Womanica

P.D. James (1920-2014) was one of the greats of detective writing. She was a novelist, a baroness, a sleuth, and the Grand Dame of Mystery. Special thanks to Mercedes-Benz, our exclusive sponsor this month! From their early days, Mercedes-Benz has built a legacy championing women to achieve the unexpected. Join us all month long as we celebrate women who have led dynamic lives that have shifted, e...

Peace Pilgrim (1908-1981) spent 28 years walking from coast to coast preaching nonviolence. Special thanks to Mercedes-Benz, our exclusive sponsor this month! From their early days, Mercedes-Benz has built a legacy championing women to achieve the unexpected. Join us all month long as we celebrate women who have led dynamic lives that have shifted, evolved and bloomed, often later in life, eventua...

Mary Somerville (1780-1872) chose to study science and mathematics, even when society tried to tell her she was only good for keeping house. She found her own way in a world dominated by men. And became a self-taught preeminent astronomer and mathematician.   Special thanks to Mercedes-Benz, our exclusive sponsor this month! From their early days, Mercedes-Benz has built a legacy championing women...

Clementine Hunter (c. 1887-1988) was a prolific painter who didn’t pick up her first paintbrush until her 50s. She’s one of Louisiana’s most celebrated artists. Though she never traveled more than 100 miles from her hometown, her paintings have been displayed in exhibitions and galleries all over the country. Special thanks to Mercedes-Benz, our exclusive sponsor this month! From their early days,...

Well, here we are. We're on the other side of what we've been talking about for years. Roe v. Wade has been struck down, and for the first time in our lifetime, abortion is no longer protected. In our first episode, Kate and Jamia talk to folks who've been living, and working, and surviving, in a state where abortion access has been under fire for years, even before Roe fell -- Kentucky.  To learn...

Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957) is one of the most popular children’s book authors of all time. Her books about adventure on the American plains weren’t just fiction – they told her own life story.  Special thanks to Mercedes-Benz, our exclusive sponsor this month! From their early days, Mercedes-Benz has built a legacy championing women to achieve the unexpected. Join us all month long as we cel...

Angie Xtravaganza (1964-1993) was a legend in the New York ballroom scene, who never had a child of her own, but was a mother figure to dozens of people in the ballroom world. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen all month long as we celebrate women whose authentic expression in their li...

Holly Woodlawn (1946-2015) is an actress and transgender icon whose impact spanned decades. Typically, pop artist Andy Warhol gave different artists and performers their fifteen minutes of fame through his experimental films and avant garde party scene. But this star’s legacy persisted long after she first graced the screen. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Merce...

Christa Winsloe (1888-1944) was truly a force to be reckoned with. Not only did she write groundbreaking, commercially successful scripts depicting love between women, but she put her life on the line to harbor refugees during Europe’s darkest days. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen a...

Danitra Vance (1954-1994) was a star of the stage and screen whose undeniable sense of humor broke barriers. Both the first queer woman and first Black cast member of Saturday Night Live, this trailblazing performer is rarely given her due. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen all month...

Welcome to a special bonus episode featuring comedienne Kia Barnes, brought to you by Mercedes-Benz. From leading Atlanta Public School's LGBTQ Taskforce, to organizing Atlanta's Equality March, Kia has brought her sense of humor to every aspect of her career. Listen in as she shares her journey as an LGBTQIA+ advocate and queer culture curator. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor,...

Irene Sharaff (1910-1993) was one of the most celebrated costume designers for both Broadway and Hollywood. Her work was known for its color, and for its ability to capture character. She could deftly design anything from a royal gown to  drab suburban attire. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ communit...

Gowongo Mohawk (1859-1924) was one of the first Indigenous women to appear on an American stage, and the first Native male impersonator.  Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen all month long as we celebrate women whose authentic expression in their lives and bodies of work have expanded t...

June Millington (1948-present) is a celebrated guitarist who helped pioneer West Coast Garage rock. Her  all-women band inspired many generations of women in rock. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen all month long as we celebrate women whose authentic expression in their lives and bodi...

Carmen Mercedes McRae (1920-1994) was an important jazz artist in the 1920’s. Not only was she a jazz vocalist, but she was also a composer, pianist, and actress. Sometimes called the “Painter of Song”, she is still remembered for the powerful way she made lyrics come alive. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LG...

Crystal LaBeija (unknown-1982) was a trans woman and drag queen who reinvented the ballroom scene of New York City. Tired of entering balls that excluded women of color, she decided to host her own ball and shook up the world of drag pageantry while doing it.  Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ communit...

Bessie Jackson (Lucille Bogan) (1897-1948) was a performer infamous for writing some of the most sexually explicit Blues songs ever committed to record. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen all month long as we celebrate women whose authentic expression in their lives and bodies of work...

Florence Hines (c.1870-1924) helped transform the way African Americans were depicted and perceived onstage. Though much of her life is a mystery, she earned critical acclaim while defying stereotypes and smashing the gender binary in her performances.  Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. List...

Mabel Hampton (1902-1989) started her career as a Harlem Renaissance performer and transformed into an activist. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen all month long as we celebrate women whose authentic expression in their lives and bodies of work have expanded the norms of gender and se...

Barbara Hammer (1939-2019) was a prolific director. She created some of the first films to explore lesbian identity and love. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen all month long as we celebrate women whose authentic expression in their lives and bodies of work have expanded the norms of...

Angelina Weld Grimké (1880-1958) was an African-American poet and playwright. Born into a prominent abolitionist family, her work often touched on themes of race and racism, at a time when women were rarely publishing work on the topic. Though she was never able to openly express her sexuality, much of her writing is coded in queer language. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mer...

Introducing Wonder Media Network’s first true crime show, I Was Never There. Thirty-four years ago, Marsha “Mudd” Ferber vanished without a trace from Morgantown, WV. Mother-daughter duo Karen and Jamie Zelermyer are going back to the land to figure out what the hell happened. Named a 2022 Tribeca Film Festival official selection for audio storytelling, I Was Never There is as much true crime show...

Greta Garbo (1905-1990) was one of the greatest, and most mysterious, actresses of the silver screen. Her fame came as much from her on-screen accolades as from her secretive life out of the public eye. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen all month long as we celebrate women whose authe...

Esther Eng (1914-1970) was a groundbreaking transnational filmmaker whose work was only recently rediscovered. Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen all month long as we celebrate women whose authentic expression in their lives and bodies of work have expanded the norms of gender and sexu...

Isadora Duncan (1877-1927) was the “mother of modern dance.” A woman who consistently threw off tradition, she forged her own path through art, and life.  Special thanks to our exclusive Pride Month sponsor, Mercedes-Benz! Mercedes-Benz continues to support and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen all month long as we celebrate women whose authentic expression in their lives and bodies of wor...