Joining us for our third group video call, Kiran Gandhi, also known as Madame Gandhi, appeared onscreen rocking short blonde hair, a pink jacket, and a yellow “the future is female” shirt. Before she even said a word, I was intrigued by her style and excited to hear what she had to say!
Gandhi began by introducing herself as “a drummer whose mission is to "elevate and celebrate the female voice.” After playing drums for M.I.A.’s worldwide tour, she decided to produce her own music, which focuses on female empowerment. Asshe shared her unique career path- how she stumbled upon the drums at a summer camp, received her Bachelor’s in Mathematics at Georgetown (COL ‘11), served as Interscope Records’ first-ever digital analyst, and then toured with M.I.A. while pursuing her MBA from Harvard Business School (2015) - I was reminded of the falsity of “the linear career path.” Gandhi recounted comparing herself to her classmates and feeling like a failure when she didn’t have a job after graduating from Georgetown. It was nice to be reminded that while things may not always make sense at the moment, they always come together in the end.
Personally, I had never connected with a speaker as much as I did with Madame Gandhi. She engaged all of us in the conversation and her openness encouraged us to share our own experiences as women living in the 21st century. We talked about the way menstruation is still taboo in America and around the world. Gandhi explained her personal decision to run the 2015 London Marathon while on her period without any menstrual products - simply because she prioritized her comfort above anyone else’s.
Of all that we discussed during our short hour together on a Saturday morning, I will remember most the feeling of empowerment that I felt when leaving the video call. Even though we were connected virtually, I could feel an aura of female empowerment and I knew the other Girlz were feeling it too as we logged off with lingering smiles. Just as Madame Gandhi empowered me with her outspokenness, I want to give others that feeling of empowerment too. Let’s always strive to leave people feeling included and empowered!