The Power Of Stories Podcast

Katina Paron, MJE, is an editor, journalism educator, and author of A NewsHound's Guide to Student Journalism , a comic book that doubles as a high school textbook to civically engage young people.  Katina has been creating byline opportunities for young people for almost 30 years. In this episode, Katina discusses her professional mission to help young people get published as reporters, jour...

Winny Obure is a feminist activist who works with adolescent girls and young women on sexual reproductive health and gender-based violence in informal settlements and marginalized rural areas in Kenya. Winny is the mother of a son, an avid biker, and she loves hiking. In this episode, Winny discusses Teen Seed, a community-based program she founded at 16, after being defiled by an older man who be...

Yamina Bibi FCCT is a proud daughter, sister and aunt who is an award-winning secondary school Assistant Headteacher, English teacher and a coach. Yamina is a network leader in London for #WomenEd, a global organization dedicated to uplifting and empowering women in education from all backgrounds to be 10% braver and lead within and beyond schools.  In this episode, Yamina explains the significanc...

Blessing Timidi Digha is a Black woman who identifies as a Feminist and who is also an Advocate, Storyteller and Community-Based Researcher who brings all of her intersections and ideologies to the work she does on Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights.  Blessing likes to kickstart very uncomfortable conversations on issues that concern, affect and impact girls and women....

Julia Wiklander is a social entrepreneur at heart, dedicated to supporting changemakers to have a greater impact in the world. She’s the Founder and President of Girls’ Globe and Co-Founder of Grow & Redefine.  In this episode, Julia discusses her love for connecting with people from around the world… remaining hopeful and staying connected to our purpose in life… the importance of having a pr...

Kate Denby is a yoga and dance instructor who discovered her passion for music and movement after a long career in education. She shares this passion with women every week in her uplifting online “Yoga Dance with Kate” classes.  In this episode, Kate discusses the importance for every woman to take time for herself, even if it is just a few minutes a day… overcoming the judgment of others… recogni...

Jamila Hammad was born in Colombia from a Colombian mother and a Palestinian father.  At age 12, her family migrated to the US, and Jamila set out to learn English, get a college degree and pursue a corporate career in Marketing Communications.  She accomplished all of those goals…and then walked away from it all to become an artist. Today she lives on St. Croix, in the Caribbean Virgin Islands, a...

Denetra Hampton is the founder of For Nurses By Nurses Productions, a media platform committed to empowering the role of the nurse scientist and helping bridge the gap of health disparities. Denetra is a retired Naval Nurse Corps Officer of 22 years, a filmmaker, a philanthropist, a nurse storyteller and a renowned historian.   In this episode, Denetra discusses the incident in 2019 that called he...

Esihle Makitshi is a young South African who has lived in Austria, France, Canada, Belgium and now Ireland only to find out that people want the same things… love and respect. She works in the tech industry to make the tools we use safer and more equitable for all.  In this episode, Esihle discusses her endless curiosity… studying computer technology… being drawn to follow her passions… being comf...

Lauren Galley is an award-winning teen-mentor and President of Girls Above Society, a non-profit dedicated to empowering today's young girls to be confident, kind, and cyber-smart.   In this episode, Lauren discusses the experience of being cyber-bullied when she was in middle school… the power of one person's mean words in changing how we feel about ourselves… the important role of her...

Sahra Ahmed Koshin is a mother and has many other roles - she is a researcher; PhD Candidate in understanding the role of women in the rebuilding and mobilization of resources in Somalia during times of crisis; anthropologist; storyteller; poet; blogger and author.  In this episode, Sahra discusses how living in several countries shaped her life… having a strong Somali identity, even while living...

Jennifer Kayombo is a young woman leader who is passionate about girls' and women's rights. In 2021, Jennifer was recognized by New African Woman Magazine as a woman who is pioneering to make her community a better place.   In this episode, Jennifer discusses her mother's commitment to her education… volunteering in a local organization working with other girls, and then achieving a...

