On an oddly warm day in March, we ventured out to a little corner pub in Madisonville to meet Allyson West. Little did I know that she’d immediately become one of my favorite people: an unapologetic, authentic, instant friend who makes you feel like you could walk up to her on the street and pour out your heart and soul. We met the fiery filmmaker, actress, and founder of the brand new Cindependent Film Festival at her favorite neighborhood haunt, The Bramble Patch.
Read MoreThe organizers of the inaugural Cindependent Film Festival joined forces with Women of Cincy on July 4 at Washington Park to celebrate the rad party that will be the event's inaugural edition, August 23-25 at the Woodward Theater.
Read MoreMentorship matters. As residents of Women of Cincy, we’ll learn as much from you as you’ll learn from us. We believe that life is just one giant learning curve, and learning about the world and its women is not only beneficial, but essential. Heading out into the world is not always easy, but it’s always a welcome challenge.
Read MoreI still remember my first real friend. His name was Collin. Our common interests included peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, “Sesame Street,” catching worms, and hogging the monkey bars from our preschool classmates. We became besties at age 3 simply because his cot was next to mine, and I saw him every weekday from 8 to 5. It was that easy. Now, at the age of 30, it’s a bit different.
Read MoreWe asked Cincinnatians of all genders, sexual orientations, races, religions, ethnicities, and cultures one question at the 2018 Cincinnati Pride Parade and Festival last Saturday: “What does Pride mean to you?” As rainbow flags flew through the rain and dancers pranced through the streets, smiles beamed while we dodged through crowds and heard their answers.
Read MoreWith both public health and community engagement experience, Kiana Trabue has a unique perspective on how we define health in our community. Since we last talked to her in June 2017, she’s taken on a new challenge as executive director, Gen-H, at The Health Collaborative, where she’s leading a project with the “simple” goal of transforming health and healthcare through collective impact.
Read MoreI met Megan Fischer a few years ago, while she was working at an educational publishing company. She was smart and capable and sometimes had pink hair – the kind of person you suspect has interesting things ahead. When Megan started talking about a diaper bank, a term I’d never heard before, I stopped and listened. From her, I learned that diaper banks help provide diapers, a necessity for children that is not covered by any government program like food stamps or WIC. Health clinics and food banks aren’t regular sources of diapers either, so parents in need have no reliable way to get them if they’re short on cash.
Read MoreFrom bikes to art, there was no shortage of empowering for our city this week. Check out what our incredible team has to say about this past week’s happenings.
Read MoreCommonwealth Bistro, tucked away in a gorgeous historical building, is bringing that feeling back. Built on the community of Covington and the rich history of Kentucky, Commonwealth Bistro encourages you to pull up a seat, dig into some Kentucky Fried Rabbit, and make new connections. We met up with co-owner Tess Burns to hear about the origins of Commonwealth Bistro, how to make new girlfriends, and reconnecting with nature.
It was a very cold April morning when we sat down with Amy Vann, founder of Give Like a Mother. The air was crisp, the sun was bright, and the scenery at the Cincinnati Nature Center was absolutely gorgeous. With an inviting energy and a smile that could light up any room, Amy opened up about her childhood, the important role faith plays in her life, and her aspirations for her nonprofit organization. Here is a glimpse of her inspiring story.
BombASSbabes is a mini-series celebrating the tenacious broads of Cincinnati. The short films explore a sundry of hobbies, skills, and enthusiasms women choose to pour their creative energy into. Session 2 features Siri Imani, a performer and member of Triiibe LLC.
Read MoreThis past week, we took a dive into what it means to be conscientious, considerate, and culturally competent with GLSEN at our very own Cultural Competency Workshop held at the Cincinnati Public Library. Over 20 people filled the space as we dove into questions and conversations that have become weighted by politics and controversy, and walked away with new perspectives.
Read MoreWomen of Cincy Collective, LLC, a social enterprise dedicated to celebrating incredible local women, is accepting applications for fall editorial, social media, and graphic design residents. Applicants should be detail-oriented self-starters with a passion for both excellent work and the Cincinnati community.
Read MoreWe meet at Liberty’s Bar & Bottle, home to many of Lily and Anh’s best ideas. It’s an innocent enough starting point for a simple after-work get-together. But with Lily and Anh, a simple get-together can just as often turn into an unplanned meeting of top-tier movers and shakers planning out the next great idea for the city. I’ve been there, and it happens.
Read MoreDanielle Gentry-Barth, a proud Bearcat, told us to meet her in front of Mick and Mack’s at the University of Cincinnati. We settled comfortably in an office borrowed from the philosophy department, and Danielle shared her journey from a master’s degree in history to her position now at Easterseals. She frequently described her work and her life as “awesome!” She fell into fundraising right out of graduate school and has yet to fall out of it. She also told us about the work she does to help others outside of Easterseals. It was clear that helping people is in her nature.
Read MoreDebbie 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 MoreAs soon as I pull up to Homeadow Song Farm, I know the homestead is no stranger to me; the energy is too welcoming and sweet. I step out of my pollen-covered Corolla, trip on a rock, look around with my mouth agape, and see Vicki Mansoor looking at me as she walks down the stairs.
Vicki is the natural beauty of the land, disguised as a human being. I feel unnatural with a camera hanging from my neck: There is just no way to capture that kind of beauty. Not even words can, but I will try to explain.
Read MoreWe've been hitting up the hottest spots in the city and this week was no different. Our team ventured to various places around Cincinnati for events that enlightened, celebrated, and encouraged.
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.
