What do you remember about turning 15? What I remember most about that incredible year was learning to drive. Getting a learner’s permit and being able to hit the road (with a licensed adult) was my first really big step toward independence and, if my mother’s terrified face over in the passenger’s seat was any indication, I was starting out enthusiastically but needed a little guidance. Her hand on the wheel helped steer me away from the mailboxes and signs that lined Roswell Road. Her slightly strained voice reminded me that I needed to switch lanes after checking my blind spot (and turning just my head, not the whole minivan). She taught me how to read a map to make sure that I was going in the right direction. Eventually, she kept her hands off the wheel and trusted me to change lanes without saying “car! Car! CAR!” to me with increasing urgency.

I was born and raised in Ghana in a society where, traditionally, a woman’s role in the community was limited to motherhood. Only a few had the audacity to transcend social expectations and affect the lives of other women around them. My grandmother was one of them.

An election, volunteering, a new logo, historic events, and opportunities to learn more about the needs and lives of women in our community. 2012 was a very busy year at Washington Area Women’s Foundation and much of it was captured on our blog. Here are our favorite blog posts of the year:

In the spirit of the theme of this year’s Women’s History Month, “Our History is Our Strength,” I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the history of women’s philanthropy specifically, since it is a particularly important part of our organization’s history.

In today’s rundown: 13% of D.C. homes struggle with hunger. | How locals are responding to a proposal to limit welfare benefits and the announcement that a big box store is coming to D.C. | A Women’s Foundation donor is named a Philanthropist of the Year.

I never considered myself a philanthropist until I attended The Women’s Foundation’s 2010 Leadership Luncheon.  That was the day that I discovered there’s something for everyone who wants to give at The Foundation.

In today’s rundown: The NEC releases a new report on women and the economy. | A new study finds that women give significantly more to charity than men. | And you don’t have to have a car to feed the meters in Silver Spring. New parking meters will give MoCo residents a chance to help the homeless.

In today’s rundown: A look at education and neighborhoods in Montgomery County. | The impact of a new Early Childhood Center in Alexandria. | A decline in donations to the 400 largest charities in the nation. | And the new debate over the “culture of poverty.”

The latest news, analysis and opinion on the state of low-income women and their families from Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity. For the week ending 9/10/2010: Meet “Girlzilla,” the robot created by a group of young women in New York.  Plus, an initiative by one women’s fund to raise money and awareness.

In today’s rundown: A Grantee Partner on the Kojo Nnamdi Show.  |  Local prep schools plan to take action when it comes to relationship violence.  |  What the Giving Pledge has to do with you.