The Women's Current

Art and problem solving, I can’t imagine what one has to do with the other. I never thought that looking at art could help solve a problem. That is, until I had a conversation with Amy Herman, a recovering attorney, author, and art historian, amongst other things. Remember when ‘Where’s Waldo’ was a thing? Or looking for where caricaturist Al Hirschfield hid the name of his daughter, Nina in his d...

Today we're celebrating International Women's Day, March 8, 2022. With a number of themes running through today, I thought I would pick a few and spotlight some of the extraordinary women I have had the privilege to have on this podcast. A clip of conversation is included.

Ahri Golden asked me how I came upon her and why I wanted to have a conversation with her. My answer was simple…I had read one of her posts about motherhood and being a woman. Then I learned about her, and Birth and Born and Delve and Shades of Gray and Stillpoint and I listened to the beautiful melody and words of Smitten. Lean into change, lean into life – it’s a powerful act. Realizing we’re no...

‘Misinformation goes viral much quicker than the good old-fashioned truth.’ The first thing that jumped out at me as needing clarification had to do with birth control. It was the weirdest thing that was going viral – the idea that melatonin (quote-unquote) ‘cancels out your birth control.’ And so, Dr. Jennifer Lincoln went viral – viral with facts. Jennifer is a board-certified OB GYN who uses so...

Never Forget - The Holocaust - it really happened. Ariana Neumann uncovered the secrets that her father held tight. She put together the pieces of a puzzle he left behind. Ariana is the author of the When Time Stopped, A Memoir of My Father’s War and What Remains, a New York Times Bestseller. Ariana tells a family memoir, a love story and the unbelievable heroism that members of her family had tak...

Mia Dillon made her Broadway debut in Hugh Leonard’s Da in 1978 and never looked back. Her work has included Once Upon a Catholic, Crimes of the Heart (Tony Award nomination), Agnes of God, The Corn is Green and Our Town. There are of course her screen and television credits throughout her career. I had the pleasure of an interesting and fun conversation with Broadway actress Mia Dillon. What drew...

Peter H. Reynolds is my guest on this week’s episode of ‘Sylvia & Me.’ That’s right, a MAN! You see, Peter is a New York Times bestselling children’s book author and illustrator. I received an advance copy of his latest picture book ‘Our Table’. Within five minutes of reading it, I realized that this book needs to be read to children because the adult reading it needs to learn what it offers. And...

Dystopian and The Pandemic What do they have in common? The word ‘dystopian’ comes to mind: ‘relating to or being an imagined world or society in which people lead fearful lives. The difference: The last year and a half - real and full of fear. Matched was imagined. Ally's message to her audience, young and old: it's okay to not be okay. Matched, a dystopian young adult novel has been read by a wi...

It's that time again - coming up on Thanksgiving. Yes, we're on hiatus but as promised, you've asked and we're re-airing some of our extraordinary women. And right now who better than Ida Morris, CEO of the Morris Family Kitchen. She's MacGuyver and Mary Poppins rolled into one amazing lady. An inspiration for bringing food and family together, Ida is the perfect episode for right now. We original...

A year ago we aired a conversation with Harriet Shugarman about the climate crisis and children. The COP26 climate conference has just taken place. What better time re-air this episode?  Known as 'ClimateMama' Harriet spoke about children and the crisis.

Abortion and a women's right to choose. Harmful legal decisions in Texas have brought a women's right to choose front and center. What will the Supreme Court decide? Can we save Roe vs Wade?    Dr. Diana Greene Foster, PhD headed the Turnaway Study, a ten year study. She is the author of Turnaway Study: Ten Years, a Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having - or Being Denied - an Abortion.

This week I’m Sylvia and I’m ‘Me’. Two years ago I spoke to an extraordinary woman. Since then, I’ve spoken to over 100 women. 100 ordinary women doing extraordinary things. I didn’t set out with a specific goal in mind. But it turned out that as smart as I may have thought I am, I learned something new and different from each of these women.

Women entrepreneurs and business owners, and the pandemic. For insight, we turned to an expert in the field, Elizabeth (Liz) Sara. Liz currently serves as the Chairperson of the National Women’s Business Council, having been nominated for the position by President Trump in 2018. The Council is a non-partisan federal advisory committee serving as an independent source of advice and policy recommend...

