"Women of Courage" Book Launch

Documentary photographer Katherine Kiviat and journalist Scott Heidler are launching their new book, Women of Courage: Intimate Stories from Afghanistan, (Gibbs Smith, Publisher). The book features photographs and stories of women in Afghanistan, from a presidential candidate to a schoolteacher, who are playing a major role in the changing social landscape of Afghanistan.

From the inside flap:

THE WOMEN OF AFGHANISTAN are breaking out of the darkness of oppression and creating change in their society to make a better tomorrow for themselves and their daughters. Women of Courage takes an intimate look at courageous women from all walks of life who are facing the future with hope despite their nation's long history of oppression and violence. With the fall of the Taliban, free elections, and a new constitution, the women of Afghanistan suddenly had freedoms that had long been kept from them. These women-a university student, a policewoman, a housewife, a photojournalist, a filmmaker, a politician, a paratrooper, an Olympic athlete, and many others-are taking those freedoms and working to ensure that all women throughout their country are afforded their constitutional rights, including education and economic empowerment. The compelling photographs in Women of Courage introduce you to these women and unfiltered interviews let you hear the voices of women who are literally transforming the world in which they live one day at a time. Listen to their stories in their own words and be inspired by their courage and optimism.

For more information about Scott or Katherine, visit their websites, www.katherinekiviat.com, or www.scottheiderreporting.com