Candy O’Terry
Boston knows Candy O is a storyteller. She told the city stories for 25 years through the radio. Music lovers hear stories of their favorite singer-songwriters each week. Children read her books. Women tell her their secrets to success. Thousands more have benefitted from her loud advocacy in the fight against breast cancer. She’ll tell you that she needed that last bit this past winter.
Denée Reaves
Denée Reaves has too much to do and no time for personal debt. She has her work in social justice, a strong presence in church, and a growing travel list. Letting her values lead her financial planning is how she gets it all done.
Ayanna Freedom
Finding F*ing Freedom
Trauma is a four-letter word that kept Ayanna stuck, drunk, and in pain. Today, she's sober and focuses on each breath.
Sam Correia
Sam Correia is the Community Engagement Librarian at the Duxbury Free Library. They are passionate about community care, collective liberation, and radical hope for the future. They are the Project Director of the South Shore LGBTQ Oral History Archive and one of the co-organizers of the Queer Collective of MA/RI.
Marie Romilus
My mother and I are two very passionate people who love hard and will do anything for the people we love. Our personalities, however, are different.
Tess Cruz Foley
When we see members of the trans community in the news, it’s often about them being attacked, murdered, or attempting to read books to children in libraries, which seems to be as controversial.
The Biology of Belonging
The Biology of Belonging: Accessing the health benefits of supportive connections.
Mellara Gold
It takes a lot of making bad decisions and learning from them, speaking poorly to someone, writing the wrong email, or saying no to something when you probably should have said yes. But when you don’t fully trust yourself you rely on advice from the outside of you, and it’s our inner self that truly knows which way to steer the ship.
Nina Coslov
A really cool thing ... about creating Women Living Better for others, it helped me know that my experience was normal. Even the words others shared on the site about their experiences, helped me better explain what I was experiencing.
Dassie Abelson
As a child, I was not aware of the war in Europe or ongoing attacks in the area or how dangerous my surroundings were, because my parents and brothers were protecting me. I didn’t know any of that. The bomb shelter was my playground. I was a little girl playing in a bomb shelter with my friends and that was normal life at the time.
What’s Your Story?
At its root, storytelling is about leaving a legacy. It is about not being forgotten.
The Peoples’ Advocate (unable to fight for herself)
The Peoples’ Advocate (unable to advocate for herself)
Hang On, Let Me Overthink This
Hang on, let me overthink this: Gendered Pronouns
Advocacy begins Within
Advocacy Begins Within
Advocacy begins Within
Advocacy Begins Within
Dr. Angela Aslami
Dr. Angela Aslami has been practicing gynecology and obstetrics for more than 2 decades. We spoke with her twice this year to get the story of why she wants to “shout from the rooftops” about functional medicine. We met a strong woman who comes from a line of strong women. A self-taught feminist and activist from her days as a young student.
Cheryl Ryan Chan
Cheryl Ryan Chan is a change agent. A mom with a mission. A woman who crowd-sourced anger and used it as a tool for accountability. She figured, if the courts are going to fail to protect her son with intellectual disabilities from his abuser, then she’s going to have to just change the law. If you want something done right...
Allyson Spellman
Allyson Spellman makes a career of emboldening women to use their strengths for good. The Advocacy Issue was a natural collaboration for this busy mom, actress, Telly Award winner, motivational speaker, philanthropist, JTV host, vegan, animal rights activist, and entrepreneur.
Becky Lomotey
We were keyed up at the opportunity to speak with Becky Lomotey and her oldest son, Claudio, about the life they have made and the gains from three countries, three children, and three languages. For 16 years, Becky and Claudio have worked together to manage rent, taxes, tuition, and most recently, a mortgage. This life she and Claudio have put together, in the central Massachusetts city of Worcester, reads like an American dream. But in fact, they are still waiting for that call that makes them U.S. Citizens.
Simone Reyes
When we spoke to the “(You’re My) Happy Hour” singer, we thought we would ask about her country music career. Maybe chat a bit about what it’s like being “the boss” to mogul Russell Simmons. Or maybe how many Popular Science magazines her friend MCA had to light on fire in the “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)” video. But it became apparent quickly, that Simone reyes identifies as a vegan and animal rights activist. She found us an hour to talk.