This week is all about a strong, inspiring woman. A horrid, nearly fatal car crash isn't keeping her down. I'm talking about Therese Plummer, a storyteller, performer of audiobooks and a woman who is an inspiration. In honor of Therese and wishing her a speedy recovery, here's our conversation from this past January. A very candid conversation with an amazing actor, storyteller and all around extr...

Today's guest is Jennifer Jelliff-Russell. Jennifer calls herself a military brat and spouse. An advocate for female veterans, Jennifer’s mission in life is helping them re-enter the workforce and civilian life. She realized this after working at Fort Campbell’s Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Program (TAP). And Jennifer didn’t stop there. She also took a position as an Employment Coach at...

Working moms have been hit hard during the pandemic and the resulting financial crisis. Some of the hardest hit have been moms of color.  Chandra Sanders, a single mom of three lost her job during the pandemic. Turning to 'The Mom Project' as a resource to help her, she found more than just a job. 'The Mom Project’s' mission is to connect moms with world-class companies. And so as they say... ‘tim...

Dr. Alisa Stephens-Shields is an Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a mom of an infant and a 5-year-old. The field of science has always been a struggle for female scientists to break into. On top f that, add being a mom to the mix and that struggle becomes a whole lot more challenging. A female scientist, mom and a woman of color and you’re looking...

‘Intimate Violence’ is a term that is not well known. Tanya Selvaratnam is changing that in a big way. Her recently published memoir ‘Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence’ is her story. A story of a committed relationship and the 'intimate violence' she endured. Meet the woman who helped bring down former NYC Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman. Tanya met Schneiderman at the Democratic Nat...

A perfect way to start the fall season - Let's revisit and in case you missed it. Maggie Smith is the award-winning poet and author of Good Bones. This week saw the release of her latest collection of poems, Goldenrod. Maggie is the author of the national bestseller Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change. In addition, Maggie is the author of The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison, and Lamp...

Summer Break - Let's revisit and in case you missed it. Sharon G. Flake is a multi-award winning young adult and children’s author. She is a three-time winner of the Coretta Scott King award. Her latest book, The Life I’m In follows her groundbreaking debut novel The Skin I’m In. The impact of her debut novel more than 20 years ago, is felt today. Sharon’s books withstand the test of time. It was...

Summer Break - Let's revisit and in case you missed it Linda K. Wertheimer is an award-winning education journalist, essayist and author. Specifically, she is an educator teaching about religion...Faith Ed.. Not preaching, but teaching. And Linda makes sure that we understand the difference between preaching and teaching. Public schools are allowed to teach about religion. Teaching about different...

Summer Break - Let's revisit and in case you missed it A summer story to end all all summer stories  My Babysitter, My Summers With a Serial Killer is a chilling true story, part memoir and part crime investigation. Based on Liza's summers as a child on the Cape, you won't be able to put it down. It was the 60’s. Her babysitter was a kind, handsome handyman who took Liza and her sister on adventur...

Summer Break - Let's revisit and in case you missed it Life with My Idiot Family: A True Story of Survival, Courage & Justice over Childhood Sexual Abuse, Kathy Picard's story. 10 years of abuse by her stepfather. The Abuse and Staying Silent The abuse started when Kathy was 7 and lasted for 10 years. The grooming for the abuse took place at around the age of 5. Her abuser and rapist was her step-...

Summer break - Let's revisit in case you missed it ‘A period should end a sentence, not a girl’s education.’ Accepting the 2019 Academy Award for producing the documentary Period. End of Sentence, Melissa Berton, founder of The Pad Project spoke those words. And so it was no leap to turn to New York Times bestselling author of The Red Tent and award winning journalist, Anita Diamant. With the fore...

Maggie Smith is the award-winning poet and author of Good Bones. This week saw the release of her latest collection of poems, Goldenrod. Maggie is the author of the national bestseller Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change. In addition, Maggie is the author of The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison, and Lamp of the Body,   Maggie’s poems and essays are widely published and anthologized. Th...