Rosemary Ganley is a Peterborough, Ontario feminist activist and writer whose weekly columns in The Peterborough Examiner reach a wide audience and make waves. WATER commits to following her lead by encouraging this kind of writing for a broad audience.

The WATER Essay Contest is an invitation to writers at all stages to submit 650 well-chosen words on a topic related to feminist work for social change that springs from spiritual commitments. Politics and the arts, sports and theology, local and global happenings are all fair game. Your imagination and activist priorities are the only limits. Write boldly and clearly à la Rosemary.

For wonderful examples, see Rosemary’s blog: https://yellowdragonflypress.weebly.com/columns

She advises:

• Make it accessible to a general reader
• Research carefully and make a clear argument
• Convey a sense of calm and hope
• Wit welcome

Graduate programs in religion do not teach this kind of writing. But WATER finds it a great way to share the wealth of progressive scholarship. Short pieces that readers are eager to post on social media, use in teaching and discussion groups, and expand in deeper dives are the order of the day. The goal is to get the best of feminist studies in religion into the hands of local people who create conscious communities and vote.

We are grateful to a generous donor who believes that Rosemary Ganley is changing the world 650 words at a time. WATER agrees with our donor and seeks to encourage many to join her in this work.