#wowwoman

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Beauty, Disability, Human Advocate, New York City

I have kept up with Xian's adventures over the years via Facebook. This amazing woman has not stopped moving and kept my spirits up in so many situations. The posts that really made impression addressed DOVE's inclusivity campaign called Real Beauty. Xian challenged the campaign organizers to include women with disabilities into their ranks. Since that video, Xian didn't let up. In 2015, she was chosen to be an “exemplar” for the AT&T NYU Connect Ability Challenge for the creation of assistive technology, where she worked with developers to help shape new technologies that would make it easier for people with disabilities to move through the world. Xian is a vocal advocate for women, diversity, positivity and is such a fantastic person to know. I feel honoured and lucky to call her a friend. 1. Name Xian Horn 2. Where is your hometown? NYC, Born and Raised! 3. What is your profession/career/title/self-label/designation? Beauty, Disability, Human Advocate 4. What was the journey like to get where you are (career wise)? When was the mental shift to start the journey? First I had to throw out my fear (of rejection, stage fright, not-enoughness) - which I fought for years and years - but the breakthrough came in my twenties when I realized I had a message that was bigger than the fear - when I realized there were girls, and women struggling with self-esteem (something I knew so well because of my own struggle with it as a girl and woman) and when I realized I could and needed to help and be of service. 5. What did you study in school? English at Wesleyan, I never intended to be a teacher. But I realize all the schools I attended from elementary school onward, encouraged uniqueness, and our power to change the world. So adopting that mindset was the most important gift going forward. 6. How is your life different from what you pictured at 20? All I wanted to do since I was 13, was to write a memoir, but I was a writer who never wrote - and with the exception of my blogs and a couple of short stories - It's the one thing I have not done yet that I thought would happen by age 21 at the latest. Haha. Better late than never, right? 7. Biggest accomplishment since making the (physical/mental) move? The second shift beyond my fears, was not getting attached to one result or outcome - so not getting attached to one goal, person, or company I wanted to work with, like Dove, or Oprah,  but just exploring the present doors, windows, and paths that opened up to me - just following the Spirit one delicious breadcrumb at a time. That mindset opened the scope of my life to something so much bigger than just one opportunity and meant that my life is bigger than I imagined. I teach at NYU, I have worked with AT&T, the White House, I'm on a Film Selection Committee, none of which I planned or asked for - those things came to me - the shift was having an open heart and not going by what I thought was possible. I never wanted to teach, I am not a technologist, and I'm not a politician or a film maker, that's why I say often, my job is to be me...but being open is a big part of this exciting ride 8. What was biggest disappointment and plan to overcome it? I have had many disappointments in the moment, like heartbreak, or missed opportunities professionally, but with a long-term view of life I've seen that every "disappointment" had a purpose or something better came along instead. 9. Advice for other women? As women we tend to give our power away. You are beautiful, you are enough, and other people's opinions only have the power you give them. Also, seek authenticity instead of perfection. It's more fun! 10. Knowing what we know now in current political climate, can women be "all that we can be" in today's world? What is the way forward, as you see it for "feminist values"? Women are unstoppable and that is clearer now than ever. We all have a voice and as long as we live to our fullest potential, work together, and lift up each other (other women) - that has always been the way forward! 11. Where in the world do you feel “tallest” (i.e. where is your happy place)? I feel tallest when I'm in service - in prayer, in the classroom, speaking with others or to others, helping - that is the happiest place I know. I wake up smiling and grateful everyday that this is my life and through good work I grow taller everyday. 12. What extra-curricular activities/hobbies are you most proud of? Why? Any adaptive sports - I loved surfing, waterskiing, parasailing, and soon, adaptive rock climbing - it pleases me most because it shows me and others what's possible - anything! 13. What do you want to be when you grow up? Future goals/challenges? More service please! Not going to limit it with specifics! 14. What fears are you still hoping to overcome? Still have lots. I'd love to be fearless, and wise at the same time (one can do stupid things without fear) but fear reminds me that life matters and I still care. 15. Anything you'd do differently (if you had another go at life)? I would have started earlier if I'd known what was waiting for me, but even the detours have a purpose, so no regrets, only lessons! 16. What inspires you? People who live without excuses, I still have quite a few. Hence, no memoir yet! 17. What are you hopeful about? The future is bright - I'm excited about what's ahead. I'm excited to be part of the greater plan. 18. What are some ingredients to a good life? Letting go of expectations is critical to enjoying life more, being of service, creating a support system, believing in something bigger than yourself i.e.: Faith. My faith in God helps me to feel free, protected, loved, and I know I'm never alone. 19. What are you reading now? (what books do you gift most and what are your favourite reads?) I love to give anything by Brene Brown: Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly. I'm reading three books right now! Two on Leonard Bernstein, (one with font so small I need a mouse to help me read it), and one behind the scenes of the movie Casablanca. My reading list is so frightening long, it may outlive me... 20. Who is a “WOW Woman” in your life who inspires you (and why)? I know so many women that are wondrous, generous, capable, selfless and still powerful - those who champion on behalf of women and the disability community because they believe things can always be better; Women like Loreen Arbus, Amy Bittinger, Anita Altman, Judy Heumann, and so many others. My mom always pushed me to speak up by her example. Her take-charge attitude is something I needed more of when I was a just a "nice girl" who was very afraid versus the woman I am becoming... someone stronger, someone with a message and a cause worth advocating for. 21. Where can others find you/your work (links to websites, blogs, etc.)? My blog Twitter: @XianForBeauty83 Public Facebook Page: "Support Xian Horn Unite Disability and True Beauty" Website: XianHorn

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Thanks to Pavel Bulgar for a great make-up lesson for Wonder Woman project! Ww#wonderwoman#wowwoman#greatpeople#wwteam#lovebulgar#lovestich#lovetostudy#sonyafrank#makeupsecrets

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Biologist, Paraglider, Annecy, France

