the power of the (first) lady

As the presidential race heats up in the US, the potential first ladies become a greater topic of discussion (though their impact throughout the campaigns has been notable -- and I am a bit sad to not include "first gentleman" here, too).

On 2 July, The New York Times published an article by Larry Rohter on the death of a different and influential first lady -- Ruth Vilaça Corrêa Leite Cardoso, ex-first lady of Brazil. Rohter begins simply, yet offers us a strong impression:

Ruth Vilaça Corrêa Leite Cardoso, a Brazilian anthropologist who carved out a career as one of her country’s most respected intellectuals and feminists before rather reluctantly becoming its first lady, died June 24 at her home in São Paulo. She was 77.

Though we'll begin our class discussing sexual violence and exploitation, particularly in relation to Latin American women, I thought it might be nice to begin our blog with the story of a powerful, educated woman. Take a look at the article by following the link above. You can also read more about Cardoso through this Wikipedia article.