As the proud alumna of an all-women's college, when I read Devin'e piece on the guy-centennial, I was struck by the immediate obvious differences between our respective undergraduate experiences. As I've reflected on her words, though, I've been thinking a lot about what it means to "be present": what are all the ways that we erase women's presences? And how do we thoughtfully draw them back into the picture? This, and much more food for thought, is available in the current issue of Iris Magazine. ​

​In countries around the world, something as simple as a carefully constructed string of colored beads can enable birth attendants to guide birthing women and their babies safely through “the most dangerous day.” Here in Charlottesville, traditional approaches inform the ways that our Rodriguez Lecturer Rachel Zaslow teaches women to help each other achieve better outcomes for families of color.