By Nancy C. Snowden
The young boy I was sitting next to unzipped his shiny red vinyl lunchbox and pulled out a massive homemade Rice Krispies® Treat covered in plastic wrap. I unrolled my brown paper bag and pulled out a sandwich. I opened it up and found nothing inside but mayonnaise. I looked over at his snack longingly…
This was how I became aware that some people in the world have a lot, and some people do not.
Read MoreWe asked our former Women to Watch honorees how they’ve seen women’s leadership change over the last decade, and their responses show us how far we’ve come together. There’s still so much work to be done, but by recognizing the incredible women in our community, we’ve marked and honored the legacy of women who came before us.
Read MoreAs we watch Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testify before the Senate committee, we need no further confirmation of the of the life-altering trauma that she has suffered and survived at the hands of Brett Kavanaugh, and we are outraged on her behalf.
Yet the actions and statements made by some of our political leaders have moved us back in time – back to a time when sexual assault and domestic violence survivors were silenced and incidents where men take advantage of women were swept under the rug.
Read MoreBy Jaclyn Margolis
I’ve heard the word feminism defined in many ways over the years, and I admitted to our group that I found the descriptions of feminism in The Female Persuasion very intriguing. I asked the group how they defined feminism and if they agreed with the delineations in the book, and, this question spurred such a strong and deep dialogue on the meaning of feminism.
Read MoreBy Nancy C. Snowden
I am often asked why I work for a fraternity and what I as a woman could possibly glean, let alone benefit from, in this role. While I could provide numerous examples of what working for a fraternity has taught me, what I have learned about the desperate need for more resources and transparency around men, masculinity, and mental health often takes my breath away.
Read MoreBy Lori Weinstein
This time of year directs us to turn ourselves inside out, make amends, begin anew – with a fresh gaze and an open heart – all in our life journey to do better and be better. Open-heartedness is the journey of forgiveness. It is spacious and rejuvenating. It enables you to return to your daily battles with renewed vigor, commitment and optimism.
Read MoreThree years ago, Jenny Abramson decided to follow a piece of advice that her mother gave her: If you want something done, do it yourself. Today she is the founder and managing partner of Rethink Impact, the “largest impact-oriented venture capital fund in the country with a gender lens.”
Read MoreMackenzie Barth is a self-described “bad eater” who didn’t touch a vegetable until she was 21. But that didn’t stop her from recognizing that college students needed a food resource geared to their lives and interests.
Read MoreWendy Feldman Block has built a 31-year career in the commercial real estate realm, completing leasing and sales transactions totaling nearly 12 million square feet. And while building her career in a male-dominated industry, she has also demonstrated an extraordinary passion for community service.
Read MoreWhen Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann, then 30, moved back to Chicago in 2011 after being away for more than a decade, she wanted to connect with contemporaries but didn’t see a ready avenue. She founded Mishkan, named after the tent that the Israelites carried with them through the desert.
Read MoreDr. Logan Levkoff is a respected educator dedicated to perpetuating healthy and positive messages about sexuality and relationships. She teaches widely, has written multiple books about both teen and adult sexuality and is an oft-consulted expert appearing on such TV shows as Nightline, Good Morning America, and The Today Show.
Read MoreMarlee Matlin has built a body of work – and a life – that reflects her versatility, her skill, her generosity, and her willingness to take risks. She has compelled us to see her not for her disability, but for her talent and humanity, and along the way has helped to normalize the inclusion of all deaf individuals.
Read MoreThroughout Jill Saxon’s life, from the time on the number one U.S. high school soccer team, to her years as a Navy lieutenant and optometrist serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom, to her current work at the global headquarters of Bausch + Lomb, she has strived to excel, while fulfilling her goal to help people.
Read MoreA 25-year Wall Street veteran, Beth Chartoff Spector often has been the sole woman in rooms where mergers, corporate debt refinancing packages, and institutional investment decisions are hammered out. Working “to address what is a pretty big gender divide in women coming into this field” has been one of her aims.
Read MoreFrom the age of ten, Laurie Strongin showed a knack for leadership. But the full scope of her strength and ability to lead emerged when her son Henry Strongin Goldberg was diagnosed at age two weeks with a rare genetic disease, Fanconi anemia.
Read MoreThrough her philanthropic and hands-on involvement in multiple educational organizations throughout Montgomery County, Md., Linda Youngentob works to impact the lives of first-generation college students, many from immigrant families, by helping them apply for and succeed in college.
Read MoreBy Sasha Altschuler
With 67 days until the midterm elections, voting is on my mind. A vote is more than helping shape the future, it's about acknowledging and honoring the past. We are responsible for continuing the legacy of the women who fought for our right to vote; we owe it to our communities to act as a catalyst for change by taking our voices to the polls.
Read MoreBy Erin McMullen
Here at JWI, many of us identify as devout supporters of Bachelor Nation and we’ve been watching this season of Bachelor in Paradise every Monday and Tuesday. However, we were deeply frustrated last night about Leo’s disrespectful treatment of Kendall that exhibited classic signs of gaslighting.
Read MoreBy Ashley Powell
A community organizer, trained social worker and public administrator, explains why she decided to run for office in 2018.
Read MoreBy Jaclyn Margolis
What made you the woman you are today? When Addie’s granddaughter poses this question, Addie leaps at the chance to share the milestones of her life. In 320 pages, we read Addie’s monologue, chronicling the story of a strong Jewish woman raised in Boston in the early twentieth century. We are immersed in childhood rebellion, family tragedy, resilient friendships, and great love.
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