Esther took an advanced paragliding SIV course in Annecy, France. I was the impostor who was there by accident, observing and taking a regular course. SIV stands for Simulated Incidence in Vol/Flight, covering training for controlling the paraglider in extreme circumstances. Exercises involve completely stalling the flying wing, plunging down and re-inflating the paraglider, spinning/spiraling and regaining control, and other magnificent and exhausting maneuvers. Esther completed the course, and was always asking the right questions, reviewing the videos diligently and thoroughly. She is a biologist in Holland, but paragliding is her passion. I thought WOW, here is a kick ass chick sitting in a group of 15 guys, full stalling her glider. I need to get more information. That's how this post came about, I followed her on a typical flying day. 1. Name. Iris Esther Dielissen. 2. Where is your hometown? Zwolle, a medium sized Dutch city with a nice historic centre. For paraglider pilots: It is situated between our beautiful soarable dunes on the coast and the best towing spot for cross country paragliding in the Netherlands. 3. What is your profession/career/title/self-label/designation? Biologist and paraglider pilot. 4. What was the journey like to get where you are (career wise)? When was the mental shift to start the journey? As long as I can remember I've been fascinated by the natural world around me. I am fortunate to have parents who love to travel and introduced me to other countries and cultures at an early age (for example Venezuela, South Africa, Namibia). My dad is a bird watcher so he taught me how to spot wildlife and notice the difference between species. So I am a biologist at heart, although it took me some time to discover that. I actually applied to study psychobiology at first (study close to neuroscience), but when I was hiking in the Azores, I decided that I wanted a study that had to do more with my natural surroundings, instead of doing research on rat brains in a lab. That moment's decision was very important and I have never regretted it. I now work for the regional government as a consultant in ecology and management of the nature reserves within my province. Before this I worked for a travelling agency for hiking & cycling tours. Paragliding is a (very important!!) hobby now, I don't know where I will end up one day, maybe again in the travelling business. 5. What did you study in school? Biology with a specialization in ecology and natural resource management. 6. How is your life different from what you pictured at 20? I didn't picture myself spending so much time in an office, and actually like what I do. My brain is challenged in this job and I can use my skills as a biologist in a way that has impact, which is great. However I still think it should be temporary, say for a few years. The trade off is that my body doesn't get as much activity as it actually requires and majority of the time I am not exploring my surroundings but sitting at my desk. I hope in the future I can do work that is more balanced in both or I just go full force on paragliding and travelling for a while. 7. Biggest accomplishment since making the (physical/mental) move? Getting a permanent contract on my current job as a biologist and to learn how to pilot a wing and fly my first cross country distances. 8. What was biggest disappointment and plan to overcome it? No huge disappointments.... yet! Only small ones, not one in particular that stands out. 9. Advice for other women? Fear less, don't think things are not for you because you are a woman, take a leap of faith now and then, trust your own judgement and go with your gut. 10. Knowing what we know now in current political climate, can women be "all that we can be" in today's world? What is the way forward, as you see it for "feminist values"? I think there is still a lot of pressure on what women should be, especially when it comes to appearance. Prettiness gives a women certain privileges and power over men, however I think for good looking women it is harder to gain respect in a professional career and to get opportunities to lead, especially in male dominated sectors. If you are a good looking you for example may have more chances to get hired, but there is less chance you are hired as a 'boss'. The way forward? I think women should help each other up more. There is too much competition between women, and too little empowerment. This is one of the ways forward, another one is to acknowledge discrimination on gender and on race still exists in modern western societies. 11. Where in the world do you feel “tallest” (i.e. where is your happy place)? In extreme natural environments. This can be in the air, flying but also deep jungles, an arctic tundra, on top of a volcano. The raw beauty of our world in these places is very overwhelming, making me feel very tall and very small at the same time. 12. What extra-curricular activities/hobbies are you most proud of? Why? Paragliding for sure. Because it is very mentally challenging, but also graceful and explorative. Before I started paragliding (2015) I tried diving, surfing and was following yoga classes. But nothing has been as amazing as flying a paraglider. It is very rewarding in terms of experiences and I like the mental challenge a lot. 13. What do you want to be when you grow up? Future goals/challenges? I think I haven't found my ideal job jet, or haven't found a way to make my current job my ideal job. 14. What fears are you still hoping to overcome? I would like to learn to trust my own decisions more. I find it very hard sometimes not to be in doubt, and just go for one way or the other especially in my job. In flying it can be hard to see the difference between 'true fear' and just making yourself crazy with scary thoughts that are not rational nor are your gut feeling. This is something that can be trained if you pay closer attention to your thoughts and feelings while making decisions. I hope that by training this while paragliding and being aware of the parallel with other situations in life will help me to grow more self-confident and be more decisive in my work as well. 15. Anything you'd do differently (if you had another go at life)? Not really, I have very few regrets and am still behind the choices I made in the past because I honestly think they where the best I could do at the time. If I would have a second life to live I would maybe be single for a longer time to see how that feels and how that would influence my self development (I have been in a relationship since 17, 12 years now), but I don't regret any of the choices I made to live the life I have now. 16. What inspires you? Nature, flying and people that are bright-eyed, enjoying life and create positive impact with their job. 17. What are you hopeful about? About the fact I still see myself growing as a person even if I don't always know which way I'm going. 18. What are some ingredients to a good life? Flying, good food, sex, warm relationships and having a job that means something to you and has a positive effect on others. 19. What are you reading now? (what books do you gift most and what are your favourite reads?) I have just started reading Paul Auster's 4321, recommended to me by a friend. And I read Classic Routes a beautiful paragliding book with descriptions and pictures some of the most epic and best known cross country paragliding routes in the world. 20. Who is a “WOW Woman” in your life who inspires you (and why)? One of my best friends Merel, who a professional scientist in tropical ecology and recently moved to Switzerland for a post-doc. I really admire her take on life, she's very relaxed but not in a lazy way. She works very hard on her scientific projects and has a lot of ambition, still she always finds time to climb (she loves rock climbing), travel and invest in relationships. Bèta science is very male dominated, which makes it less attractive to women, but she is definitely holding ground there. 21. Where can others find you/your work (links to websites, blogs, etc.)? facebook linkedin

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Community Volunteer, New York City

One of my favourite people, Renata and I volunteered together at the ER in Washington Heights, NYC. Although she put up the biggest resistance fight to be featured as a WOW Woman, I think few deserve it more than she does. Renata never stops. She never stops volunteering in her community, be it working with the local police precincts, sleeping one night a week at a local homeless shelter to provide support for homeless women or cheering NYC marathoners in her hood uptown. And this is all while maintaining a full time job. She is the most humble, kind-hearted, shy, loud Polish girl you will ever meet. If you're lucky enough to meet Renata, you'll know what I mean. 1. Name. Renata Zabłocka 2. Where is your hometown? Zamość, Poland 3. What is your profession/career/title/self-label/designation? I'm a research associate/research public health analyst in a social sciences division of a large international research institute. 4. What was the journey like to get where you are (career wise)? When was the mental shift to start the journey? It was a long journey to get me where I am today (physically and mentally), but somewhat spontaneous and easy, meaning that things just sort of fell into place. When I decided to stay in the United States, I thought I should go back to school. I was working on a graduate degree in forensic psychology and I needed 400 hours of externship to graduate. I got an externship, received a position proposal at the end of it and just celebrated 10 years with my company. Like I said, things just fell in the right place at the right time. I cannot say that I am religious, but I believe in karma. I try to be a good human being and I hope for good things to happen to me in my life. I am also a strong believer that perseverance pays off in a long run. 5. Biggest accomplishment since making the (physical/mental) move? They say "if you make it here (New York City), you can make it anywhere". I believe it. I've been in the NYC for 18 years and I consider this city to be my home. I’d moved here alone and it had been a crazy decision. I’d never do it again, but I’m so glad I had done it when I did it. 6. What was biggest disappointment and plan to overcome it? Who remembers those?!? They came and went. I learned from them and became smarter (or at least hope so...). 7. Advice for other women? If you believe in something, stand up for it (this applies to all people really). Be independent. Try traveling alone. It's the best and most freeing experience ever. 8. Where in the world do you feel “tallest”? A year ago, I'd say standing alone in a street of a new city or a village in a new country, surrounded by people speaking a language I don't understand. Today, I must say standing in a rally holding anti-Trumpf sign. I have a couple of those and I hate that I need them. 9. What extra-curricular activities/hobbies are you most proud of? Why? I try to give back and be involved in my community. I was an advocate for sexual assault/domestic violence survivors at DOVE (Domestic and Other Violence Emergencies) at a local hospital. I did it for 7 years and it tremendously impacted my life. I grew as a human being and I met amazing like-minded people that still influence my life. Now, I'm involved in a small 100% volunteer-run shelter for homeless women. We have 6 beds available at a church in Inwood, Manhattan once or twice a week. Our guests come to us from a drop-in center in midtown Manhattan. We spend time with them and host them overnight. I love my shelter community (volunteers and guests!) It has been the most humbling experience. I met women who are smart, educated and some HAVE JOBS (!!), and are still not able to afford a home. When you really think about it, this can happen to anyone I also love to travel. I am very lucky that my job involves a considerable amount of international travel in the past two years. This allowed me to get some new stamps is my passport. Outside of that, I am re-discovering the beauty of low-budget travel. It's a great opportunity to meet people from all over the world. 10. What is the future goal/challenge (career and/or life goals in 5-10 years)? I want to learn to speak Spanish and to dance tango. 11. What fears are you still hoping to overcome? I'm afraid of heights, but I can live with it. Nobody’s perfect. 12. Anything you'd do differently (if you had another go at life)? All my experiences, good and bad, made me who I am today and I'm content with that. I really think that I would not change a thing. One of my dreams in high school was to study psychology at the Jagielloński University in Cracow. I tried and I didn't get in. Had I gotten in, who would I be? Where would I be? 13. What inspires you? Generally, smart and passionate people with a healthy dose of empathy. They don’t have to be necessarily passionate about serious things. 14. What are you reading now? (what books do you gift most and what are your favourite reads?) "The Feast of the Goat" by Mario Vargas Llosa. The book is set in the Dominican Republic and portrays the assassination of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, and its aftermath. My next book waiting for me is The Lonely Planet Travel Anthology: True stories from the world's best writers. I cannot wait to read it. 15. Where can others find you/your work (links to websites, blogs, etc.)? I am drafting these responses on the train on my way back home from a conference in D.C. During the conference, there was a session on social network marketing. Presenter asked us to raise hands if we didn't have an Instagram or Snapchat account. Proudly, I raised my hand both times. I got many looks from people sitting around me. Being too connected is not a great thing for me. Clearly, I am on Facebook.

