Sylvia Brownlee has been working in the beauty industry for more than two decades, and over time, she found skincare to be her passion. After clearing her own skin and finding unstoppable self-confidence, she knew she wanted to use her expertise to help others do the same. That’s why she opened Pure Beauty Skin Bar in Silverton and established her own skincare line: to serve a community in need of quality care and that ever-coveted healthy glow.
Read MoreHello! If you aren’t already aware, I’m Lindsay, student editor-in-chief here at Women of Cincy. This past month, Kiersten implemented a new task for the residents. Every two weeks, we will be reading long-form news pieces or essays. The residents rotate who choose the piece and then we all chat about it, what we took away, how it relates to our craft, etc.
Read MoreThe co-founder of Cincinnati Renewed Wellness has a lot of letters behind her name – L.P.C.C. stands for “Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor”; L.I.C.D.C. means “Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor” – but McLaughlin’s dreams and approach to wellness go far beyond our traditional expectations in the world of mental health.
Read MoreChris Schuermann, executive director of St. Francis Seraph Ministries, and Lois Shegog, director of the Sarah Center, are two amazing women doing good work focused on women.
The Sarah Center is a program of St. Francis Seraph Ministries that was created as a safe place for impoverished women in Cincinnati. It’s been around since the ’80s and has turned into a creative community with the same female and community focus it started with.
Read MoreIf I had the organizational capacity to write a list of the women who rule my world, Anissa would be in bold permanent ink closest to the top. As a woman of many creative works, talents, and hairstyles, she is a goddess of space making. Her ability to create a space for any person who breathes makes my heart swell with gratitude.
Read MoreBombASSbabes 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.
Read MoreOn a gray morning downtown, Vine Street’s ancient brick giants look over the city as if to say, “I’ve been here longer than you.” Inside one of these beautiful edifices is the spacious but quaint office of Margo Warminski, preservation director at the Cincinnati Preservation Association. Peering into the distance, Margo identifies iconic landmarks with a passion most people reserve for sports statistics or “The Bachelor.” She marvels in the use of slate, repurposing of schools for offices, and the view of the church spires in the distance. A longtime advocate for preservation, Margo started at the organization as a volunteer in 1977 and has since worked her way up to the top position at the small but mighty nonprofit company. We sat down at her office to discuss her reverence for the past and her hope for how the history of the city will influence its future.
Read MoreThe first time I walked into the Miller household was seven or eight years ago. Andrea Miller would soon become my mom’s best friend; a woman who’s walked alongside us through some hard times, always with a voice of reason and love. She has become a second mom, a cool aunt, and a woman that I admire beyond belief.
Read MoreWe spent an afternoon with author, researcher, and teacher Kristen Iversen in her historic home off the idyllic Ludlow Ave. We sat between two stacked bookcases filled with photographs from the past and pages of words written by famous authors – one of them being herself.
Read MoreWhen Sara Al-Zubi saw what was happening to women and children in Syria and around the world, like so many of us, she was astonished and appalled. She couldn’t sit idly by, so – at just 20 years old – Sara crashed full-on into the world of refugee activism. From Truman Scholar to youth ambassador to founder of multiple nonprofits, her accomplishments are impressive, but Sara’s just getting started.
Read MoreIf you don’t already know me, I’m Lindsay Combs. I am the student editor-in-chief here at Women of Cincy. I’m writing to you all from the comfort of my couch, with a glass of wine and a pint of ice cream. I’ve been waiting to write this until I could figure out exactly how to put my excitement into words.
Read MoreBombASSbabes 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 8 features Devyani who uses dance as a lens to view the world in an artistic light.
Read MoreCarla Nicole Smith is a bartender and server at The Greenwich, a famous jazz club located in Walnut Hills. From becoming a ritzy destination in the industrial age to serving as a gather space during the city’s boycotts in the early 2000s, The Greenwich has withstood the test of time, and has hosted musicians and performers from all over the country.
Read More“We were meant to know one another” – is often the phrase my inner voice feels confident screaming when I meet a woman with a heart that could be divided by ten million and still shine as bright. Upon meeting Charmaine outside of our day job stocking lettuce at Trader Joe’s, my inner voice was amplified for every Panera-goer to hear.
Read MoreIn order to get specific about goal setting, we must look realistically at our plans and evaluate what we are willing to – or in some cases, excited to – give up in order to achieve our goals. We must firmly say “no” to many things in order to have maximum focus on what we want to say “yes” to.
Read MoreFor Christine Kirn, Grainwell is more than a company. It is family, community, and most importantly, love. After quitting her full time job, Christine Kirn and two of her sisters decided to open the shop, a customized wood centric decor company in the heart of Covington. As I sit with Christine at her office, the smell of fresh wood surrounds us, and we dive in.
Read MoreThere are people who come into our lives when we need them the most. I met Kathy Kugler on a day when I felt overwhelmed by the world’s problems and helpless to do anything about them. I knew very little about Kathy’s background, except that she was nominated to be interviewed by us because of her ability to act and help others.
Read MoreI met Aprina Johnson outside of a warehouse. “You ready?” she asked. I said yes, although I wasn’t sure. I put my Subaru into drive and followed her sedan through a quick series of back alleys. We parked in a secluded area near an abandoned truck yard, and out of Aprina’s car tumbled four children plus herself. We scuttled across a road and past patches of overgrown weeds and large cement blocks, eventually making it to a highway overpass.
Read MoreAt just 18, Rasleen Krupp is already a political activist with an impressive list of accomplishments. She has spoken in front of thousands at Cincinnati’s Women’s March. She organized the walkout at her high school, joining thousands of other schools as they raised their collective voices to memorialize those killed in Parkland and protest for stricter gun control legislation. And she formed The Young Activists Coalition to offer a place for young people to get involved. That coalition organized the March for Our Lives and continues to hold events to educate and give a voice to teens.
Read MoreRita Stall may not have had her start in the tech industry, but she is certainly paving the way for others to become engaged in the industry, and learn how to become a developer through Tech Elevator’s curriculum. Not only did we learn about Rita’s passion for growth in the community, but Tech Elevator’s hope to help the community grow by bridging the gap in Cincinnati’s need for tech talent.
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