Inspirational Women

Mary Ruth Barnes is an author with Chickasaw roots. After years of researching her ancestors, Mary Ruth has taken what she has learned and turned it into her new historical novel, "Where Birds Land," a standalone sequel to her 2022 debut, "Little Bird." "Where Birds Land" follows her great-grandmother, Ella Brown McSwain, as she fights crooked businessmen, land grifters, and grueling court battles for her family's rightful allotment. This really brings history to life, and we can learn so much, and also be encouraged to delve into our own family's history. https://maryruthbarnes.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alexis De Brock is an exceptional young woman, a terrific role model for anyone of any age. In her busy life as she plans for her winter wedding, she's created a bucket list of things to accomplish. Among them, being to compete in a pageant. Her story is fun and engaging and potentially motivating, for any of us to try something new, something to stretch ourselves and learn. Alexis is competing in the Mrs. Washington pageant, as Mrs. Cascade and chose this particular pageant as contestants have the option to establish a platform, support a cause that supports the community. Alexis is developing her platform to support Military veterans. @lexi-rocksss on socials See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Helen Winslow Black is an author, speaker, and advocate for the prevention of domestic abuse. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Helen's dedication is to raise awareness and supporting persons affected by it, who are primarily women. Her first book, now in its 2nd edition, entitled "Seven Blackbirds," is a deeply impactful story of a woman, Kim, a smart and well-educated woman, who finds herself on the receiving end of a violent partner. While it is fiction, it's filled with truth and true-life experiences. https://helenwinslowblack.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Renee Leaf is an incredibly courageous, incredibly brilliant, and incredibly beautiful woman!! There's no real order to that, nor is it a limited list. She emphasizes all three, while speaking out clearly about her cancer diagnosis. Through her story there lies a roadmap for each of us on living our best life. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But any month, any day, is the time to be your own best advocate. It's what Renee had to, and continues to, do for herself, to find the support groups that provide what she needs. www.komen.org See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rachel Linden is a northwest author, now with eight books to her credit. In her most recent, "The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake," Rachel takes us on a most magical summer vacation with family in Northern Italy. The setting is magical, as is delving into family recipes that Jules needs for a cookbook with a September publishing deadline. This captivating read, ideal for the new season with cooler autumn days and blanket cozying nights ahead, is Rachel's favorite book to date. While her second favorite, "The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie," was adapted last year into a Hallmark Channel movie, "The Magic of Lemon Drops." The book comes out this week, and Rachel has many Western Washington bookstore appearances slated throughout October to promote it. The list can be found on Rachel's Instagram account. www.rachellinden.com | on socials @rachellinden_writer See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ericka Newman is the Executive Director of Team Survivor Northwest, a non-profit organization "Empowering all women who have had a cancer diagnosis to THRIVE through fitness, education, and community." For 30 years, they have been doing this work, perpetuating a formula that supports women through what can be one of the toughest diagnoses one might ever endure. Their support services can be found online, and many are free, with scholarships available for some of the events with a fee. October 4 is a special event, the 30th Anniversary Gala at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington. Attending is supporting a great organization. www.teamsurvivornw.org See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Courtney Teasley, Esq. is a legal disruptor. An attorney who saw the need for faster, more impactful change, she pivoted from practicing law to focus on business coaching, strategic consulting, and advocacy training. This transition allowed her to expand her influence and equip others with the tools to create systemic change. Criminal Justice Literacy 101 is a free course on TikTok and Google Classroom to learn various basics of the justice system. Courtney is working with churches, schools and community leaders to disrupt mass incarceration before it starts. www.cteasley.com https://emeffen.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mother/daughter team Amy Goober and Gwen Borden have cowritten "My Mother Always Says: 25 Lessons for Finding the Silver Lining." Gwen is 94, a woman with a persistently great perspective on life. And many decades of life have only strengthened that attitude. As she puts it through a favorite saying: 'There are no bad experiences, only ones you don't learn from." Amy is an action and accountability coach for women, helping them to put themselves on their own to-do lists. Gwen has been a social worker in private practice, and in her 70s, put it to great use in counselling widows and families of firefighters who lost their lives in the Twin Towers. This September11th marks the 24th anniversary of that tragic day. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Karen Olson is an American philanthropist who is the founder, and President Emeritus, of Family Promise, a national non-profit dedicated to helping homeless and low-income families. Karen has shared her story in a recent book, "Meant for More: Following Your Heart and Finding Your Purpose." Karen's incredible spirit and drive is a complete inspiration, which we learn seemed to go into overdrive during her retirement years. Family Promise has a presence in 44 states, with 6 affiliates here in Washington. www.familypromise.org See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ahead of National Grief Awareness Day on August 30, we talk to Rebecca Galli, an author and columnist who writes about love, loss, and healing. Becky's life has had quite a dose of challenges and losses, and this is not a competition for who has had the most. The important thing is how Becky has navigated the losses and, through her writing, provides an inspiration for us. Becky's new book is "Morning Fuel: Daily Inspirations to Stretch Your Mind Before Starting Your Day." www.rebeccafayesmithgalli.