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Captain, Marine Expert, San Francisco

The first mention of this WOW WOMAN was on a podcast called 99% Invisible. It was titled - Containers. This is not an especially exciting title and I didn't think much about it until Lynn Korwatch was interviewed. Captain Korwatch sailed on an American cargo ship as a first female captain. 1970's and 80's were not the friendliest of times for women sailors, nevermind female captains (I wonder if the times when men at the port ask a female captain if her "husband who is in charge" is on board are still with us). For this WOW WOMAN, when opportunity presented itself, Capt. Korwatch jumped on it. And even though she was 8 months pregnant, "being pregnant is not a handicap or something that should limit opportunities, it's something that happens and you gotta carry on with life" she said "yes, let's go". This trip was epic and you really should listen to the podcast to get a full feel. Fast forward, I'm sitting with Lynn in her office, snapping photos and asking her all about her experiences and inspiring career. She is now head of the San Francisco Marine Exchange - monitoring ships coming and leaving San Francisco Bay - helping efficient trading of commodities and more effective traffic in and out. Well respected in her current role, but further dreaming of more travels and exploring. 1. Name. Lynn Korwatch 2. Where is your hometown? Born in San Francisco, live in Alamo, CA 3. What is your profession/career/title/self-label/designation? Executive Director of a non-profit trade association 4. What was the journey like to get where you are (career wise)? When was the mental shift to start the journey? Attended Cal. Maritime Academy, worked on US Flag ships, worked ashore managing fleet of 14 US flag ships. 5. What did you study in school? Ships operations 6. How is your life different from what you pictured at 20? At age 20, I was attending a community college in the East Bay and I thought that I would be teacher. 7. Biggest accomplishment since making the (physical/mental) move? Becoming the 1st woman captain of a US commercial vessel. 8. What was biggest disappointment and plan to overcome it? I have been very fortunate in my life in that disappointments have only been minor and not life changing. That is not to say that there have not been challenges. From job related; discovering that women in the company I worked for had limited advancement opportunities to discovering that my Chief Financial Officer was stealing money from the company. But, I am a strong believer that when one door closes that another one opens. I left the 1st company and landed my current job, which I love! 9. Advice for other women? Believe in yourself and don't accept being a "second-class citizen" at work or in life. 10. Where in the world do you feel “tallest” (i.e. where is your happy place)? With my family and friends. 11. What extra-curricular activities/hobbies are you most proud of? Why? I volunteer a significant amount of time to Cal Maritime, because while being in the 1st class of women to graduate was a challenge, attending that college was life-changing. 12. What do you want to be when you grow up? Future goals/challenges? My life is pretty great, and my next stage is to work less and travel more. 13. What fears are you still hoping to overcome? Despite my success in life, I still often feel that I don't know enough and am not as qualified as others. 14. Anything you'd do differently (if you had another go at life)? Not really. 15. What inspires you? The success of other women. 16. What are you hopeful about? Seeing more women enter the maritime industry. 17. What are some ingredients to a good life? Laughter, good friends and chocolate! 18. What are you reading now? (what books do you gift most and what are your favourite reads?) I love detective and mystery novels. 19. Who is a “WOW Woman” in your life who inspires you (and why)? My mother! She was a single parent for most of my life worked in many interesting jobs, including being a labor mediator for the State of California. 20. Where can others find you/your work (links to websites, blogs, etc.) Some students from Cal Maritime created a Wikipedia page about me.

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Author/Firefighter/Pilot, San Francisco - WOWWOMAN.COM

Aren't podcasts great? A voice, and a set of ideas were all I needed to get inspired and carry out bunch of research about the speaker - Caroline Paul. She was discussing her latest book Gutsy Girl, and it rang so true to me, that I was inspired to contact her and learn more. After months of trying to nail down common time, we met in a pub around Haight-Ashbury intersection in San Francisco, took some photos, unnerved hippies with our photo clicking and left knowing that we both participate in some crazy sports and share many other commonalities. Success in my books. It was hard to pin point the title for this post, because Caroline is more than an author, she is an adventurer, and not just adventurer, but think-outside-the-box adventurer. If you ever meet her, ask her to tell you a story involving the San Francisco bay, 4th of July and a kayak. Without further ado. 1. Name. Caroline Paul 2. Where is your hometown? San Francisco 3. What is your profession/career/title/self- label/designation? Writer/retired firefighter 4. What was the journey like to get where you are (career wise)? When was the mental shift to start the journey? (path through navigating all sorts of "male dominated" sports/careers and how you viewed it at the time and how you see it all having perspective, years later. Was it worth it, did it feel like it was "so out of the ordinary?" etc.) There were mental shifts each time I entered a new career, which I have done twice. When I became a firefighter, I was not expecting any seismic changes in my perspective. I had lived a life of pretty grand adventure and joining the San Francisco Fire department seemed an extension of that. I thought Sirens! Adrenaline! Big Fires! Of course, the job was so much more than that, and tested me in emotional ways I had not expected. The courage and integrity needed when doing CPR on a baby or giving oxygen to an elderly man who really just wanted some human contact, or treating the same heroin addict for an overdose for the third time that shift, or pulling dead kids from a crashed car – these far exceeded what it took to run into a fire, for me. It also took me by surprise how difficult it was to assimilate into a culture that was fundamentally male. I had many male friends, and I’d also been a pilot, a whitewater raft guide, and a paraglider and in these milieus I was more often than not one of the few females. But all that was a game compared to the firehouse, where the pressure was really on all the time to prove that I was strong and brave enough to be there. And in some ways it was a fruitless battle, because the sentiment against women ran so deep. It wasn’t unfounded – the job of firefighter is physically difficult – you carry a hundred pounds of equipment on you if you include the coats and boots and axes and airpacks, and THEN you have to work. And remember that Title 9, the law that guaranteed girls equal access to sports, had been only been ratified in 1972. So my generation was the first with a background in physical activity and so the first to embrace a culture of strength, teamwork, and courage. So women didn’t have a deep bench when it came to strong, adventurous women. As a result, I didn’t blame the men for their doubts, but the fact was that there were some of us that were very qualified and came to be trusted parts of a team. Being under such pressure for 14 years was no picnic though – you felt any mistake would reflect on all your fellow female firefighters. There was a flip side; I am very grateful for really understanding on a visceral level what it is to be excluded, what it is to be in the minority and what it is to face deep prejudice. Before that I was a pretty dumb white girl, blind to her own privilege, and all that she had not earned. I do want to say there were many very honorable men who were decent to me whether or not they actually thought I should be there. There were also men who were fine with women on the job, though they did seem to be in the minority. And ultimately I just loved the job – I searched for bodies in the bay on the SCUBA rescue team, I faced huge, raging fires, I birthed babies. Who can say that? 5. Biggest accomplishment since making the (physical/mental) move? After retiring I became a writer and I would say that publishing four books big New York publishers has been a big accomplishment. 6. What was biggest disappointment and plan to overcome it? I published two books without much difficulty. And then I wrote two novels, and two proposals and nothing would sell. Five years of my life! I was devastated and almost gave up writing. But then I wrote Lost Cat, A True Story of Love, Desperation, and GPS Technology, which did ultimately see the light of day. So I dug myself out of that dark hole, through persistence, a little skill, and a lot of luck. There was a small, dark place in my heart that wanted to send Lost Cat reviews and sales numbers to the editors and agents who had rejected that and all my other manuscripts. But the truth is that the writing of each one, rejected or not, made me better at my craft, so nothing was really a waste, nor perhaps should the rejected manuscripts have been loosed on the world. 7. Advice for other women? Persist. 8. Where in the world do you feel “tallest” (i.e. where is your happy place)? 1000 feet in the air, over Tomales Bay in my ultralight. Seeing seals or leopard sharks is a plus. 9. What are some of your favourite sports that may serve as a good spring board to get girls into action and fearless activities? If one had to start slow and get them comfortable with risk? Stand up paddle boarding is very easy to do but it feels badass, bc it’s on water and it can be a little difficult at first. There are also some things to keep an eye on – tides, and winds for example – so it’s a step up from walking down a trail. 10. What is it like staring fear (and I mean major fear, like dying) into face? During your sports, etc.? What was your self-monologue? I know that fear is telling me something, but it’s often not telling me to step down. In many situations the feeling of fear is a reflex or a reaction that has come too late. I was once blown out of a hallway during a fire and as I picked myself up after the explosion I was freaking terrified. But then your brain catches up and you realize, hey, it’s over, you’re fine. The truth is that now the situation had just gotten a whole lot safer – the explosion had happened and now conditions were tenable. Fear wasn’t relevant anymore. It was time to go back into the hallway, and put out the fire. 11. What fears are you still hoping to overcome? My fear of not being perfect. The problem with growing up female in the US is that there is a deep sense you have to do everything correctly and if you don’t you’re bad, but in fact I’ve seen that the most grace comes from simply recognizing you’ve done something wrong, saying sorry, and pledging to do it better next time. I want to be that person. I’ve tried to adopt the mindset that I’m going to be perfect at imperfection, and that has been helping. 12. Anything you'd do differently (if you had another go at life)? Wingsuiting. However I would have to be reincarnated with a tad more common sense and be a little less accident-prone. 13. What inspires you? Women who do rad things. I just saw a documentary about some female BASE jumpers. It’s frustrating that people don’t realize how many women are out there performing brave acts and adventuring at a very high level. For a long time I thought no women did things like wingsuiting bc I hadn’t read about any but I did a little digging and there are a core group. How many, I don’t know, but definitely more than none. And we should know this! 14. What are you hopeful about? That the younger generation will shift everything we are doing and save the world from us. Climate change will be stopped and we will kick fossil fuels and we will somehow reverse our swift overpopulation of this planet. Our wild places will be saved, animals and insects will not suffer or go extinct. Oh, hold it, did you say “hopeful”? I thought you said Pie in the Sky dream. Honestly I am not really a hopeful person. I am hopeful about puppies. But otherwise, not much. 15. What are you reading now? (what books do you gift most and what are your favourite reads?) I gift H.A. Rey’s The Stars. It’s a book on constellations. I think that looking at the sky gives us a sense of our place in the universe, which is, note to humans, TINY. We need to feel infintesimal if we are to survive, is my opinion. Am I on this rant again? Okay, I’ll get off it and add that when you look at the sky and recognize constellations, it’s quite comforting, bc there it is, the same sky almost where ever you go. 16. Who is/are inspiring “WOW Woman” (or Women) in your life (and why)? My twin sister. She is a dogged animal rights activist and all around kickass woman. My partner Wendy MacNaughton is an illustrator and she is the most creative person I know. She hates the word creative, but I don’t know how else to say it. Whatever the word is when someone takes an idea and makes it better/funnier/more poignant. That word. Better yet, she comes up with something that feels totally new, and you think Oh, Right, and your perspective is suddenly changed. Once you look through her work you’ll know what I’m talking about. 17. Where can others find you/your work (links to websites, blogs, etc.)? Carolinepaul.com @carowriter

