Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon Paola Gianturco, powerHouse Books.

I always do interviews before I photograph, which helps make grandmothers feel more comfortable. I start by showing them my other books and telling them about my vision for Grandmother Power, so they know what they’re getting into. The women in this book tell me that they feel honored to be part of the project, and similarly, I feel honored that they agreed to participate!

What do you think is the most troubling issue facing our world today?
War.

Which story means the most to you, and why?
It’s impossible to pick just one. I am awed by the illiterate grandmothers in India who spend six months learning to be Barefoot Solar Engineers, and then bring light to their dark villages, which changes everything. They then return to the Barefoot College to teach solar engineering to women the UN sends to India from all over the developing world. Never mind that the teachers and students have no common language, they teach with demonstration, gesture and color coding!

Grandmother Power includes stories of grandmothers who are passionately pursing social justice for many years, and against great odds. Three examples: The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina have been searching for, and finding, their grandchildren who were abducted by the military dictatorship in the 1970s and 80s.