The Huffington Post published a blog this week written by 2014 Women’s Leadership Institute graduate Arzu Kaya-Uranli, a freelance columnist and journalist.

The blog, “Voices of WLI: Where Love Is,” offers poetry, prose and pictures about the Hartford Seminary leadership program led by Prof. MT Winter. This was the 18th year of the program, which is now accepting applications for its 19th year.

A selection of the voices highlighted in the blog:

“For some reason, I subconsciously believed that feminism with the practices of religion could not co-exist! WLI has blown that assumption out of the water. It has been a great gift to learn of the contributions of women to our human spiritual and religious legacies. I knew nothing of a spirituality rooted in feminism or that there was even a different way to lead. Learning of the rich history and past has made me hopeful for the future.”

“Christians, Jews, Muslims, Quaker, Buddhist,
Single, divorced, married,
straight and gay,
in our 60s, 40s, and 20s.
We gathered that first time
unknown to one another yet
wanting to know about each other.
We shared our thoughts, our secrets,
our loves, our souls, looking for our spirits.”

“I appreciate an increasing sense of connection to other women both in this country and around the world. The importance of this continues to call to me and I believe many women experience this. The triumphs and sufferings of women are increasingly shared. The urgent need for peace and justice worldwide is moving up to deepen community and identify ways we can bring about change. This is what I experience at WLI — connection, solidarity and intention to bring about healing change and deeper growth both in ourselves and the world.”

For more information on WLI, visit the website.