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I was introduced to Claudia by a mutual friend, with this article. Claudia worked at GENaustin, an organization focused on working with middle school-aged girls, organization whose mission is to “support and guide girls to make wise decisions as they navigate the unique pressures of girlhood.” To do this, their core curriculum focuses on healthy relationships, healthy communication, and body image. I was thrilled to meet Claudia and we had a wonderful interview, all while walking around Barton Spring (one of my favourite places in US). Little did I know, Claudia has moved on to other grander plans. Below is her Q/A. Enjoy.

1. Name Claudia Gárate Miguelez 2. Where is your hometown? How to answer this? I was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Lived most of my life in Central Texas. I woke up to myself and the world when I was a teenager at Brockwood Park School in the English countryside. Now I’m in Austin, Texas- the first city where I very quickly felt I could plant my roots after a lifetime of moving around. I’ve been here 9 years with no plans to leave! 3. Profession/Career/Title/Self-Label I thought about what combination I would create to describe the many hats that I wear and realized that just the title Social Worker covers plenty on its own. Social Workers are mental health practitioners, anthropologists, sociologists, advocates, activists, philosophers, educators- a little bit of everything. I’m very proud to be in this field and wear the title happily (when I finish my MSSW in a month!). As a clinical social worker, I am specializing in trauma-informed therapy working from a cultural-relational/social justice/feminist framework. I’m also very interested in neurobiology and how that plays into mental health, particularly positive psychology and the way we can rewire our brain to take in more of the good and build more compassion. Though I focus on direct service, I am passionate about folding in intersectionality into my work and believe that social justice plays a part of everything that we do. More than anything I believe in the transformative power of safe spaces and the healing power of mindfulness and unconditional ruthless compassion.

For more, read: http://riverflowsthroughit.com/filter/women/Student-Activist-Social-Worker-Austin-Texas

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Correctional Peace Officer, Writer, Activist, San Francisco