Lindsey Turnbull is an entrepreneur and the founder of MissHeard Media. Lindsey is passionate about justice and equity, and says “My ultimate goal is to help teen girls shape the world by encouraging empathy and global savvy.”  She loves heavy metal and animals.  In this episode, Lindsey discusses how her own experiences led to her commitment to helping tween and teen girls build their confidence...

Scarlett Hawkins is a gender-based violence specialist and storyteller from Melbourne, Australia. Scarlett has worked for both the International Organization for Migration, the UN Migration Agency, and the United Nations Population Fund in Vanuatu; and previously worked on gender issues for several non-governmental organizations across Europe. Scarlett is currently a Rotary Peace Fellow at the Uni...

Sarah Withee is a software engineer who learned to program as a kid and has loved it ever since. Sarah has been mentoring students in robotics teams for over 10 years and is currently a mentor at Girls of Steel Robotics, a 100% all-girls robotics team, part of FIRST Robotics, based at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In this episode, Sarah discusses how she began computer pr...

Dr. Shruti Kapoor was born and raised in India.  Like most women, Shruti has many identities and is exploring them through the various roles she holds.  In her professional life, Shruti is the Founder of Sayfty Trust, an India-based non-profit working with women and girls to address gender-based violence. She is an economist by training, and the mother of a 6-year-old daughter. In this episode, Sh...

Achta Mahamat Saleh is a business lawyer and sports law practitioner living in Egypt. Achta is Chadian, the eldest of 10 children, and the mother of two boys.  In this episode, Achta discusses being a lawyer and seeing the world and rules through a different lens… falling in love with sports law… at 12 years old, being sent from her home in Chad to France to avoid child marriage… missing her mothe...

 Cheryl Collins Isaac is a Liberian American writer who is a war survivor of the First Liberian Civil war. Cheryl writes stories that amplify the voices of marginalized women who are war survivors and who are trying to overcome challenges. In this episode, Cheryl discusses her experiences as a child separated from her family in a war shelter and living in fear, extreme hunger and poverty… the reso...

Dr. Marilyn Fleer is a professor, researcher and author who holds the Foundation Chair in Early Childhood Education and Development at Monash University, where she is also a Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellow. In this episode, Marilyn discusses the opportunities and challenges of being in the profession of early childhood education and development… being part of an amazing sisterhood...

Liz Grant is Assistant Principal and Director of the Global Health Academy at the University of Edinburgh, and also a Co-Director of the University’s Global Compassion Initiative.  In this episode, Liz discusses growing up in a loving and caring family living in Northern Ireland during “The Troubles”... the influence of her father’s love of learning and the power of ideas, and her mother’s smile…...

Hope Nankunda Mwijuka is the mother of three awesome daughters and wife to a wonderful husband. Hope is the Founder and Team Leader at Raising Teenagers Uganda, an NGO that empowers girls and boys to achieve their dreams in life. In this episode, Hope discusses her transition from teacher to school counselor to Founder of Raising Teenagers Uganda… her commitment to helping end child marriage and t...

Laura Stefani is a dedicated yoga instructor and former fashion journalist.  In this episode, Laura talks about leaving her career as a journalist… taking a one-year sabbatical and backpacking to travel in different countries… settling down on a small island off the coast of Venezuela… discovering the connection with her inner-self through yoga… the empowering choice to travel alone to India… expe...

Felogene Anumo is a young Pan African feminist activist who is committed to advancing gender equality through grassroots and online activism. She is author of the “Feminist Leadership and Development Curriculum for Adolescent Girls.” Felogene is the mother of an 8-year-old daughter and currently works at the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID). In this episode, Felogene discusses...

Aleksandra Kuljanin is an activist, proud feminist, digital literacy believer, and communications professional.  In this episode, Aleksandra discusses the origins of her feminism… her commitment to helping end violence against women and gender inequality… the founding and country-wide expansion of IT Girls, and its role in empowering women and girls… and the importance of inspiring girls from a yo...

Dr. Michelle Frank is a freelance medical consultant who is passionate about women’s health and rights, building health-tech communities, and fostering important conversations around women’s health. In this episode, Michelle talks about cultural norms that prevent women from discussing pain and other aspects of their health… being an unconventional doctor... her mother’s influence in her life… ask...