2022 Athena Holiday Gift Guide
Happy Holidays from the Athena Center for Leadership!
2023 is almost here! We’re thrilled to share this gift guide with you, with recommendations from some of the many people that make up our amazing community — from staff to student interns as well as members of our many advisory committees. You’ll find great ideas for gifts from sustainable, women-centric shops, books, experiences, and more, as well as some recommendations for how to spend your down time this holiday (you ARE planning some down time, right?).
We hope you enjoy reading this guide as much as we enjoyed writing it — and that these recommendations make your gift purchasing a bit easier this year. Here’s to a joyous, restful and rejuvenating holiday season. We’ll see you next year!
Take A Look At Our Holiday Gift Suggestions!
“I regularly look at Deepa Iyer’s website for inspiration as well as concrete tools and ideas I can put into practice immediately — which is why I’m so thrilled that Deepa just published a workbook: Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection. $20. Get it here. (Bonus: it comes with a poster!)”
Umbreen Bhatti ‘00, Constance Hess Williams ‘66 Director of the Athena Center for Leadership
“I am a big fan of fiction novels, particularly those about magical places and pioneering yet strong young female characters. Akata Witch is a first of a three part series by Nigerian New York Times Bestselling writer Nnedi Okorafor following her lead 12-year-old female protagonist, Sunny, as she learns of her interesting powers and how to wield them. A fun and entertaining read for anyone at any age.
For nonfiction lovers, I recommend Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. It’s such a fascinating and mind bending experience to learn about the evolution of humankind and topics such as cognitive evolution and development.”
Vivianne Reynoso ‘17, Senior Programs Assistant
Debra Minkoff, Miriam Scharfman Zadek Family Professor of Sociology, Department Chair, Dean of Faculty Diversity and Development, and most importantly to Athena, a member of our Faculty Advisory Committee, recommends March (Trilogy Slipcase Set), “... [A] deeply moving and informative graphic-novel memoir by civil rights icon John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell.”
Kiran Jain '98, Athena Leadership Council member and a voracious reader recommends How to Make White People Laugh by Negin Farsad, “a memoir in essays about growing up Iranian-American in a post-9/11 world and the power of comedy to combat racism,” and Latino Politics by Lisa Garcia Bedolla + Christian Hosam.
Athena Leadership Council member Daphne Fodor Philipson ’69 recommends Black Cake, a novel by Charmaine Wilkerson ‘82, describing it as a “brilliant book written by a Barnard alumna.”
And Athena Leadership Council member Eva Helene Yazhari ‘06 recommends Unicorn Space by Eve Rodsky — but don’t miss Eva’s own book, The Good Your Money Can Do, a wonderful, informative read!
“What’s better than a calendar that has incredible hand drawn illustrations of Badass Women whose actions have advanced equality in the world? Nothing - nothing is better. With this calendar, you can remind yourself every month that the world is full of inspirational women leaders! This calendar is also made by a badass women artist - Joey Hartmann-Dow of Us & We Art. Get one for all of your friends today!”
Victoria Lesourd, Chief of Staff
“Anyone who knows me knows that I am a tea lover, and one of my favorite places to get a delicious piping hot cup is from Brooklyn Tea! A Black-owned shop started by a young millennial entrepreneur couple and featured on Beyonce’s Black Owned Business List 2020, Brooklyn Tea offers multiple pre-made tea boxes perfect for the holiday season. Their business is a true pillar of the community, hosting various community events and offering scholarships. Definitely visit if you get the chance, and pick up their premade gift box for your friends for the holidays!”
Chriss Sneed, Director of Applied Learning
Carina Hardy ’18 Art and Jewelry
Carina is exploring art and design work related to breasts and women's empowerment. She is currently working on a wearable art project called Elppin. Her previous work includes Back to the Breast, a large-scale eco-inflatable art installation.
Joan Snitzer, Senior Lecturer in Art History and Visual Art and member of Athena’s Faculty Advisory Committee
FORVR Mood Candles – Nigerian Owned Luxury Candle Company
“This is an amazing gift if you are interested in supporting Black owned businesses. FORVR mood was founded by Jackie Aina, a Nigerian-American U.S Army veteran, lifestyle influencer and entrepreneur. I’ve been supporting her beauty and lifestyle journey for years, and have heard great things about her brand! If you want to look into their candles, FORVR Mood is having a holiday sale, with their ‘cozy szn: Après-Ski’ gift sets. My personal favorite set comes with 4 of their best candles for the winter season– a great investment for your loved ones who are into home care or scents. They are also available in Sephora if you want to smell the candles in person before purchasing!”
