She’s Doing It
She's Doing It: Brooke Axtell – Employing Every Medium to Break The Silence of Sexual Abuse
“Isolation is an illusion. So many of us have suffered through violence against our bodies, souls and minds. I hope that by sharing my story and what I’ve learned through recovery, women will be inspired to break open their own silences. Suffering can be the seed of awakening. When we awaken, we encourage others to do the same.”
You may have heard of the name Brooke Elise Axtell through her wonderful work as an artist and activist to eradicate sexual abuse. If not, I predict you will very soon.
A survivor of sexual assault, abuse and domestic minor sex-trafficking, Brooke uses the power of her beautiful and passionate voice through her numerous talents to bring her own healing message to others.
She is not only a musician and an award-winning writer but through powerful, multi-media presentations, she has a unique way of articulating the importance of feminist leadership in changing how culture deals with sexual abuse. Brooke’s work is an inspiring example of No Excuses Power Tool #8, Employ every Medium. And she is the focus of this week’s She’s Doing It.
See Brooke in this appearance with MyFoxAustin sharing her story.
Read MoreShe’s Doing It: Sergeant Bernadette Smith Making a Difference
I had the honor to meet Sergeant Bernadette Smith at the YWCA Women’s Leadership Conference in Tucson. We had written back and forth, as she had contacted me via this website after discovering No Excuses in a local bookstore. Once I met her in person I knew she was someone you had to meet. She is the epitome of “Power-To” utilized gracefully in a very male-centric profession. As you’ll see she also has a keen sense of humor about it.
Here is her inspiring story for this week’s “She’s Doing It.”
Read MoreShe's Doing It: Jane Roberts – 34 Million Friends Still Going Strong
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In today’s fast-paced world of social media, having a lot of friends has become a status symbol but what if you were looking for 34 Million Friends? In this week’s She’s Doing It, activist & author Jane Roberts, co-founder of the 34 Million Friends of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is doing just that and their efforts are still going strong.
Roberts has dedicated her life to women’s access to education, health and human rights. Her work includes teaching about reproductive health and family planning, surviving childbirth, the prevention of STDs, avoiding HIV/AIDS as well as the prevention of gender-based violence. The fund, co-founded by Roberts and activist Lois Abraham, is a grassroots movement that has supported health initiatives since 2002…
She’s Doing It: Manisha Thakor & “MONEYZEN”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxQvK9BxoCc[/youtube]
This isn’t the first time you’ve seen Manisha Thakor on my website. But when I happened to catch her recent Emmy-worthy appearance on the NBC Today Show, I knew it was clearly time to touch base with her again. She has new and wonderful things on the horizon…
Read MoreShe's Doing It: Barbara Strachan Gives Girls of Incarcerated Moms Hope
I still have my Girl Scout badge sash and a newspaper article about the year my father chaired the cookie sale in Temple, TX. I was in junior high school and looked pretty dorky in the photo, wearing my full green regalia. Daddy–never one to do anything in a small way–bought 12 dozen boxes of cookies. The freezer was packed with Thin Mints and those butter cookies I love with tea, and my friends knew what they’d be having for snacks at my house for the next year.
But enough of that. Today’s Girl Scouts are doing much more interesting things. “She’s Doing It” this week features Barbara Strachan, the Program Director of Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (GSBB) for the Arizona Cactus-Pine Girl Scout Council
Read MoreShe’s Doing It: Madge and LaKeisha
Madge Woods was a mediator and at a networking event, a woman asked her if she would like to mentor a parolee. The program was called “VIP Volunteers in Parole” and was then funded through the California State Bar Association. While Madge is not a lawyer, she was told they wanted her anyway and she agreed.
Her first parolee, in her words was “a disaster” and eventually after three years Madge “learned her lesson and moved on” and then she met LaKeisha Burton.
As I wrap up my next HeartFeldt Leadership BlogHer column on this very same subject, it is their touching story written by Madge I’m honored to share on this week’s She’s Doing It.
She's Doing It: Emily May of Hollaback!
Are you afraid on your daily commute? Leering glances. Unwanted physical contact. Harassing, suggestive derogatory comments thrown at you while you are just minding your own business on the bus, train or simply walking down the street. Are you fed up in having to always be on your guard when you are just trying to live your life? Talk to most women and these experiences are ones that have caused not only fear for your own personal safety but also a sense of deep outrage.
In this week’s She’s Doing It, I couldn’t be prouder to highlight Emily May, co-founder and Executive Director of Hollaback! as someone who has taken the global problem of street harassment and embraced Power Tool #7: Create a Movement with both arms and mobile technology!
Read MoreShe's Doing It: Rabbi Holly Cohn
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When I was told by my good Midland TX friend Dr. Norman Gould that the congregation I belonged to when I lived in West Texas had hired a woman, Rabbi Holly Cohn, as its first fulltime spiritual leader, I knew instantly that I wanted to write about her for this “She’s Doing It” column. I found her optimism and devotion to her calling inspiring. And I was also struck by how women are playing an ever-larger role in religion and religious observance.
This piece was originally published on the Sisterhood Blog of the Jewish Daily Forward. “Rabbi Holly in Mojoland” was my original title. I’d love to know your reactions. And whatever your religious persuasion, what have been your own experiences as women have been taking on increasingly significant roles as members of the clergy?
She’s Doing It: In New Book, PunditMom Examines Mothers in Politics and Activism
This week’s She’s Doing It features popular blogger ‘PunditMom’ Joanne Bamberger. She is not only illuminating women’s clout and influence both online and in the political realm but uses her voice to get out the message of the importance of political motherhood and mothers in politics. Joanne is an amazing example of No Excuses Power Tool #8, “Employ Every Medium”…
She's Doing It: And in combat boots!!
Did you know women are the fastest growing group of armed forces veterans with estimates of growing from 1.8 million in 2010 to 2.1 million by 2036? I didn’t until I read some recent reports.
Women have made great strides throughout the U.S. Military, serving in almost every position now. This is a big change in an organizational culture designed by men for men. Change as we know, can create chaos, or at least the feeling of chaos. This week’s “She’s Doing It” celebrates those brave women in uniform, and looks at how they are using No Excuses Power Tool #5, “carpe the chaos” when Janie comes marching home.
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