Celebrating Women! by Diane Curley

Because Every Woman Is A Role Model! 2021

CELEBRATING WOMEN

A Letter from the Editor

elcome to the the inaugural issue of Celebrating Women Magazine! Celebrating Women is… Challenging the narrative, influencing social media’s message,

creating a global platform to amplify women’s voices and visibility; hosting events, speaking internationally, writing, editing, and publishing a unifying collection of interviews about women that recognize and celebrate women as role models. Now we’ve expanded our media offerings to include a digital magazine to further increase your reach! Join women from all across the USA (and the world!) Interview online and participate in a global movement! Submissions are accepted at www.dianecurley.com By sharing our stories & our lives, we lift each other up, encourage one another, remember who we are, inspire other women & girls, amplify women’s voices & visibility, and demonstrate that every woman is a role model. Share your story, Inspire another, Heal a generation, Save the next… & Celebrate! …because EVERY woman is a role model!

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE ANNA!

CELEBRATING WOMEN

Anna creates the best content for broadcast, making sure that every aspect of behind-thescenes work is set so the viewer enjoys a flawless production. When Anna was younger, she watched an episode of Saturday Night Live and said to her dad, “I want to do that, be able to look back on the night and see all that goes on behind the scenes to produce a show people love.” Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Anna says life has been faithful, organized & dependable. Anna wants girls & women to be inspired & know that even if you feel you are behind, do not give up! There’s no time limit on when to accomplish your dreams!

CELEBRATING WOMEN

C E L E B R AT E KELLEY

K E L L E Y Kelley prays with people, providing support & counsel as they endeavor to improve their life. Additionally, Kelley guides couples as they plan the wedding of their dreams, by creating a beautiful setting & ensuring a meaningful ceremony, centered around Christ. When Kelley was younger, she wanted to be an Attorney. Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Kelley says it has been loving, spiritual & full. Kelley would like to inspire other women & girls to lead with love & kindness.

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE LAUREN! Lauren helps people recover from neurological, orthopedic or other injuries/surgeries/diseases so they can live their lives to the fullest without restrictions.

Lauren always knew she wanted to be a healthcare provider. Otherwise, she hoped she would be involved in sports somehow! Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Lauren chose fulfilled, dedicated, & hectic! Lauren wants to inspire other women & girls to always believe in your hopes and dreams. Never let someone tell you that you can’t!

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE CHEYENNE! Cheyenne provides a sanctuary for entertainment seekers. When she was younger, Cheyenne wanted to be a Best-selling author. Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Cheyenne says it has been a rollercoaster, loving & helpful. Cheyenne wants to inspire other women & girls and shares; Be yourself. Love yourself.

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE CARA!

Cara promotes inclusive recreation in the community and advocates for individuals with special needs. Even when Cara was little, she wanted to incorporate nature as part of therapy for children with special needs. Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Cara says it has been exciting, adventurous, & rewarding. Cara wants to inspire other women & girls and shares, “Don’t let fear hold you back from living the life you’ve always dreamed of!”

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE NIKI! Niki helps people. When Niki was younger she wanted to do several things. The earliest things were rodeo clown, storm chaser, and then she wanted to be a writer. Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Niki says it has been a roller coaster adventure!.”

Niki wants to inspire other women & girls and shares,”Take that leap! Most of my accomplishments and things I’m proudest of and my fondest memories, are because I took a chance. That chance has found me in Sierra Leon in the midst of Ebola Epidemic in Greece working with refugees, and currently as a full time Emergency Room nurse and part time Psychiatric nurse.”

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE KRISTEN! Kristen stays at home with her two beautiful children and takes care of them and their household.

In response to the question “when you were younger than you are now, what did you want to “do” or “be” when you grew up?” Kristen revealed: “I’ve never really had a solid answer for that. Decisive is something I am not. I’ve wanted to be many things; a singer, an interior designer, a psychologist, and much more. I have always known I wanted to be a mother though, so here I am, and in a sense, I have become those other things as well.” Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Kristen said it has been adventurous, challenging & rewarding. Kristen wants to inspire other women & girls and shares; “Don’t ever feel like you’re not good enough. Life is full of trials and errors, and your past mistakes do not define who you are today. Overcome your fears. Take chances. Don’t live with regret. Do what brings happiness to your heart. One of my favorite quotes is, “As long as you are doing something because you love it, it can never be the wrong choice.” I try to live by that. Live a life worth telling a story about. You are all Beautiful Bravehearts.”

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE POOJA!

