home — Women of Cincy

Living Lightly on Earth: Earth Connection’s Sister Caroljean Willie

Sister Caroljean (C.j.) Willie is the program director at Earth Connection, an environmental center affiliated with the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati and adjacent to Mount St. Joseph University in Western Hills. Sister C.j. brings to Earth Connection her years of multicultural work experience from working with teachers in developing countries such as East Cebal, Uganda, Guatemala, and Mexico, her Peace Corps service on the island of Saint Lucia in the Eastern Caribbean, and her work for eight years at the United Nations as the N.G.O. representative of the Sisters of Charity Federation which includes 14 congregations working in 26 countries. As an educator, Sister C.j. quoted a teacher who said, “Everything you teach has to have hooks on it that attach to something else in someone’s experience,” which has influenced her environmental sustainability efforts to encourage communities to work together.

Science + Tech, Features, Education, Outreach + AdvocacyKelly CarriganJanuary 27, 2020Features

Three. Whole. Years.

Women of Cincy began on a whim on January 20, 2017, as a way to document stories from the Cincinnati Women’s March. We were a few 20-somethings with cameras, recorders, and an Instagram account. We had no idea what we were creating, how much it would evolve, or how much it would change our lives.

Since that day, we’ve reached over 93,000 people, graduated 18 students from our residency program, expanded our volunteer team beyond 70 people, and so much more.

Features, Entrepreneurship, Outreach + Advocacy, Arts + CultureChelsie WalterJanuary 17, 2020Features

The Kids Are the Heroes: Sarah Curry Rathel and the Smile Books Project

We met Sarah Curry Rathel at the Ronald McDonald House, where she works with critically ill children and their families. She tells us these children are her heroes, and through her nonprofit, the Smile Books Project, she captures their stories as heroes in their own books. She is a mother, storyteller, and legacy-maker.

Arts + Culture, Health + Wellness, Outreach + Advocacy, FeaturesKelly CarriganJanuary 13, 2020Features

Kate McCracken: Fat, Witchy, and Always Learning

Kate McCracken is a relatively recent Cincinnati resident – she moved here less than two years ago from Los Angeles. But in her short time in the city, she’s joined a local dance crew, found her favorite places, and started a body liberation community. Nestled at Lydia’s on Ludlow, we talked to her about moving to the Midwest, why she describes herself as “fat and witchy,” and more.

Features, Health + Wellness, Outreach + AdvocacySuzanne WilderJanuary 6, 2020Features

Meet the Women of Cincy Team: Sandra Okot-Kotber

As a resident at Women of Cincy, I was tasked to interview a team member. I briefly encountered Sandra Okot-Kotber at meetings, and I decided to interview her because, well, she just seems to have her life together (although she’ll probably tell you differently). I'm always in awe whenever I encounter an effortlessly cool, clever, and poised woman like Sandra. And after finally sitting down with her, I learned that she truly wants to make the world a better place. Her path in life is one of volunteerism and nonprofit work out of genuine love for others.

December 2019, Meet the Team, Around TownOlivia TaylorNovember 26, 2019Community Mix, Celebrate Black Stories

A Girl on a Farm: Exploring Cincinnati’s Urban Agriculture

The Women of Cincy capstone project allows residents to take on a project that’s wholly their own – from ideas to research to interviews and production. When I began thinking about my project this summer, I couldn’t get away from the subject of farming.

Yes, farming. It’s not something we usually think about despite its prevalence in our day-to-day lives, but having had the opportunity to take a class on the subject last spring, I wanted to dive deeper. How does farming affect our lives here in Cincinnati, and how can that relationship change?

By the Book: Sex Talk with Your Local Librarian, Chapter 5

I hope you had a fun month of experimenting and tried something new. I sincerely hope it was positive, and you learned something about yourself and your partnership. This month, I am happy to announce I am covering the book Respect: Everything a Guy Needs to Know About Sex, Love, and Consent by Inti Chavez Perez.

By the Book, December 2019, Health + Wellness, Sex Talk with EmmaEmma WilligNovember 25, 2019Community Mix

‘Regular, ordinary, everyday people’: Mary Aguilera of the Poor People’s Campaign

We met with Mary Aguilera at one of the places where she feels most at home: North Avondale Montessori School, where she works with children ages 3 to 6. From the moment you meet Mary, you notice peaceful energy about her; under that exterior, there is a deep-running commitment to social justice that meshes perfectly with her work in education.

A few years ago, Mary joined the organization Repairers of the Breach, a group headed by Rev. William Barber. The organization argues that the moral issues of today are how our society treats the poor, women, L.G.B.T.Q folks, children, workers, immigrants, communities of color, and the sick. Mary’s journey with the associated Poor People’s Campaign has brought more than political involvement to her life, and it was a joy to learn more about her work, building grassroots movements, and making leadership your own.

Outreach + Advocacy, FeaturesLaura LeavittNovember 11, 2019Features

Chinmayee Nagaraj: Genetics, Music, and ‘Why Not?’

Chinmayee Nagaraj is learning as she goes. She traveled across India performing as a vocalist, unsure if it would lead anywhere. She studied genetics in college, not knowing if it was a realistic career. But she knows herself.

When she speaks, she is deliberate with her words and distinct in her meaning. And her courage has paid off. She now works as a genetics counselor at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, testing different medical conditions and interacting with patients. When she’s not in the lab, she still trains as a musician, and she spreads her love for music as a teacher for young pupils. Formed by music, science, and the strength of family, Chinmayee’s perspective is one of radical bravery – to willingly throw yourself into the unknown, because, well, how else will you learn?