I was driving down the mountain in a 4x4, alone and on a road so bumpy it felt like off-roading. Basically I was off-roading on the Haleakala mountain, but I didn't even notice. I was listening to a podcast where a woman was pouring her heart out, and I heard her. Her struggles, brutal honesty and feelings of despair and triumph. And the more I listened the more I wanted to understand her story and interview her. Several searches, tweets, messages and I was sitting across from Ms. Hauwert in San Francisco, eating fish and chips. She had a day off from working as a first transgender correctional officer in San Quentin State prison and I was honoured that she decided to spend couple of hours with me. Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is the oldest prison in California with population of about 3,774 as of December '16. The state's only death row for male inmates, the largest in the United States, is located at the prison. I had so many questions and I was also intimidated to meet a person who handles herself so well among population of mostly men, in a tough environment. I did not need to worry because Mandi in person was even more lovely, kind and warm than the woman I heard over the speakers. Below is the very honest and unapologetic q/a where I learned something and was left with at least 100 more questions. 1. Name Mandi Camille Hauwert 2. Where is your hometown? Port Hueneme, California 3. What is your profession/career/title? Correctional Peace Officer—Writer 4. I first heard you talk about your journey / transitioning on a podcast interview where you describe the difficulties in personal and professional life. Can you describe what are some of the differences between feeling acceptance in your personal and professional sphere (at home vs. at work)? I believe that acceptance is vital to a successful transition. In my life, I am both a transgender woman and a peace officer; yet, within each of those environments, I am somewhat of an outcast. Inside the prison system, social progress is stifled. They remain decades behind the societies in which they reside. Racism, sexism, and homophobia find a home here—not that recent political events in the USA haven’t uncovered many of the same rampant forms of bigotry prevalent in our culture. It is no surprise that those working inside the justice system would find the idea of a transgender woman to be unnerving. The outside world is, only recently, coming to terms with the existence of transgender people. It is as if they are being told that the world they thought they knew, is no more; in fact, it never was. To my trans-family, being in law enforcement is either the most heroic thing that I can do, or it makes me a traitor to our cause. I have become an oppressor, in their eyes. It is an incredibly isolating experience to work in an environment where you are always fighting to gain acknowledgment. To better the very system you find yourself in. In the interim, you have to defend that career choice to those in the transgender community who, quite frankly, have every right to question and be wary of anyone who would call themselves an officer of the law. I am not hated by every co-worker, just as I am not hated by every transgender person; however, it is for those who would throw me to the very depths of hell itself, that I continue along my path to bettering myself and my world. I am most fortunate to be in a position where I can even begin to make those changes, to a brighter, more inclusive society. 5. Biggest feeling of accomplishment since making the decision to transition? My most significant accomplishment—thus far—would have to be the four and a half years I spent working toward gaining the acceptance of my parents. Going from, “You killed our son.” to, “This is our Daughter, Mandi.” My parents have made a substantial transition, perhaps more than my own. They had to come to terms with the idea that they were not losing a son; but, gaining a daughter. That I was still their child—their miracle baby. 6. What are the challenges you face as a female managing men and what has helped you to overcome those challenges? It was kind of interesting to see how the inmates reacted to me as a male versus a female officer. For one, they tend toward softer more calming voices—I learned later that it’s their attempt at flirting indirectly. I struggle, now, to have men take my authority seriously—in just about everything. I don’t think they notice; but, they explain things to me now, things, I already know—better than them usually. Although, I will say that I am not treated as a woman by all. To some, I am that “tranny.” A sideshow attraction. To overcome or deal with many of my newfound problems, I looked to other female officers. I asked odd questions, like how to ward off unwanted male attention, or how to survive when you’re awash in a sea of testosterone and male aggression. Most people I think forget, I was never a man—at least not from my perspective—and though I’ve always been a woman, I have not always been treated as one. In other words, I had a lot to learn about being a woman in a male-dominated workplace; I am still learning. 7. What are some stereotypes about your line of work that are true and which are unfair (not true)? Stereotypes are a funny thing; often they can be alarmingly close to reality—others—they miss the mark entirely. The problem with stereotypes is grouping. When they get applied to an entire sub-group of people as being immutable facts or qualities. For example, when many people think of correctional officers—prison guards—they’re imagining something akin to the guards in The Shawshank Redemption; lumbering knuckle draggers who revel in inflicting pain and suffering upon another human being they see as scum. Do these type of guards exist? Absolutely; however, in today’s modern prison system, those sorts of individual quickly go from wearing a badge to dressing in a prison jumpsuit. My experience of most correctional officers is they tend toward conservative viewpoints, chauvinism, and a strong sense of justice. Like all of us, they are flawed; they have qualities which are not best suited for working in prison. Yet, for balance, we need all sorts. I am a communicator; I talk my way out of bad situation. But, there are situations where talking just isn’t going to work, where a harder approach is warranted. As an officer, my job is to ensure the safety of those in my charge and to make sure that the will of the people, through the courts, is carried out—namely, that those sentenced to incarceration, serve out their time. I was not hired to make their lives a living hell or to pass judgment upon them. 8. What was the biggest disappointment and plan to overcome it? I’m assuming you’re referring to my biggest disappointment since transitioning. For me, it has to be my potential as a writer. I’ve had some success, and writing about my journey has given me so much to write about; yet, I remain blocked somehow. There are barriers that I seem unable to defeat. Really, it is the desire to contribute something of significance to the transgender movement—more than simply coming out at San Quentin. While that is indeed an accomplishment worthy of attention (ahh—so egotistical), it does not feel quite right. I have more to offer; I am more than an intriguing headline. A talent that I have been fostering my whole life has been my writing. I make no particular claim as to the brilliance or ingenuity of my prose; but, it is all that I know, all that I am, and all that I have to give. 9. Advice for other men looking to transition (related to thriving as a transgender woman) and Advice for other women (trans and not) who may be looking to enter your line of work? First I need to address the usage of language in the question itself; I would be derelict in my duties as a trans advocate if I did not. When you ask about advice for transgender women—referring to them as other men—I understand the confusion in pronoun usage; after all, before transitioning, they are typically living and presenting as men. Yet, I would advise any individual, writing in the transgender sphere, to avoid using the assumed pronouns of the trans person(s) in question—unless it is absolutely vital to tell the story. It would be the same for transgender men—not referring to them as other women. Sorry—preaching. For those who may or may not be transgender, looking to enter into corrections, I would first ask—do you have any other options? Kidding aside (Am I?), Working as an officer in prison is, tedious, stressful, and dangerous. We need all sorts of personalities wearing a badge; diversity in policing is incredibly important in creating a better environment for all—or at least as good as a prison can be. Be prepared to see things that may disturb you, frighten you, or shake you to your core. And if any of that sounds ominous, then corrections is not for you. Remember, those in our care are human beings and deserve respect afforded to that title. If you cannot separate your personal feelings toward their crimes—and do your job—then you will struggle. We are not here to be their friends; but, neither are we here to be their tormentors. And to the transgender hopefuls, know, that things are still improving; the department of corrections has a few miles to go yet. If you can, transition before you apply. If you come into your own while wearing the uniform, I can only hope that your experience is better than mine and those who’ve come before. We are here—I am here; should you need to reach out for advice or a friendly ear, I am always willing to listen. 10. Where in the world do you feel “tallest” (i.e. where is your happy place)? My happy place, is not so much a place, as it is an activity—writing. Specifically, scribbling in my notebook with a good’ole pen or pencil. With a piece of paper, I am God. I hold the fate of each blank page in my hand. Before me is infinite possibility waiting for my thoughts to give it form and purpose. Even the act of regarding the beauty of a blank page gives me satisfaction. With a pen and a piece of paper, I can control the fate of my deepest, darkest, thoughts; my heart tore open upon the page for others to read, to ponder, and perhaps—to learn. 11. What extra-curricular activities/hobbies are you most proud of? Why? I’ve had so many hobbies, it is hard to know what to chose. Learning martial arts rates high on my list of activities I’m most proud of. However, my reasoning for taking it on in the first place has to do with my childhood. I used to get picked on and beat up. The worst of which happened during shower time after P.E. I wasn’t comfortable undressing in front of boys—I am a girl—and that made me weird, and outcast. And around junior high, I began to notice my attraction to males; the bullies too, noticed me, noticing boys. I was the target of regular beatings, usually while kids yelled homophobic epithets. It was a kid on the playground that saved me one day; literally sailing over my prone form and kicking my assailant. It was his intervention and the knowledge that he possessed such knowledge thanks to the study of martial art, that moved me to seek training. In the years that followed, I gained a Sandan (third-degree black belt) in Shorin-Ryu and a high rank in Wing Chun Gung Fu. Over 20 years of hard work and long days punching and kicking—all so I could walk through life without being in fear of my life. I’m not too shabby at Close-up Card Magic either. 12. What is the future goal/challenge (career and/or life goals in 5-10 years)? I’ve always said, that at my ten-year mark with corrections, I’ll promote; I am well on track to that goal. My ultimate career goal, however, has to be living and working as a writer, and author. I love it. Toward that goal, I have made progress, and I need to continue pushing forward. Perhaps a biography is in my future—though I love writing the stories of other trans people as well. 13. What fears are you still hoping to overcome? I want to, desperately, overcome my fear of living. For decades, I’ve suffered from depression. In fact, I couldn't say for sure whether or not I’ve ever been happy. Having to deal with Gender Dysphoria and all of the fears that come with it, have left me spent. While my darker emotions come quickly, I find it hard to connect to the brighter side of my psyche. I have—and continue to—suffer from suicidal thoughts and ideations. I am a survivor of more than a few attempts. More than anything, I want—need—those self-harming thoughts to stop. The scariest part of it all is that I have no idea—short of medicating myself into oblivion—about how to end this deadly cycle. 14. Anything you'd do differently (if you had another go at life)? Can I be born a girl? If not then —no. The reason? There is no guarantee that my life would have been any better today, had I come out at a young age. During the 80’s and the 90’s, the treatment for transgender people was shock therapy. They’d literally attach electric contacts to your skull and turn up the juice. Besides, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do many of the things I’m doing today—like making history as the first openly transgender correctional officer at San Quentin. (ps…I was born a girl; I just didn’t tell anybody right away.) 15. What inspires you? The unending creativity of the human mind gives me hope for the future; I draw from its wellspring to turn the void into being. It is from the example set by my progenitors that I draw my inspiration. 16. What are you hopeful about? Hope is a fickle friend for me. I sometimes feel that the more I hope something, the further it races from my grasp. If there is hope in me, it would have to be for the bright future of our young transgender family. 17. What are you reading now? (what books do you gift most and what are your favorite reads?) I mostly read non-fiction—science, psychology, and philosophy. I do love Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett as my go to fiction authors. The book I’ve gifted most—even going to the store to buy new copies just to give away—is Gavin-De Becker’s The Gift of Fear. Mostly it teaches people to trust their instincts in dangerous situations; that we often notice more about the world around us than we give ourselves credit for. 18. Who is a “WOW Woman” in your life who inspires you (and why)? Perhaps it’s cliché; but, my WOW woman is my mother. She has overcome so much in her life and still managed to raise loving, caring, and compassionate children. I would say more about her story; however, I do not want to tell it, until she is ready for the world to hear it. She is far from perfect; she has flaws which I would never admonish; though I have yet to run across a better woman to look toward, to show me what a woman is—a decent person. 19. Where can others find you/your work (links to websites, blogs, etc.)? My HuffPost Blog

