1670422986343.jpg)

 

    Women and Adversity:
 21st Century Women
Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan

Tsai Ing-wen (pronounced Sigh⸍ Ing-when⸍) was elected president of Taiwan in January 2016 and reelected in January 2020, the first woman to hold that office. She is a remarkable woman. She has a firm grasp of the English language, holds a Ph.D. in law and was instrumental in negotiations to have Taiwan join the World Trade Organization, which occurred in 2002.

Taiwan is an island in the western Pacific, about 100 miles off the coast of mainland China. Taipei is its capital, and it has about 23 million residents. Its history gets complicated. Both Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China, and mainland China, known as the People’s Republic of China, agree that Taiwan is a province of China. However, Taiwan says it is the legitimate government, but PRC says IT is. The United Nations recognizes PRC, not Taiwan.

In 1949 the Nationalists lost the civil war to the communists in China and went to Taiwan, which holds democratic elections unlike PRC. Tsai says President Xi of PRC cannot coerce Taiwan to be part of mainland China because it “offers neither a free and democratic way of life for Taiwan, nor sovereignty for our 23 million people.” This struggle deserves watching, especially since it’s apparent Tsai won’t allow mainland China’s aggression to overtake Taiwan.

In her May 2020 inaugural address, Tsai recounted the two major achievements since her inauguration in 2016: controlling COVID and Taiwan’s economic growth. Looking forward she outlined “six core strategic industries….to transform Taiwan into a critical force in the global economy.” Taiwan now manufactures 50 percent of the world’s semiconductors. This country and Tsai are worth following.

 Tsai Ing-wen  bio:

Born August 31, 1956 in Taipei
Youngest of nine of a wealthy business family
1978 – law degree from National Taiwan University
1980 – master’s degree in law  from Cornell University, New York
1984 – doctorate degree in law from London School of Economics and Political Science, specializing in international trade law and competition law
1984-2000 – law professor at universities in Taipei

 Political Career

1990s – appointed trade policy adviser
2000 – appointed chair of Mainland Affairs Council, which is responsible for relations between Taiwan and mainland China
2004 – elected member-at-large to Taiwan’s national legislature
2006 – appointed vice-premier of Taiwan
2008 – chosen president of Democratic Progressive Party, first woman to hold the office
2012 – resigned post to run for president, was defeated
2014 – elected president of DPP again
2016 – was elected president of Taiwan January 16, 2016, inaugurated on May 20, 2016
2020 – reelected president on January 11, inaugurated May 20, 2020
2022 – November 26 – resigns as DPP chair

Personal life:

Never married; no children

Learn more about Tsai Ing-wen

www.nytimes.com/2020/01/11/world/asia/taiwan-election-china.html
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/10/10/taiwan-china-reunification-tsai-ing-wen
https://english.president.gov.tw/News/6004 (Inaugural address of ROC 15th-term President Tsai Ing-wen)

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

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Women and Adversity: 21st Century Women Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda Prime Minister of Gabon

Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda, Prime Minister of Gabon (EdDdVwrXgAMJQC1)

Women and Adversity
21st Century Women
Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda
Prime Minister of Gabon

Despite being in the Computer Age, it is challenging to obtain information about world leaders who don’t have close ties to the U.S. Such is the case with Gabon (Ga bon⸍).  U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs Chidi Blyden recently met with Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda (Ra⸍ponda), the Prime Minister of Gabon, and the two agreed to strengthen their ties. More information is undoubtedly available in French, but I can’t read French. A diligent student of Africa and women world leaders will be able to unearth more facts, but for now, this is all I have.

Gabon, a former French colony, is situated on the west coast of Central Africa with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic of Congo and the Atlantic Ocean as borders. It is about 100,000 square miles, 85 percent of which is forests. It has a population of 2.3 million people, who have a primarily upper-middle class income due to Gabon’s oil-rich land and the production of manganese, a useful metal for manufacturing and an essential mineral for the body. 

Ossouka Raponda was appointed Prime Minister in July 2020, the first woman to hold the office, after her predecessor resigned. President Oli Bongo Ondimba charged Raponda with “ensuring [Gabon’s] economic relaunch and necessary social support in the light of the world crisis.”

The crises in Gabon:

October 2018 – President Ali Bongo suffered a stroke and for months received treatment outside of the countryJanuary 2019 – An attempted coup2020 – COVID19 pandemic

Raponda bio:

Born in 1964 in Libreville, Gabon’s capital
Earned a degree in economics and public finance from Gabonese Institute of Economy and Finance

  Political Career as close to accurate dates as possible:

2000 –  Advisor to the Director General of the Economy
2012 – Deputy Director General of the Economy, Deputy General Manager of the Banque de l⸍Habitat du Gabon
Minister of Budget, Public Accounts and Civil Service
Minister of State
2014 – First woman Mayor of Libreville
2018 – President of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa
2019 – Defense Minister2020 – July 16, Prime Minister

 Personal life:

Unlike in America where people’s private lives are open books, I couldn’t find any facts about Raponda’s personal life. Possibly they are in the French posts.

Learn more about Raponda:

thewomenleaders.com/rose-christiane-r...
www.facebook.com/RCOssoukaPM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=swEHJivtMUQ (Raponda answers in French)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYfZN6yOSrw (Raponda answers in French)

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