Science + Tech, Arts + Culture, Features, Music, Health + WellnessBlaire BartishNovember 4, 2019Features

Women of Cincy Gift Guide: Winter 2019

Ahh, the holidays! It’s the time of year when we get to spend quality time with our friends and families, eat lots of good food, curl up with our pets, and buy a bunch of presents for people we love.

Gift-giving is already something we put a lot of money and energy in. But it’s even more stressful when you’re trying to be an ethical shopper and a sustainability advocate. Luckily, Cincinnati has shops that offer low-waste, responsibly made items that anyone on your list would be thrilled to receive.

Gift Guide, Entrepreneurship, November 2019Hannah ReedOctober 30, 2019Community Mix

This Is Entrepreneurship: Katie Taylor on Building the Right Team

Katie Taylor knew right away that she needed to surround herself with the right people if her business, Untold Content, was going to survive the early stages of growth – as her family grew, too. We sat down with Katie at Iris Book Cafe in O.T.R. not long after the start of the school year to talk about how she built her team, how she finds the right fit, and how they’ve grown together over the past three years.

By the Book: Sex Talk with Your Local Librarian, Chapter 4

Do you remember last month when I said we could talk about something a little more fun? (I promise I’m off my wannabe-mom-worried-about-everyone’s-condom-use soapbox… but, honestly, how good are those “her pleasure” ones?)

Okay, okay – this month we’re talking about two of my favorite words: Security and Adventure. At first glance, these two do not seem to go together – in fact, they are opposites.

Learning to Swim: Renee Seward on Design, Literacy, and More

We met Renee Seward on campus at the University of Cincinnati – her alma mater – in the DAAP building, where she teaches, creates, and collaborates to impact the community. Her See Word Design business makes digital tools to help people achieve reading literacy. She identifies with, serves, and encourages people who are struggling to learn something new, and is always striving to challenge what is possible today.

A Closer Look: ‘Women Breaking Boundaries’ at the Cincinnati Art Museum

Women Breaking Boundaries is a new exhibit exploring the role of women in art and art history at the Cincinnati Art Museum. The exhibit is a part of a larger initiative called Power of Her, a collaboration of organizations across the greater Cincinnati region united to activate and amplify women’s voices in the arts.

The exhibition was curated by the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Dr. Ainsley M. Cameron. We caught up with Dr. Cameron in the October edition of Community Mix to learn more about the motivation behind Women Breaking Boundaries, the women featured, and Dr. Cameron’s own connection to the exhibit.

Arts + Culture, Sponsored Content, History, November 2019Brittany BarkerOctober 28, 2019Community Mix

Scenes From The City: Rebecca Nava

Nothing brings me warmth like an artist passionate about the world. For every person trying to find themselves, there is someone dedicated to the person they have already found. When stepping into the home and art studio of Rebecca Nava, I knew I was in the presence of a woman dedicated to all that she is and will be.

Arts + Culture, November 2019, Scenes from the City, Around TownAbby McGuireOctober 23, 2019Community Mix

Reported By Women: Blink Cincinnati

We were enchanted by the lights and, even more so, the community atmosphere at Blink’s return to Cincinnati a few weeks ago. Walk in the footsteps of a few of our incredible photographers.

Arts + Culture, Reported By Women, November 2019, Around TownWomen of Cincy StaffOctober 22, 2019Community Mix

Jamie Jones: Laundry Love Cincinnati

Laundry is a sensory pleasure for me: the smell of detergent and dryer sheets, the warmth of clothes fresh from the dryer, the satisfaction of a stack of clean clothes ready to be worn again. I know that not everyone feels this way, nor that everyone has the privilege of easy access to laundry facilities, but still, I was delighted to sit in a laundromat for this conversation with Jamie Jones, a nursing student who started a neighborhood nonprofit focused on laundry. We met at City Limits Laundry in Walnut Hills to learn more about Laundry Love Cincinnati.

Features, Outreach + Advocacy, Health + WellnessSuzanne WilderOctober 21, 2019Features

Shannon Anderson-Hammond: You Are Not Alone

We met Shannon Anderson-Hammond at Starbucks in Hyde Park – one of her favorite places in the world. For Shannon, coffee is life. With her early wake-up time, intense daily workouts, exceptional work ethic, and passion for creating communities for women on and off social media, it’s no wonder that she needs a little pick-me-up throughout the day.

She’s been through her fair share of hard times, from battles with depression to surviving abusive relationships. She’s an open book who loves sharing her journey with the world to help others. She prizes transparency, encouraging everyone to speak their truth and know that no matter what we’re going through, we’re not alone. In the spirit of that message, she established YANA (You Are Not Alone), an online community where women can connect, share stories, and support one another without judgment.

This is Entrepreneurship: Sew Valley’s Rosie Kovacs

The name “Rosie” just insists on optimism, and Rosie Kovacs was aptly named, for sure. She embodies entrepreneurial determination and a pure force of will to create opportunities and get things done. The C.E.O. of Sew Valley co-founded the nonprofit company in 2017, alongside C.O.O. Shailah Maynard, with the goal of bringing resources to apparel designers and entrepreneurs. The journey, of course, was anything but predictable. She shared with us the ups and downs of stepping away from her and life partner, Hayes’, venture, Brush Factory; the good, the bad, and the ugly that is the fashion industry; and more.

This Is Entrepreneurship: Sherry Sims on Mentorship

Sherry Sims went looking for a mentor early in her career. She was ready to grow and make moves, but she struggled to find someone who could help guide her.