Diarra Seck ‘23, Athena Entrepreneurship Student Lead
“I’m an avid puzzler, and my favorite puzzles are from Jiggy, which was founded by Barnard (and Athena!) alum Kaylin Marcotte '12. Jiggy makes beautiful, made-to-be-framed puzzles featuring art from a diverse cohort of female artists. A percentage of every sale goes directly to the artist. One of my favorites is the Barnard Gates puzzle, which you can pick up at the Barnard Store for $40.”
Bridget Hughes ‘24, Athena Student Programs and Support Intern
“Build your loved ones’ sustainable practices with Local Roots NYC! Local Roots is a grassroots movement working to build a community-driven, regenerative food system in NYC. Their women-led team distributes over 60,000 pounds of sustainable produce a year! I’m passionate about ethical and thoughtful food consumption, and shopping locally is a great way to put my money where my mouth is (literally!). Shop their Holiday Gift Collection, which includes a variety of local foods and goods, including one of my favorite waste-reducing Reusable Beeswax Wraps ($18.00), or order a weekly food bundle ($28.50) and make your loved ones a delicious meal!”
Ruchi Shah '22, Communities of Practice Post Baccalaureate Fellow
Mystery Games by Deadbolt Mystery Society
“I believe that experiences with friends and family are the best part of the holiday season. One of my favorite things to do with loved ones is to play mystery games from the Deadbolt Mystery Society. Their mystery boxes include a standalone mystery as well as clues and evidence. They even have holiday-themed mystery boxes!”
Elise St. Amant ‘23, Athena Digital Design Student Lead
“Happy Medium is an art cafe that hosts events for “casual artists.” Introduce your loved ones to the magic of making! I may be a dancer, but the visual arts have never been my forte. That’s why I love Happy Medium. You don’t need any previous experience to go enjoy a day of collaging, figure drawing, or even chair building! You can attend a class or just stop by and order your art experience like you would order coffee at a restaurant. These self-guided art experiences range from $15-$25 per person depending on the materials you would like to work with. You can gift your friends and family a gift card to be used towards a class, event, or day at the cafe.”
Rosie Elliot ‘24, Athena Fellows Student Lead
Members of our community — from our supporters to our students — do some amazing work!
Jacki Zehner P ’23 and member of the Athena Leadership Council is founder of SheMoney, a consultancy and content platform dedicated to women+, money & financial equity. Check out SheMoney Gear.
Reimagine your space and celebrate change. Be it a home, small office, or just a room, it makes sense to design with an inspired team. Panafold, founded by Barnard alum and Athena Leadership Council member Meg Withgott, brings new ideas to your project for one of the most uplifting gifts you can present to your family or colleagues. We create beautiful, idea-driven designs. Give a design consultation for: Remodels; Interior Design; Color and Material Consulting. Visualizations available.”
“Support student theater on campus and attend one (or more!) show! Many student productions, from musicals, plays, and student-written works, open at the end of the semester, around the holiday season. Ticket prices depend on the student group, but most are free! Check out the Columbia University Performing Arts League, Columbia Musical Theatre Society, Columbia University Players, Kings Crown Shakespeare Troupe, XMAS, Black Theatre Ensemble, New and Original Material Authored and Directed by Students, and Latenite social media pages for show-specific info!”
Amalia Garcia ‘23, Athena Policy and Changemaking Student Lead
And of course, consider buying passes to the 2022 Athena Film Festival! This year, celebrate both the holidays and the Athena Film Festival's in person return by gifting film festival passes to your loved ones! A suggestions from our wonderful Post-Baccalaureate Fellow Gabriela Jatene '22.
Some of the most powerful and meaningful gifts aren't always material. This year, consider honoring the important people in your life by making a donation in their name to a charity or non-profit organization. Check out the Athena staff's charity picks here.
“A not-for-profit organization that resonates with me is Dress for Success. Their mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and career development tools. Give a gift that can make all the difference by donating to an organization with a long track history of helping women receive the confidence, resources, and support to propel them forward in work and life. Check out seven ways to help Dress for Success support women on their journey to economic empowerment.”
Erika Guzman, Program Manager, Applied Learning
“I learned my ABCs, and 123s from Sesame Street, but I also learned how to be kind and compassionate. I can think of no better organization to give to than Sesame Workshop; an organization whose mission is to prepare the next generation to build a better world.”
Kristin Molloy, Athena Film Festival Operations Manager
“... A short and inspiring documentary that introduces us to a handful of everyday activists who are making change locally and nationally.”
“... [A] documentary that provides an incredibly compelling “activist biography of Barnard Alumna Grace Lee Boggs ‘35, who dedicated her life to racial and economic transformation - in the books that she wrote, in how she lived her life, and in her unwavering but evolving believe that a different world is possible”
Debra Minkoff, Miriam Scharfman Zadek Family Professor of Sociology, Department Chair, Dean of Faculty Diversity and Development