Dear Followers, On August 6th, the celebrated artist Ruth Aiko Asawa died in San Francisco, and I'd like to share a remarkable life story with you. Born in Norwalk, California on January 24th, 1926, she was the fourth of seven children born to Japanese immigrants who worked as truck farmers in California. They grew seasonal crops--strawberries, carrots, green onions and tomatoes--but were not allowed to become U.S citizens or to own land in … [Read more...]
195: The Self-Empowered Woman: Julia Margaret Cameron
August 24, 2013 By
Dear Followers, I don't know about you, but when I hear the name "Julia Cameron" I automatically think of the brilliant author of "The Artist's Way," a life-changing book for any creative person. So I was surprised to learn that there was an earlier creative woman of the same name who played a pivotal role in the early days of photography. Currently, 38 of her works are on display at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, and you all know how … [Read more...]
193: The Self-Empowered Woman: Women in Our Lives
August 11, 2013 By
Dear Followers, In light of the unexpected challenges I've faced the past month, the following story (sent by my good friend Donna Agins--who flew 3,000 miles for a long-delayed visit only to see me propped up in a hospital bed recovering from surgery--and slightly edited by me) seems to be a good reminder of how important the women in our lives truly are. A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with … [Read more...]
192: The Self-Empowered Woman: Home Sweet Home
August 6, 2013 By
Dear Followers, Wow! How have I ever missed writing about Self-Empowered Women! As many of you know, I have just returned home from an unexpected 8-day hospital stay, and I will begin sharing my online love letters to high-achieving women as soon as I dig myself out of my backlogged paperwork. In the meantime, thank you for you calls, cards and gifts and for being so supportive to Tony--known throughout the hospital as "Mr. … [Read more...]
191: The Self-Empowered Woman: Olympe de Gouges
July 13, 2013 By
Dear Followers, It’s no secret that there’s a special place in my heart for the brave Self-Empowered Women who were born centuries ago. Today I’d like to introduce you to Olympe de Gouges, who was born in Southwestern France in 1748—I find her story of particular interest because she bravely argued for women’s rights, and (unfortunately) paid the ultimate price for doing so. Plus, it’s worth remembering that French women had to wait for the … [Read more...]
190: The Self-Empowered Woman: Rachel Barton Pine
July 4, 2013 By
Dear Followers, Today I'd like to introduce you to an amazing American musician, who has had more than her share of challenges, but has survived them beautifully. Rachel Barton Pine was born on October 11th, 1974 in Chicago. When she was only three years old she heard a group of older girls (who were dressed "in beautiful dresses") play violin when she and her family were at church (3: Belief In The Unbelievable). She loved the music so much … [Read more...]
189: The Self-Empowered Woman: Elizabeth H. Blackburn & DNA
June 22, 2013 By
Dear Followers, Today I’d like to introduce you to a remarkable woman who made a major discovery that should be of interest to anyone who wants to look and/or feel as young as possible in spite of the passing years. Elizabeth H Blackburn, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009 for her groundbreaking discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase, is considered America’s expert when it comes … [Read more...]
188: The Self-Empowered Woman: Female Breadwinners
June 11, 2013 By
Dear Followers, Recently, The New York Times ran an article that caught many social observers by surprise. According to the Pew Research Center, four out of every ten American households that include children under the age of 18 now have a mother who is either the sole or primary wage earner for her family. This statistic--the highest ever on record--has quadrupled since 1960. Some analysts believe this is because it is now so common for … [Read more...]
187: The Self-Empowered Woman: Beyonce & Chime for Change
June 1, 2013 By
Dear Followers, I hope that you will be able to tune in to" The Women's Concert for Change: The Sound for Change Live from London" tomorrow night at 9 P.M. on NBC. And I REALLY hope that you'll let all your girlfriends (and female relatives) know about this ground-breaking event for girls and women. This important event is the centerpiece of CHIME FOR CHANGE, which is a new fundraising campaign founded by Gucci. The idea is to raise both … [Read more...]