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Social Worker Extraordinaire, New York City

Verena was my partner in a late night on-call volunteering work for over five years. It was called Domestic and Other Violence Emergencies (DOVE) Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital where we would expect a call between the hours of 6PM and 7AM and get ourselves to the ER without a real clue of what we may expect to see. We would essentially relieve the social workers during the night by being first responders to a trauma patient, specifically after a sexual assault or domestic violence incident. I know the program transformed me immensely and one of the things I was able to take away was meeting and staying in touch with so many incredibly talented and compassionate individuals. These women had full time jobs but spent time during nights and weekends facing some of the harshest realities of our society, and helping others start on a long road to healing. Verena took that experience and with her incredible gift of listening and empathizing was able to shine even brighter. And all the roads we have to walk are winding, as they say. So proud to call her my friend and learn a couple of new (and surprising) things about her from the Q/A below. 1. Name Verena Salvi 2. Where is your hometown? Rome, Italy. 3. What is your profession/career/title/self-label/designation? I’m an advocate, a social worker and a trauma-focused psychotherapist in the crime victim unit of a large hospital. I’m also an adjunct professor in the graduate department of Columbia University School of Social Work, a faculty member of the post-graduate Trauma Training Program at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy, and a freelance trainer and consultant with various organizations working on gender-based violence and human rights. 4. What was the journey like to get where you are (career wise)? When was the mental shift to start the journey? It was a journey alright, in both the figurative and the literal sense of the word. Growing up in a household with domestic violence, I began traveling my way out of reality years before I could physically travel away. Since an early age, I developed the ability to dissociate from my own experiences and attune to the experiences of the people around me, listening and giving my time to others as an instrument for confessions of both anguish and happiness. I didn’t know it back then, but listening to other people and accompanying them through arduous journeys would soon become my passion and my life. But it would take many more miles of physical travel, new beginnings and second chances, from Rome to London to Dublin and back to Rome, before I could find my way to New York City and learn to re-attune to my own emotions. Rome lives on a past so glorious to challenge the passing of time and New York transcends time because its strength lies in the hopes of its inhabitants, vibrating to the beats of the most colorful humanity. After nearly 15 years, this is home. 5. Biggest accomplishment since making the (physical/mental) move? I’m proud of the work I do and immensely grateful for the privilege to provide long-term quality trauma-informed treatment to survivors independently of their ability to pay. Compassionate and competent care should not be off limits to people who cannot afford the big bucks and should not have an arbitrarily-set expiration date. How do you begin a journey of recovery by telling someone that they only have a set amount of sessions to get better? The most harrowing consequence of trauma is the shattering of human connections. You see, trauma is what happens but also what doesn’t happen; it’s the lack of support and understanding after a difficult experience or even worse the presence of blame. My work has taught me that when survivors experience being seen and heard by a safe and compassionate person, and without boundary violations, they start to create a new template for what human relationships can be; they begin to see themselves not as damaged but as people who have been hurt but are not broken and are capable of moving forward in life. For trauma survivors, safe and reliable connection is an oxygen line straight to the heart. We now know a tremendous amount about trauma and about how to mitigate and transform the effects of trauma, but we are not doing a good-enough job at making sure that all survivors have access to specialized modalities to help them move beyond survival and reclaim what was stolen from them - the ability to live in the present moment. As I realized that the most traumatized survivors are also the most underserved, I set out to train in modalities that are experiential and aim at providing a reparative experience. I trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and brought all these modalities and knowledge to my work, where survivors don’t have to worry about how they are going to pay for therapy or about having to recover from years of abuse in just a few weeks. 6. What was biggest disappointment and plan to overcome it? I feel defeated by the lack of available resources to overcome injustice. I can tell a survivor that she is not to blame and not deserving of violence but I can’t make an affordable apartment materialize for her so she and her children can be safe; I can’t make more beds appear in domestic violence shelters and I can’t make a conviction happen for a rapist who doesn’t even see the inside of a court room, let alone the inside of a cell. I can’t make competent trauma-informed psychiatrists lower their fees or take common insurances, and I can’t stop Family Court judges from awarding visitation rights to perpetrators of violence solely based on their rights as parents. If you terrorize your family, physically and/or psychologically, your rights as parent should not override the rights of the people you inflicted harm upon. I don’t know how to overcome barriers deeply entrenched in patriarchy, lack of privilege, systematic racism, and gender-based oppression, but I think that it will take the big village and the strength of movements like Black Lives Matter, feminists and LGBTQ rights activists, and the many other voices of the historically unheard people in partnership with organizations like The American Civil Liberties Union, committed to use their power for the advancement of justice. I’m waiting for the revolution Tracey Chapman sang about… remember? It’s sounds like a whisper! 7. Advice for other women? Make a lot of noise and reject any and all of the oppressive messages that have been battered into the hearts and minds of girls and women since forever; chief among them the message that women share any responsibility in their victimizations. No more; not ever. Women should not have to live their lives from a harm-reduction perspective. Why should anyone have to make decisions based on what would make them more or less likely to be raped? The responsibility to commit interpersonal violence resides solely on the person who chooses to victimize another one. We need to stop policing women’s lives and hold perpetrators of violence accountable. 8. Where in the world do you feel “tallest”? Laying down and looking up at the sky. There’s so much space for all of us. 9. What extra-curricular activities/hobbies are you most proud of? Why? Outside of my work, my biggest passion is the rock singer Noel Gallagher. His music has been the soundtrack of my life and has accompanied me through all major life transitions, across countries, continents and redemption. I followed Noel Gallagher around the world, and when I’m on the road I feel 16 years old. 10. What is the future goal/challenge (career and/or life goals in 5-10 years)? Right now my biggest goal is to get more comfortable seating for the survivors I see for therapy. Welcome to the world of non-profit; we do amazing work but we don’t have enough resources. I dream of being able to transform my office into a haven of physical comfort, because my survivors are worth it. But I need better furniture. One day. 11. What fears are you still hoping to overcome? I’m still afraid that I won’t be able to help the next survivor who enters my therapy room. A few days ago, a girl sat in front of me with visible cuts all over her arms, several suicide attempts in her past, and a combination of hope and resignation in her eyes. Little did she know that as her voice trembled and she attempted to negotiate between hope and despair, I was engaged in the same struggle inside of me. I heard a familiar voice whispering, “You won’t be able to help her.” Instead of trying to silence it, I welcomed it and recognized it for what it was; a very young part of me who learned that it’s better not to take chances. And so I whispered back, “It’s okay little one; thank you for trying to protect me from disappointment, but I got this. I can help her.” If this young woman could find the courage to trust again, I could find the courage to walk alongside her. I told her, “I don’t know how and I don’t know how long it will take, but I’m going to see you through this.” She smiled and I smiled. 12. Anything you'd do differently (if you had another go at life)? Yes, quite a few. I would be kinder to myself from a much younger age. I’ve only really began to treat myself with the same loving kindness I treat other people in recent years, and even now I can slip back into old habits of self-devaluing too easily. As a woman, I tolerated too much and have apologized too many times for things that required no apology or, even worse, for events in which I should have been on the receiving end of an apology. But where I have no regrets is laughter… I have had some great laughs in this life, by myself and with other people. 13. What inspires you? People who live with disabilities and continue to be examples of dignity and strength in a world where those in power shamelessly mock them and suffer no consequences; immigrants and refugees who travel through hell for a new life and to contribute honestly to the wealth of this country only to live with the daily fear of being separated from their loved ones; survivors of sexual violence who have the courage to speak up even when they are given the message that it’s okay for someone to “grab” them and exploit them to satisfy a sense of entitlement. Time and time again, it is when I’m faced with the worst of humanity that I find the best of humanity as well. 14. What are you hopeful about? A new wave of activism with a no-tolerance attitude for injustice and violation of human rights; this new wave is rightly defiant of the old and defective argument that there should be space for all opinions if the opinions presented are, in fact, about hatred and violating human rights. We can disagree on whether or not access to weapons keep people safer or contribute to widespread violence. I happen to agree with the latter argument but we can talk about it. If you think LGBTQ people should not have the same rights and civil liberties as everyone else or if you believe that it is okay to torture prisoners of war, we are no longer having a difference of opinion; you are advocating to deny someone their humanity and basic rights and my tolerance for your “opinion” does not extend to violation of human rights. 15. What are you reading now? (what books do you gift most and what are your favorite reads?) The Daily Show, an Oral History (I miss Jon Stewart). I have given away more copies of Trauma and Recovery that I can remember. The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, by child psychiatrist Bruce Perry, changed me as a psychotherapist for the better and forever. Borderliners, by Peter Hoeg, was the book that made me feel not alone as a girl. The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk, should be a mandatory read for anyone working with trauma. Why Does He Do That, by Lundy Bancroft, is the gift of freedom for any woman who has experienced domestic violence. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town, by Jon Krakauer, should be read by anyone who works in a college in just about any capacity. Willow Weep for Me is a beautifully-written personal narrative of trauma and depression and one of the few works of non-fiction portraying the recovery journey of a woman of color. 16. Who is a “WOW Woman” in your life who inspires you (and why)? My EMDR supervisor, Leah Leatherbee. Leah is the most gifted therapist I know, a dedicated teacher and, above all, a woman who radiates good energy and warmth. She is that person who leaves a room better than she found it and never seems to run out of encouragement for others and sunshine to share. You can learn more about her here: parnellemdr.com/members/lleatherbee/ 17. Where can others find you/your work (links to websites, blogs, etc.)? DOVE website An article about our work Trauma Training Program link Linkedin My (non-trauma related, for once) Instagram

