Women's History Month

For the month of March, CTW is honoring the women who have impacted our work. We are grateful for their spirit of care, compassion, and creativity that they have shared with the world. Below are only a few of these beloved women.

Ingrid Askew

CTW Founder and Executive Director

Ingrid Askew's epic journey on the Interfaith Pilgrimage of the Middle Passage: Retracing the Journey of Slavery in 1998-1999 led her across three continents following the Transatlantic Slave Route and sparked what has now become the work of our organization.

This month she received the Radical Truth Teller Award from The Truth Telling Project. Check out Ingrid's acceptance speech!

Dr. Sonji Johnson-Anderson

CTW Director of Educational Initiatives

Scholar, poet, author, ethnographer, activist and social justice educator, Dr Sonji Johnson-Anderson has joined the CTW team as the Director of Educational Initiatives. Her interests sit at the intersection of Black Feminist Epistemology, Critical Race Theory and Performance Ethnography. Her work focuses on the experiences of students and families who are marginalized in public domains, primarily educational institutions. A gifted educator and public speaker, Sonji brings decades of teaching experience and a deep commitment to critical and culturally relevant pedagogy.

LuJuana Hood

Executive Director and Founder of the Pan African Historical Museum of Springfield PAHMUSA

LuJuana Hood, When it came to the preservation of African and African American heritage, LuJuana was a force to be reckoned with. She was a woman of enormous Faith, a gifted Storyteller and Griot who loved sharing her knowledge of Pan African history. She was a teacher and devoted friend to many. She departed this realm but not our hearts, and we are all richer having known her. Learn more about LuJuana's legacy here.

Fatima Dike

Theater Legend & CTW Board Member

Playwright – Director – Teacher - Mentor

Ingrid recounts when she first met Fatima:

It was 1994 at the third Annual Women’s Playwrights Conference in Adelaide Australia.Over 1,500 women were assembled for the morning Plenary session to be opened by a special guest. Fatima walked center stage and stood at the microphone, she looked out at the audience for approximately ten seconds and then with a strong and gracious voice began her opening remarks. 'Good morning! My name is Fatima Dike, and I am a voting citizen of the Republic of South Africa!!' Before she could utter another word the entire theater began roaring and cheering, ululating and stomping their feet in the most historical standing ovation I have ever been a part of. It took at least ten minutes for us to quiet down so she could share her story of growing up in Apartheid South Africa and what it means to be free. Little did I know that in five short years this iconic woman and I would become colleagues, co-conspirators on many creative projects, and very best friends. Follow this link to learn more about my dear friend and mentor, Fatima Dike!