News Release

02/13/09 Living Literature presents Pearls, Politics & Power — The Challenges Women Face in Public Life at PPL

In honor of Women’s History Month (March), Providence Public Library welcomes Living Literature on Monday, March 23 from 6:30—7:30 PM at its Central Library, 150 Empire Street — Barnard Room (3rd Floor) for its new 50-minute readers theatre style presentation Pearls, Politics & Power — The Challenges Women Face in Public Life. This program is free and open to the public and made possible by an Education Grant from the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island and Providence Public Library’s Central Library.

A brief discussion follows the program, facilitated by the two Living Literature performers and Artistic Director, Barry Press.

If countries that are historically and culturally far more patriarchal than the United States have elected women heads of state, why do so many Americans still question whether a woman can be elected president of this country? What are the barriers that make it harder for women and girls to think of themselves as future politicians or future presidents? It's time to change our picture of what political leadership looks like.

Madeleine M. Kunin, the first female governor of Vermont, Deputy Secretary of Education, and Ambassador to Switzerland under President Bill Clinton, has laid out this argument and raised such questions in her new book, Pearls, Politics & Power: How Women Can Win and Lead. She not only explores her own personal journey into politics, but shares the voices and stories of other female politicians, such as Sen. Hilary Clinton, Representative Shirley Chisholm, Sen. Bella Abzug, Sen. Diane Feinstein, and others.

Living Literature takes this premise as the core of their new 50-minute readers theatre style presentation, Pearls, Politics & Power, a witty and warm exploration of how women survive the stresses of public life and make change happen, as part of Women’s History Month, March 2009.

About Living Literature
Now entering its 13th year, Living Literature is an association of performing artists in the Rhode Island area, celebrating the written word through readers theatre style performances of non-dramatic literature in schools & community venues throughout southeastern New England. Through classroom visits, community programs in libraries, bookstores and other public facilities, and teacher education, Living Literature expands literacy through performance. Living Literature is listed in the Education Roster of the Rhode Island State Council of the Arts. For further information on this and other Living Literature programs, visit: www.livingliterature.org.