CELEBRATING WOMEN

Pooja connects people with their passion, creativity and artistry through dance, music, & art in all of its beauty. In a world where technology is taking over, Pooja believes dance connects us as a community of people and beautiful choreography reveals our humanity & heals us Pooja wanted to grow up to be famous and be a performer. She wanted to be able to connect people, and together, experience facets of her artistic abilities. Pooja went through a period where she lost faith in her art & dance due to the competitive world in which we all live. With the help of a mentor, she returned to her devotion and since then has used her experience to help others find the “dance” that brings them joy. Using three words to describe her life so far, Pooja chose; Creative. Gratitude. Loved.

to follow their path & passion. I have created a space for real connections, bringing our inner artists alive, & where together, we can flourish.” She explains, “We all have something to give back to the world, we only need someone who can believe in us and show us the path.” Pooja aims to do just that. Her company, IKIGAI USA, allows artists to turn their vocation into their profession & helps people realize and express their artistic verve through classes and sponsored community events making dance available to everyone. Pooja explains the inspiration for her company name, “Ikagai is a a Japanese word, the meaning of which roughly translates to a reason for being, encompassing joy, a sense of purpose, a sense of meaning, and a feeling of well-being. The word is derived from iki, meaning life, and kai, meaning the realization of hope & expectations.”

Pooja also supports artists When asked what she would like from international markets, to share to inspire other women showcasing their work to the & girls, Pooja warmly expresses, world. “I would like to share my mission for artists and women Bravo Pooja!

CELEBRATING WOMEN

C E L E B R AT E T E R ESA

Teresa shares her passions with those who need to be heard or helped in the community. As a woman who has survived cancer, Teresa volunteers her services and provides interventions & motivational speaking in many communities. During childhood, Teresa wanted to be a doctor. Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Teresa chose; “very bumpy road” Teresa wants other women & girls to know “that they are not alone. That they can come out of every experience by trying to grow from the inside. That I have many traumas through my life and I became a person strong to make it through. That together we can help each other. And most of all, to love themselves just as they are.” Inspiration & encouragement for all women & girls! #PassionMeetsPurpose

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE SASHA!

Sasha admittedly is doing everything for her business. Marketing, Accounting, Financing, you name it, Sasha is doing it all! It’s what one might expect from an entrepreneur such as Sasha, who is completely immersed in creating a politically conscious tea company..”

When Sasha was little she wanted to be a lawyer & wanted her life to be like Ally McBeal’s! Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Sasha chose: Interesting, Chaotic, Exciting. In true entrepreneurial spirit, Sasha has these encouraging words to revitalize & inspire us, “Don’t let society tell you what you should want or who you should be. I kept fighting my own internal desires against external ideas of success. Stop obsessing about other people’s idea of success and really dig deep and figure out what’s important to you. It’s too easy to sleep walk through life. Take risks.“ #RiskTaker

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE JACKLYN!

CELEBRATING WOMEN

Jacklyn creates custom invitations and stationery for weddings, events, and everyday life, adding a touch of heartfelt poetry to each design, making every piece unique, meaningful, & memorable. Jacklyn reminiscences about her childhood, “I’m pretty sure I wanted to be a singer when I was younger, but that was just a dream. I’m terrible at singing!” Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Jacklyn chose: Roller coaster ride. Jacklyn elaborated with these poignant yet inspiring thoughts, “Throughout my twenties, I have been through so many ups and downs. I’ve put myself

through bad relationships, moved to a few different places, changed jobs like I change outfits, and felt so lost along the way. It’s been a struggle to find myself, but I finally did. And all I can say is it just takes time. It feels like the roller coaster ride is never ending in the moment, but I promise you it does. You have to believe in yourself, be nice to yourself and learn to love yourself. You have to be patient and know that everything happens for a reason, and it will all lead you to where you want to be, even if you don’t know where that is yet. You’ll know when you get there.“ Let’s let Jacklyn know we are all on this ride with her! (I’ve got front row!) Who’s with us? #RollerCoasterRide

CELEBRATE UMA!

CELEBRATING WOMEN

C E L E B R AT E U M A !

When prompted “describe what you do, without using titles”, Uma responded, “I empower people to seek the truth for themselves and mentor them to achieve freedom from the world to stand boldly in their authenticity.“ I did a little investigating and discovered Uma’s endeavors include creating an environment of holistic wellness, a place where metaphysical services, workshops and classes are offered to meet the essential health, wellness, and spiritual needs of the community. The next question (when you were younger than you are now, what did you want to “do” or “be” when you grew up?) elicited a laugh from Uma, “LOL, I wanted to work for myself and be my own boss! (guess that worked out)“ Uma chose these 3 words to describe her life so far: Amazing, Insightful, Adventurous. Given the opportunity to reflect & impart what she hoped would inspire other women & girls, Uma shared her thoughts, “Despite your circumstances, your history and your back story, you always have a choice to move forward. Use it.“

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE MARIE!

