The Power Of Stories Podcast

Hawa Bah is originally from Guinea, in West Africa. Hawa moved to the UK in 2007. As a survivor of FGM and child marriage, She created an organization called HawaDal-Peaceful Mind to end FGM.  Hawa also works for Touchstone in partnership with the National Health Service to advocate for girls who are FGM survivors and for Solace, an organization that works with refugees and asylum seekers. In 2022...

Fernanda Vázquez is a decolonial feminist and activist in women’s rights and sexual and reproductive rights. In this episode, Fernanda discusses studying International Relations at university… attending the Women’s March in México City with her mother… learning about feminism during the pandemic, becoming a decolonial feminist, and being inspired by Angela Davis… having a very good childhood, with...

Yodit Kifle Smith is a daughter, sister, wife, friend to many, and now also the mother of a precious daughter, a role she treasures deeply.  Among her many other roles, Yodit is the co-host of the Power of Stories Podcast  In this episode, Yodit discusses her new role as a mom… learning to see the world through her daughter’s eyes… facing fears in parenthood, and overcoming those fears… trusting G...

Ana Laura Araya is the Co-Founder of Soy Niña . She has worked in nonprofit organizations and private foundations since she finished college.  Ana Laura studied Journalism and Photography but during the past years she has worked in fundraising, event planning and communications in nonprofit organizations.  Currently, she is finishing a certificate degree in Nonprofit Management from Harvard Extens...

Theodora Biney-Amissah is a first-generation Ghanaian-American, a community and women's public health and impact professional, a birthworker-entrepreneur and family caregiver.  Theodora is deeply committed to helping pregnant, birthing, and postpartum women and people and their families navigate reproductive and maternal health care, particularly postpartum healing and recovery with doula sup...

Yasmina Benslimane is a feminist activist, consultant, and women empowerment coach.  Yasmina is the founder of Politics4Her , a non-profit organization that advocates for greater political participation of young women and girls.  In this episode, Yasmina discusses bring born in Morocco, living in Dubai, and her early exposure to different countries and cultures… after living in several countries,...

Ruchi is a Medical Doctor and a Public Health professional in India. She also writes blogs and articles as chronicles of her journey of evolution as an individual.    In this episode, Dr. Ruchi discusses her parents’ expectations that she would become a Medical Doctor… moving to a new city for medical school, and her openness to new experiences while there… her exploration and path to a career and...

Linda Joy is the Storytelling Guide and Bestselling Publisher at Inspired Living Publishing (ILP)  AND Publisher of the beloved Aspire Magazine-the premiere inspirational magazine for women.  Since 2010, through ILP’s Authentic Storytelling™ model and sacred anthology division, over 260 women have overcome their writing blocks and embraced their inner storyteller to become bestselling authors whil...

Eva Nangalo is a midwife working in Nakaseke General Hospital in Uganda.  In April, 2023 Eva was featured in Bill Gates's Heroes in the Field.   In this episode, Eva her belief that she was born to be a midwife and as a little girl growing up in rural Uganda, telling her mother that she wanted to be a midwife… having a challenging relationship with her father in her early years, his taking he...

A pan-African feminist with roots in Cameroon, Françoise Moudouthe is passionate about supporting African feminist movements to thrive. In January 2021, she became the CEO of the African Women’s Development Fund , a pan-African women's fund that provides financial and other resources to African women's organizations working towards the fulfillment of all African women's rights. Prio...

Clare Schexnyder describes herself as a "Woman of the World, Mother, Founder, Entrepreneur, Producer, Community Organizer, Activist, and Ally."   Clare has packed a few careers into her life so far. A producer for CNN for 17 years, she covered politics, breaking news stories and war zones. She left CNN after the birth of her child and founded her own company called, "Oh Baby! Fitnes...

Fithriyyah is a Doctor of Medicine and an environment youth activist since 2015.  She is working on Planetary Health & Environmental Rights issues for her advocacy work at the moment. Fithriyyah has spoken at many international high-level policy consultation forums, representing youth locally and regionally, especially at the UN and ASEAN forums.   In this episode, Fithriyyah discusses her pas...