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Chameleon, New York City - RiverFlowsThroughIt  

Who expects a woman to be just one thing anymore? Plenty a' folks unfortunately... When I met Lyana we were sitting around a board room at a training session in the ER asking questions. This woman is tough, I thought, I want to be paired up with her! "Bitches get stuff done", said Tina Fey once. Lots and lots of stuff. Although Lyana and I don't live in the same city, I've been following array of interests and angles to this lady's existence. Corporate cape by day turns into scuba tank on weekends, actors stage on weeknights and spirited activist's pen come out any time of day inspiration for activism hits (which these days plenty). With the latest WOW Woman feature I flick a light on my friend Lyana Fernandez. 1. Name. Lyana Fernandez 2. Where is your hometown? Miami, Florida 3.​ What is your profession/career/title/self-label/designation? I’m an Executive Assistant by day and an Activist, Actor and Joker (Forum Theatre Facilitator) by night. 4.​ What was the journey like to get where you are (career wise)? When was the mental shift to start the journey? At some point during the year after I received my Fine Arts degree at NYU, I resigned myself to the fact that I’d likely never reach a point where I could support myself solely as a working actress. I just didn’t have the patience or endurance to scrape by on odd jobs so as to make myself available for recurring cattle calls and auditions. So after graduation I went to work as an office receptionist, then as an assistant at a public relations company, before I decided to take a year and a half off and live abroad in Japan as an English teacher. Japan enchanted me, and living in a culture that was so demonstrably different from my own changed my perspective on how to interact with the world. I could finally embrace how multifaceted I was instead of feeling I had to commit to just one aspect of my life and run with it – but I didn’t have to feel like a sell-out simply for wanting to have a job that could afford me a reasonably comfortable existence, either. Not long after I returned to the U.S., I began working at my current job in the finance industry, where I’ve been for 11 years. It’s been good enough to me that I’ve been able to dedicate my free time to giving back to my community in various ways – and which brought me back full circle, since one of the ways I’ve given back was by returning to acting for a non-profit arts and social justice theatre group, where I now work part time. 5.​ Biggest accomplishment since making the (physical/mental) move? Two come to mind: having served as a volunteer Advocate for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence at Domestic and Other Violence Emergencies (DOVE) at New York’s Columbia Presbyterian Hospital for four years; and becoming a host and co-director with People’s Theater Project, a Washington Heights-based arts and social justice organization that creates bilingual plays based on their community volunteer actors’ experiences with social justice issues. Both have given me a keen understanding and appreciation for my community, its often limited resources, and the enormous resolve and creativity of my friends and neighbors to help each other and combat the challenges that face them. 6.​ What was biggest disappointment and plan to overcome it? Like most other people I know, I’m deeply disheartened by the current president and his administration, as well as what I see as a rise in nationalist and fascist movements here in the U.S. and parts of Europe. To see so many proposed cuts to healthcare and social services programs, as well attacks on and legal measures against immigrants, is especially difficult in light of the work I’ve done with assault and violence survivors.  Sometimes it feels as if for every step forward we take two steps back. But for all its downsides I feel that connectivity on social media is restorative because it reminds me on a daily basis that I’m not alone, and that there are myriad ways in which I can take up the cause of resistance. The sheer number of civic action groups that have popped up in my community is invigorating and gives me plenty of reasons to keep up the struggle for justice and not get caught up in despair. 7. ​Advice for other women? Travel as much as you can, by yourself at least some of the time, and make time and room to get to know people from every place you go. It will strengthen your compassion, broaden your understanding, and forge your sense of independence. If you’re young, don’t let other people impose their expectations on you or dictate your personal timeline. You don’t have to have your life figured out by age 18 or your secondary school graduation or any other perceived milestone set upon you by society. As I get older, I’ve found that the goals I’ve felt proudest of achieving are the ones I’ve worked towards at my own instinctive pace. 8.​ Where in the world do you feel “tallest”? “Tallest” is an interesting choice of words since I only measure 157 centimeters!  The answer would have to be onstage, though. I’m sure most people who know me would tell you that I love a spotlight. Whether it’s singing or acting, nothing is as thrilling to me as performing for an audience or the transformative power of words and music when I’m doing it. 9. ​What extra-curricular activities/hobbies are you most proud of? Why? Right now, I’m proudest of having learned how to scuba dive just last year. It wasn’t anything I’d given a moment’s thought to before I was invited to try it by a cousin of mine on an impulse while I was on holiday in Cuba last May, and I just fell in love with the experience. Now that I have my diving license it’s opened up a whole new lot of travel destinations for me that I hadn’t thought of visiting before. It’s very gratifying to discover something you’re passionate about quite by accident like that. It’s like you’re a house, discovering there is this room that has been left in the dark that you never even knew you contained, and then suddenly flicking on the light switch. 10. ​What is the future goal/challenge (career and/or life goals in 5-10 years)? I’d really like to live abroad again, and for a longer period of time. My insatiable wanderlust and the wearying political climate of the U.S. have me longing for saner places to spend my time. In terms of career goals, I think I’d like to continue exploring where acting and activism intersect. Know Your Rights training workshops, civic action teach-ins, and support groups all present an incredible opportunity to use theater as a mechanism for instruction, group therapy, and social change, and I believe there is a demand for a theater company of actors that can create plays for this purpose. 11. ​What fears are you still hoping to overcome? I’ve never tried my hand at public storytelling or spoken word, which is entirely different from acting. For me, it’s a lot easier to embody other characters, or even to play host, than to simply represent yourself in front of other people but I’d like to give it a shot someday. Apart from that, the prospect of romantic partnership seems overwhelming for me because I’ve been alone for so long. If someone compatible enters my life I’d like to believe I’ll be flexible and accommodating enough to adapt to them but it will be challenging to navigate those changes to my lifestyle. 12. ​Anything you'd do differently (if you had another go at life)? I sincerely have no regrets, but if I had to do it all again I’d learn at least one more language and live in another part of the world than I currently do. 13. ​What inspires you? Art does. And stories of human resilience. I think that’s why I know and love so many artists, because some of the best art is the product of people’s need to process their own pain or sense of peril in the face of all the world has thrown at them. 14. ​What are you hopeful about? The progressive activism and sustained resistance that’s been building around the world in response to totalitarianism. The growing awareness of, pride in, and defense of the heritage, histories, and culture of people of color in the U.S. Despite all the troubling things happening in the world right now, I believe young people growing up today are at an advantage for being exposed to these wonderful movements so prevalent today. I’m very excited for what they will accomplish. 15. ​What are you reading now? (what books do you gift most and what are your favourite reads?) I’m finishing Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates and enjoying it very much. As for my favorites, I love historical fiction, travel writing anthologies, and historical biographies. Though lately most of the books I’ve been gifting tend to be baby and preschool reading books for my friends’ children. 16.​ Who is a “WOW Woman” in your life who inspires you (and why)? This is such a difficult question to answer as there are so many women I’m continually in awe of, but a woman I’ve become friends with in recent years, Cynthia Cherish Malaran, comes to mind. She is a woman of color who has survived cancer, abuse, and serious injury and has transformed herself into a radio host, motivational speaker, and world-travelling DJ.  She’s exceedingly talented and has demonstrated that you can live a life beyond your wildest dreams not in spite, but because of, unimaginable difficulty. I hope to see her profiled on Wow Women one day! You can learn more about her at http://djcherishtheluv.com/. 17.​ Where can others find you/your work (links to websites, blogs, etc.)? On Facebook, on Tumblr under Lolitapop09, and on Instagram and Twitter under Lolitapop9.  Also at the People’s Theatre Project website at www.peoplestheatreproject.org.

