Debbie Smith’s motto is: “Don’t tell me no; tell me how.” This bold attitude has brought her to develop innovative programs that elevate Cincinnati youth out of poverty. We met her at Easterseals Serving Greater Cincinnati in Walnut Hills and sat down in a conference room, where she shared her story with us. She weaved advice into her stories, thoroughly demonstrating her desire to help others in any way possible.
Read MoreSuzy DeYoung is a chef with a deep culinary heritage. After studying French and business at University of Cincinnati and training as a chef in Paris, she ran a successful catering business, La Petite Pierre, with her sister. Today, Suzy runs La Soupe, a nonprofit founded to rescue food from grocery stores, farms, and food purveyors that would otherwise be wasted. La Soupe takes a chef driven approach to turn that food into healthy, nutritious meals, which are then donated to schools and community agencies throughout Cincinnati.
Life has changed just a bit for President Pro Tem of Cincinnati City Council Tamaya Dennard since we last talked with her in August 2017. During her campaign for City Council, she became famous for quoting Shirley Chisholm: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”
A few weeks later, we walked down to City Hall on a hot day to catch up with Dennard on life at City Hall, the ups and the downs, and what the folding chair means to her today.
Angelica greets us with a smile and a toddler on her hip. The little boy, who I later find out is named David, keeps tapping her cheek as we climb up the stairs. I marvel at her ability to balance the active toddler and climb three flights of steps. Her journey to the U.S. began 16 years ago, and if one thing stands out among those 16 years, it’s the moments of family she’s experienced.
Read MoreAt various points during the interview, trains rattle by the house, and we pause when they whistle their arrival. When they fade into the distance, Budhi continues, sharing with us her love story, journey, and the differences between the life she led in Nepal, and the life she’s created in Cincinnati.
Read MoreFrom the indie rock festival that took over the city to Laila Hameen's powerful one-woman show, it was a busy week for Cincinnati. Check out the sights and sounds reported by our incredible team.
Read MoreOn a rainy Cincinnati day washed in diluted sunlight, Mariam Alzoubi sat down with Women of Cincy editorial resident, Lauren Lewis, to share stories about her life in Syria, her journey to the United States, and the adjustments she’s made since starting a new life in Cincinnati.
Read MoreOn a gray, chilly, “spring” day we were afforded the chance to visit the Women Helping Women office and to speak with a bright light in our community, WHW’s president and CEO of Women Kristin Shrimplin. She’s a voice who speaks when others may not be able to do so for themselves. We learned about the mission of the agency and their Light Up the Night Superhero Soiree on April 26.
Read MoreThe Welcome Project is a social enterprise that trains our newest neighbors, immigrants, and refugees who call Cincinnati home in fabrication and art skills as well as store management. Their new, refurbished space reopened this past weekend on April 14th in the heart of Camp Washington.
Read MoreThe first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. Americans were becoming more aware of the many ways in which their actions were harming the environment.
Read MoreThe fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are saturated with testosterone. There is little recognition and promotion of women, a fact which is driving women away from the industry altogether to find fields where they can excel. The shortage of women in the industry is very real, and it’s important for those of us who remain in the industry to encourage and assist one another in professional growth. In order to hold myself accountable for this very action, I have developed STEMulate.
Read MoreWelcome to our new weekly roundup of Cincy happenings as told by our incredible team. Each Friday, we’ll present the sights and sounds of events we attended around the city. This week, we have recapped a couple of community-driven and empowering events that made us reflect on the power of women: the Women's Entrepreneurship Symposium and March for Our Lives.
Read MoreSojourner Truth was an abolitionist and women's rights activist who dedicated her life to improving others'. She's most famous for her "Ain't I a Woman?" given at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention in 1851.
Read MoreOhio native Frances Dana Gage was an active women’s rights activist, abolitionist, author and mother of eight.
Read MoreClothing is a part of our everyday lives. Aside from being an instrument of modesty, it is a form of self-expression. We’re often quick to judge someone based on their choice of apparel because our style is a public statement about who we are. For many of us, shopping is our favorite stress-relieving activity. We all love a little bit of retail therapy, which is understandable. But our shopping habits can have detrimental consequences. Have you ever thought about where your clothes come from?
Read More“One story should be enough,” said Grace Cunningham, co-founder of Students for Survivors, as she stood to welcome a few dozen folks who attended the student group’s Vigil for Survivors earlier this month at Rohs Street Cafe. Students for Survivors is a student-led movement at the University of Cincinnati dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual assault regardless of race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, or ability.
Read MoreFive years ago, Mary Ellen Mitchell co-founded Lydia's House with her friend Meridith Owensby and husband, Ben Eilerman. Mitchell was expecting her second child and Eilerman, an architect, had a full-time job. Both Mitchell and Owensby had left their positions with local nonprofits. It wasn't, Mitchell acknowledges, an ideal time to be starting a nonprofit organization.
Read MoreAt a sold out event in Indianapolis that drew over 12,000 people and raised more than one million dollars, the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana rallied a crowd around the idea that women and girls are worth investing in. Who better to speak on this idea to the young girls in the room than former First Lady Michelle Obama?
Read MoreIn the weeks leading up to this event, put on by the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, I had wondered if it would be politically focused: a speech commenting on the current political climate or a speech raving about the past president. I was so excited to find out that it was neither.
Read MoreI hope that everyone will show up and support the incredible array of artistry that will gather for a month. It is my hope that this will generate more collaboration, more events, and more opportunities to continue to celebrate the rich artistry of women during the other 11 months of the year.
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