10 Highlights from the UN

It's hard to believe but last week flew by.  I'm already in Boston in recovery.  Last Saturday after we said goodbyes to each other, I realized that I felt like a bus had run me over several times.  The emotional and physical toll of everything that had happened in the past week came to a head.

So much happened last week that it's almost better to ask, what didn't happen?  When people ask me, how was the UN--I am flooded with images, emotions, and memories.  I felt anger, mourning, inspiration, and awe.  I felt empowered, seen, and connected to a powerful community of women.  It was an incredible, complex experience that I will surely pick out for months to come.

Here are 10 highlights from my trip to the UN Commission on the Status of Women meetings as a young adult delegate from the Episcopal Church.

1.  Met with Bishop Katharine for a 45 minute conference with our delegation.  I sat next to her and felt a strongly centered presence from her.  I had expected her to be strong leader but I had not expected to feel such a peaceful and spiritual energy from her.

2.  I made incredible friends from my delegation.  At the end of the week, we had our closing lunch and it felt like summer camp.  We were all crying and telling each other how much we loved each other.

3.  Listening to Serene Jones, President of Union Theological Seminary talk on the role of faith in feminism and social action.  She rocked my world. 

4.  Listening to Archbishop Tutu give a children's homily.  He's so strange.  He made lots of strange animal noises.  I like that he's strange.

5.  Eating at Cafe Olympia for lunch in between sessions--a warm buffet deli run by Koreans.  Really helped.

6.  Sitting in the official plenary sessions of the UN!

7.  Meeting women from all over the world:  a lawyer from Argentina, a financial officer from Lebanon, a radio producer for girls from Liberia, a woman from Bangladesh.

8.  Laughing hysterically with my delegates at the end of a long day.

9. $10 manicure and martinis.  Hot pink.

10.  Feeling empowered, impassioned, and getting tons of ideas for children's books.  I am so full, I cannot wait to pour it out into art.