[redfirecreations-blog]

❤We are so glad to announce details of RedFire's #WowWoman and Grand #Tambola ❤ In this ramp walk, participants will be using saree for different draping styles. Parameters considered for winning #WowWoman Title, 1st runner up and 2nd runner up are ATTIRE, WALK, BODY LANGUAGE only. It will be only one round. Along with this we have #PopularWoman Title for the contestant who gets more likes on fb and insta.. Morethan a Fashion Show it is a #sareewalk to show case your donning and draping skills. Highlights: 🍁 Exclusive Women Event 🍁Chance to win #WowWoman Title (Only for Fashion Show Contestants) 🍁Free complementary round for Grand Tambola 🍁Exclusive #SareeWalk in Fashion Show with 100 Women 🍁Chance to win 5L worth Gifts 🍁Lucky Draw for Online registration 🍁Wide Spead of Welcome Drinks and Snacks 🍁Grand Lunch Buffet (Only Veg) 🍁Versatile exhibition of merchandise Stalls Date : 15th December Time : 9AM to 4PM Venue : Ravindra Bharathi, Khairatabad For Registrations and more info, Whatsapp +91-9121962963 Visit: http://redfirecreations.com *800 to 1000 ladies are participating* @redfirewowwoman @redfirecreations @umaperi_official @sudha5657 @sudhajainfanclub (at RedFire Creations) https://www.instagram.com/p/B508USRlQnJ/?igshid=k6kuqpun7inw

[redfirecreations-blog]

❤We are so glad to announce details of RedFire's #WowWoman and Grand #Tambola ❤ In this ramp walk, participants will be using saree for different draping styles. Parameters considered for winning #WowWoman Title, 1st runner up and 2nd runner up are ATTIRE, WALK, BODY LANGUAGE only. It will be only one round. Along with this we have #PopularWoman Title for the contestant who gets more likes on fb and insta.. Morethan a Fashion Show it is a #sareewalk to show case your donning and draping skills. Highlights: 🍁 Exclusive Women Event 🍁Chance to win #WowWoman Title (Only for Fashion Show Contestants) 🍁Free complementary round for Grand Tambola 🍁Exclusive #SareeWalk in Fashion Show with 100 Women 🍁Chance to win 5L worth Gifts 🍁Lucky Draw for Online registration 🍁Wide Spead of Welcome Drinks and Snacks 🍁Grand Lunch Buffet (Only Veg) 🍁Versatile exhibition of merchandise Stalls Date : 15th December Time : 9AM to 4PM Venue : Ravindra Bharathi, Khairatabad For Registrations and more info, Whatsapp +91-9121962963 Visit: http://redfirecreations.com *800 to 1000 ladies are participating* @redfirewowwoman @redfirecreations @umaperi_official @abhimanika (at RedFire Creations) https://www.instagram.com/p/B508r6zFtEx/?igshid=ymczgijvkpq5

[redfirecreations-blog]

❤We are so glad to announce details of RedFire's #WowWoman and Grand #Tambola ❤ In this ramp walk, participants will be using saree for different draping styles. Parameters considered for winning #WowWoman Title, 1st runner up and 2nd runner up are ATTIRE, WALK, BODY LANGUAGE only. It will be only one round. Along with this we have #PopularWoman Title for the contestant who gets more likes on fb and insta.. Morethan a Fashion Show it is a #sareewalk to show case your donning and draping skills. Highlights: 🍁 Exclusive Women Event 🍁Chance to win #WowWoman Title (Only for Fashion Show Contestants) 🍁Free complementary round for Grand Tambola 🍁Exclusive #SareeWalk in Fashion Show with 100 Women 🍁Chance to win 5L worth Gifts 🍁Lucky Draw for Online registration 🍁Wide Spead of Welcome Drinks and Snacks 🍁Grand Lunch Buffet (Only Veg) 🍁Versatile exhibition of merchandise Stalls Date : 15th December Time : 9AM to 4PM Venue : Ravindra Bharathi, Khairatabad For Registrations and more info, Whatsapp +91-9121962963 Visit: http://redfirecreations.com *800 to 1000 ladies are participating* @redfirewowwoman @redfirecreations @umaperi_official (at RedFire Creations) https://www.instagram.com/p/B508kuIl33r/?igshid=1fsgv85x84e02

[redfirecreations-blog]

❤We are so glad to announce details of RedFire's #WowWoman and Grand #Tambola ❤ In this ramp walk, participants will be using saree for different draping styles. Parameters considered for winning #WowWoman Title, 1st runner up and 2nd runner up are ATTIRE, WALK, BODY LANGUAGE only. It will be only one round. Along with this we have #PopularWoman Title for the contestant who gets more likes on fb and insta.. Morethan a Fashion Show it is a #sareewalk to show case your donning and draping skills. Highlights: 🍁 Exclusive Women Event 🍁Chance to win #WowWoman Title (Only for Fashion Show Contestants) 🍁Free complementary round for Grand Tambola 🍁Exclusive #SareeWalk in Fashion Show with 100 Women 🍁Chance to win 5L worth Gifts 🍁Lucky Draw for Online registration 🍁Wide Spead of Welcome Drinks and Snacks 🍁Grand Lunch Buffet (Only Veg) 🍁Versatile exhibition of merchandise Stalls Date : 15th December Time : 9AM to 4PM Venue : Ravindra Bharathi, Khairatabad For Registrations and more info, Whatsapp +91-9121962963 Visit: http://redfirecreations.com *800 to 1000 ladies are participating* @redfirewowwoman @redfirecreations @umaperi_official (at RedFire Creations) https://www.instagram.com/p/B508FuaF0ES/?igshid=925iemng1jhv