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Melissa Vera is the voice behind "Adventures of Frugal Mom," a heartfelt lifestyle platform where motherhood, culture, and frugal living intersect. Melissa is a proud Latina mom from North Carolina who started her blog during a tough financial time. It began as a personal outlet, but then quickly grew into a trusted resource for women seeking budget-friendly inspiration, authentic life advice, and empowerment through simplicity. https://adventuresfrugalmom.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Navya Mysore is a primary care physician, women's health leader, mother, and dog mom. Navya is Medical Director for Women's Health at Nurx, leading efforts to transform healthcare by improving overall accessibility. One area Dr. Mysore wants to help with is to obtain the correct information from TikTok and other social media outlets, where there's much hype about certain 'cures' that wind up being dispelled as myths. Develop a good rapport with your primary care provider. Also look to media by professionals for good guidance. www.drnavyamysore.com www.nurx.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lori Johnson is the Executive Director of Washington Outdoor Women. This is a unique and important organization helping women to learn, grow, and have a great sense of discovery. It's fundamental for women anywhere but here in the northwest with our mountains, forests and waterways, WOW provides the opportunity to learn the skills to safely navigate these areas and enjoy them. A fall weekend workshop is slated for September 12-14 in the North Bend area. There is an abundance of workshops to engage in for in-depth experience - Fly Fishing, Survival Skills, Foraged First Aid, and Backpacking, among others. Registration is required as space is limited. www.washingtonoutdoorwomen.org See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Carrie Richert has an amazing story to share, pulling from her book "Trauma is a Catalyst." Carrie was involved in a serious car crash that left her with a traumatic brain injury. Her mother, a medical professional, stayed at Carrie's bedside for the early weeks and chronicled her status and progress. As Carrie regains consciousness and is able to return home, she continues to write and share her experiences. Carrie's background in psychology, forensics, and coaching are the foundation for synthesizing her experience and moving forward after a catastrophic incident. "Trauma is a Catalyst" is a beacon of hope and empowerment that all can learn and grow from. https://www.nomisadvisors.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Maria van Lieshout is an artist, illustrator, and author who has created her first graphic novel, "Song of a Blackbird." At the heart of the book is Maria’s need, a mission, to educate young people here in the U.S. A recent study revealed 63% of Millennials and Gen Z'ers did not know 6 million Jews were murdered during WWII, with 1 in 10 respondents indicating they did not recall ever hearing the word “Holocaust” before. 2025 is the 80th anniversary of many events that occurred around the end of WWII. www.vanlieshoutstudio.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bethany Corbin is a nationally recognized health innovation attorney, author, and advocate on a mission to transform the future of women’s health. Bethany has a book due out in early fall that shares the stories, the steps for legal strategy, public advocacy, and the leadership for each of us to be self-advocates. Bethany has had firsthand experience in her own life with being dismissed about health issues, and also with her mother not being not receiving timely health care. Her book, entitled "The Femtech Revolution: Harnessing Technology to Supercharge Women's Healthcare," provides the information and insights to support women in caring for their health. www.bethanycorbin.com https://femtechlawyer.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Julie Gatza is a health educator, considered to be one of the nation's top chiropractic physicians. Each time she visits, we learn something new about improving our physical health and wellbeing. This time Dr. Julie brings us the new lesson "Poop 101," to raise our IQ on the subject and improve our digestive health. Digestion plays an important role in a healthy immune system, and regular use of a digestive enzyme can help our body. https://naturessources.com/dr-julie-gatza/ or call 800-827-7657 and mention the code 'RADIO' for free digestive enzyme samples See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ana Hebra Flaster has written and reported about Cuba and the Cuban American experience for national print and online media, as well as for NPR. At age 6, Ana came with her extended family as a refugee to settle in New Hampshire. In her new and important memoir, "Property of the Revolution: From a Cuban Barrio to a New Hampshire Mill Town," Ana provides an incredible and important view into life in Cuba, and then life in the USA beginning in the late 60s. Ana's story is so important at this time in our history, but at all times, to more clearly understand the reasons people leave their country, and what life can be like when they come to a new land that says freedom exists. www.anacubana.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Annie Guest has a varied career in book publishing, advertising, law, and as a mental health therapist. Her first book is "Design for your Mind: How A Family Caregiver and Mental Health Therapist Renovated Her Home to Recharge Her Life - And Didn't Break the Bank," where Annie combines her passion for people and their potential with her love for interior design. Annie cared for her parents in the later years of their lives. When she inherited their home, she took time to create a space that is simple, comfortable, healing, and provides the atmosphere to live a healthy life with ease. Annie guides us to think of how we can reuse items, keep a minimalist space, and be ready at any time to have friends or family visit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Erin Rollins is an amazing woman who had a great future ahead of her. Then, in November 2014, a horrific crash caused by a drunk driver, driving the wrong way on the interstate, nearly ended her life. Erin had multiple surgeries, in the double digits over the years, and was not expected to ever walk again. But she had a strong determination to face all this head-on. And now, as both a writer, and spokesperson for MADD, Erin is using her voice, strength, and experience to change laws, the latest being a lock device on vehicles that will not allow a person to drive under the influence. That female who caused the crash was given an 18-month jail sentence. Summer months are some of the most dangerous on the roadways. www.madd.org 1-877-MADD HELP See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.