Asfiya Rahman is a writer who has written three novels and numerous articles. She also loves to read and travel.  In this episode, Asfiya discusses the power of childhood dreams… her experience having open-minded, supportive parents, even when she was making decisions about the educational path she would pursue… choosing to study commerce, and then pursuing an MBA… teaching… rediscovering her love...

Judith Staff is a primary school teacher, and mainly teaches Early Years.  She has left teaching a few times to work with women and girls who have survived physical and sexual violence and abuse.  For the past few years, Judith has worked on a government-funded violence reduction initiative for young children aged 3 and up. Judith is married and has three teenage children.  In this episode, Judith...

Janet Nestor is a spiritual seeker, wife, mother, grandmother, author… licensed clinical Mental Health Counselor… Diplomat in Comprehensive Energy Psychology… and Energy Medicine Practitioner who loves animals, trees, and all of mother nature's family of life! In this episode, Janet discusses her award-winning book, Pathways to Wholeness… living mindfully in peace and love… our natural relaxa...

Rinki Sharma is a positive change-maker who believes in change and living life with a purpose. In this episode, Rinki discusses her passion as a change-maker and her belief that we can all inspire and act for change in our communities… the importance of a positive mindset and of believing in yourself… the need for flexibility in a fast-changing world, and understanding how to engage others in maki...

Pauline Juma is from Kajido, Kenya. She is a mother, a storyteller and the Director and Founder of Rebirth of A Queen.   In this episode, Pauline discusses founding Rebirth of A Queen, a safe-house that works to empower teenage survivors of sexual violence by giving them the opportunity to heal, to learn, and to pursue their dreams… being labeled a “rebel” as a girl…intergenerational trauma… growi...

Anu Bhatnagar is a catalyst of self-love and meditative living, living every day in perfect balance of spiritually and business successes.  In this episode, Anu discusses the importance of self-love and the opportunity to introduce this at a much earlier time in the lives of girls, women, boys and men… how gender inequality drives systemic inequities in women’s health globally, in addition to defi...

  Sharon Kathryn D’Agostino is a passionate advocate for the empowerment of women and girls, and for the human rights of all.  She is the founder of the story-sharing platform, SayItForward.org , cohost of this podcast, and leader of monthly Women’s Circles that she hosts online.  Sharon believes in the power of stories to spark our compassion for ourselves and for others, and to recognize that we...

Dr. Sophia Yen is the CEO and Co-Founder of Pandia Health and is Board Certified in Adolescent Medicine, having graduated from MIT, UCSF Medical School, and UC Berkeley with a MPH in Maternal Child Health. She serves as a clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Stanford Medical School.  Dr. Yen added to her career as a physician to be an entrepreneur an...

Olaoluwa Abagun is a lawyer working in gender & development. Ola is the Executive Director of ATHENA and she is the Mom to a sassy one-year-old girl.  In this episode, Ola discusses ATHENA, a global feminist network that seeks to advance gender equality and human rights and that elevates the voices of young women and girls in the HIV response… the status of women and girls in society… how her...

Known by her Indigenous name, Medicine Song Woman, London Ontario-based JUNO-winning artist Brenda MacIntyre is a mixed-blood Cree keynote speaker, singer, and healer.  Brenda’s signature Medicine Song Healing & Reading Sessions, keynotes, workshops and Picking Up the Pieces 13 Moon Resilience and Reawakening program help women living with grief, trauma and chronic pain to heal and enrich thei...

Dr. Samantha Brown-Parks is a family medicine physician who started her career as a doctor in the Army. She is a mother of two boys and she also helps her family with their local business. Her goal in life is to learn as much as she can about people to help them, and to keep life fun.  In this episode, Dr. Brown-Parks discusses growing up in a small agricultural town, where the community had littl...

Armel Sylva is a youth education activist who advocates of the rights of girls and women.  She is a STEM Educator at IMARA Comoros and is now studying in Cameroon to complete a Masters in Interpretations.   In this episode, Armel discusses her education, including completing a BA in English in her country, where the official languages are French, Comorian, and Arabic… challenging cultural gender n...

Elahé Hiptoola is an Indian film producer and former actress based in Hyderabad.  In this episode, Elahé discusses… loving her career as a film producer and the many aspects of production… the various responsibilities of a film producer… her major life transitions, first from law to a successful career in the fashion industry, then to becoming an actress, and then to her current career as a filmma...