The Women Who Inspire Us
In honor of Women’s History Month, students, faculty, and staff reflect on those who have influenced their lives
The Women Who Inspire Us
In honor of Women’s History Month, students, faculty, and staff reflect on those who have influenced their lives
This article was originally published in BU Today on March 13, 2025. By BU Today staff
EXCERPT
Each March, the nation celebrates Women’s History Month, honoring the vital role of women in American history. The theme for this year’s observance is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations,” and to acknowledge the enduring legacy of women, BU Today invited members of the BU community to write short essays about the women who have inspired them.
BU School of Theatre’s Yo-EL Cassell honors his mentor, the late Pearl Lang
It is difficult to choose one woman who inspired me because so many did so, personally, in countless ways—from my dear, incomparable mother and grandmother to my tremendous spouse/soulmate. There were countless other women as well who not only invigorated, but challenged, supported, and most profoundly, listened to me.
In choosing one, Pearl Lang comes to mind. A renowned dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company and a celebrated educator, she took me under her mentorship and gave me wings to trust, imprint, and generously embody. I remember fondly working alone with her in a studio in New York City when I was a sophomore at a conservatory, and she invited me to be a guest performer with her company. With committed vigor, she remarked, “You may be hard of hearing, but you have a heart, you have soul, and you have an instrument of expression like no other. What matters most, Yo-EL, is what you feel from the inside—the rhythm of your own curiosity, imagination, creativity, and generosity. That is your hearing aid, and this mindset is your movement.”
Thank you, Pearl, for that second “birth.”
Yo-EL Cassell, assistant professor of movement, College of Fine Arts School of Theatre
Pearl Lang. Photo via Library of Congress/Martha Graham collection, 1896-2003