US Edition
Q&A: Activists, 'Sister-Friends' Gloria Steinem and Leymah Gbowee Channel Their Bond Into a New Book
The book traces childhoods and activism journeys of Steinem and Gbowee, promoting sisterhood and equality to a new generation with vivid illustrations by Kah Yangni.
- On Feb. 2, 2026, Gloria Steinem and Leymah Gbowee published the children's picture book Rise, Girl, Rise: Our Sister-Friend Journey, while Scholastic circulated a photo of the authors with copies.
- During the pandemic, Steinem wrote more and sent a manuscript, leading to collaboration with Scholastic, after an introduction by filmmaker Abigail Disney two decades ago.
- The picture book depicts Kah Yangni's vivid illustrations of Steinem's trailer childhood and Gbowee's upbringing in Liberia, including childhood facts like not starting school until about 10.
- Aimed at children, the book frames a journey of activism urging equality and Steinem says it suits age 11 but she reads it to her seven- and five-year-old grandsons, highlighting a message of love and acceptance.
- Given their prominence, the book by Gloria Steinem, now 91, and Leymah Gbowee, 54, uses Gbowee's term 'sister-friend' amid democratic representation concerns.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Hartford Courant
Q&A: Activists, ‘sister-friends’ Gloria Steinem and Leymah Gbowee channel their bond into a new book
Gloria Steinem and Nobel laureate Leymah Gbowee turned their bond into a children's book, “Rise, Girl, Rise: Our Sister-Friend Journey."
Q&A: Activists, 'sister-friends' Gloria Steinem and Leym
Leymah Gbowee, the Liberian peace activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, says she doesn’t pay much attention to celebrities. With one key exception: that time she first met Gloria Steinem . “I was just starstruck,” Gbowee confesses to The Associated Press of the moment a mutual friend introduced her to the feminist icon. “Everyone knows of Gloria, regardless of which continent you come from.” Steinem, for her part, protests that she’s not any mo…
Associated Press News
Q&A: Activists, 'sister-friends' Gloria Steinem and Leymah Gbowee channel their bond into a new book
They call themselves “sister-friends.” Now, two celebrated women’s rights activists from different parts of the globe, Gloria Steinem and Nobel laureate Leymah Gbowee, have turned their unique bond into a children's book.
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