Marie provides encouragement and enlightenment to anyone who may be struggling with their self esteem or spirituality. When Marie was little she wanted to be an attorney. Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Marie chose; Absolutely amazingly blessed. Marie shares her thoughts and encouragement to inspire other women & girls, “The only limits on what you can do in this life are the ones you place on yourself.” #NoLimits

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE AMY! Amy helps women look beautiful and feel confident in “simply comfortable” (& affordable!) fashion clothing.

Amy provides a unique, personalized, and fun shopping experience offering an array of apparel (think dresses, skirts, tops, leggings, etc.) featuring diverse styles and sizes for every woman! When Amy was little she wanted to be an elementary school teacher. Using 3 words to describe her life so far, Amy chose: Blessed. Loved. Thankful. Amy offers guidance, encouragement, and inspiration to girls & women, and shares, “Never give up! No matter your challenge or disability.” #beYOUtiful

CELEBRATING WOMEN

C E L E B R AT E MAE!

Committed and dedicated to eliminating the chaos in today’s health and beauty world, Mae provides honest recommendations, firmly established in research & expertise, in wellness, mind, body, and spirit that empowers more individuals & creates opportunities to take the leap to live their most vibrant, healthy life; with fun, laughter, & love, and to also live with energy, action, and passion. When Mae was little she wanted to be a flight attendant, lawyer, neurosurgeon, & fashion designer! (#girlswithgoals!) Using three words to describe her life so far, Mae chose: blessed, adventerous and challenging. Mae shares guidance, encouragement & motivation to inspire other women & girls, “I think the most valuable lesson, is to have understanding and offer forgiveness which allows us to move forward. Also to stop making excuses or blaming others for where we are today. It starts from birth, we are born into this world not choosing our parents and although some have more painful experiences, abuse and greater

difficulties, it is the challenges in our lives (at any age) that we truly can grow from. We all have the power as we enter young adult life to make choices that can change our current situations. I truly believe no parent wakes up and says, “I am going to do a terrible job at raising my child”, but possibly due to alcohol, drugs, or they themselves having terrible parents, they don’t set the example or become the role model we may have wished for. But it is in our power to forgive and believe that they did the best they could do with what they “limited” their capabilities to be. That does not mean you have to endure the abuse or not move away from it, but understand it is out of your control, not your fault, and that you as your own person can be whoever you choose, stronger and more loving, and someone’s role model. Forgiveness is good for the soul and allows for more positive love and energy to come in. You can not use the past as an excuse for not doing what you are capabable of, to move in a positive, successful direction, the power is in you. Each of us is born with that gift.” #TheGift

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE CLAUDIA!

CELEBRATING WOMEN

Like so many women, Claudia is a mother, a daughter, a sister, & a friend, and, like so many women, Claudia tries to balance all of her responsibilities with grace & love. Claudia’s grace and love extend to nature & it’s only natural that she is devoted to the study of microscopic organisms that cause disease and environmental damage and are of industrial or agricultural interest, in order to preserve and save our shared natural environment. When Claudia was growing into woman that she is today, she knew even at a young age that she wanted to be, in her words, “a person who shed light on, and ACTED upon the wrongdoings to our environment.” When I asked Claudia to describe her life so far (using just 3 words) she chose; I am alive! Here’s Claudia’s short & sweet advice for women & girls, “Stand tall- stand up” #StandTallStandUp #SheIsAScientist #MicrobiologyForTheWin

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRAT E KAR!

Through three thoughtfully designed tracks, Kar’s “Shine With Fun” program includes social, travel, outdoors, health, spiritual, & community experiences. Kar knew at young age that should would be, “exactly who I am today: an adventurer who follows my heart and thrives.” Using three words to describe her life so far, Kar chose; Amazing, exciting, fulfilling! Kar shares her inspiration and encourages other women & girls to follow her lead, “I followed my spirit guide, and I trust & believe in myself.”

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE DEBORAH!

Wow. Let’s just start there. Wow. Deborah’s interview is a celebration of Deborah, of women & of life itself. Some highlights; Deborah has written 14 books on building diverse teams with storybased communication, emotional intelligence and smart decisionmaking; founded/edits an online magazine that gives people from all over the world a voice; lectured at universities about Women’s Rights; and ran a Women GroundBreakers Storytelling event for many years. When Deborah was a young girl she wanted to be a choreographer and describes her life to date as; “Unbelievably creative and impactful“ There’s no doubt that she has choreographed a most beautiful dance…her extraordinary life. I am grateful to capture a glimpse of her recollections, candidly shared to inspire and encourage us; “I grew up on the 24 square miles of British Bermuda in the only Jewish family to have lived on the island for 4 generations. They treasured education and my mother attended Radcliffe College where she was a pioneer is special education and met my father, a first generation American-born scholar who became a US military intelligence officer assigned to interrogate Nazi prisoners of war. I also attended a generation later when it merged

with Harvard. I am a product of that merger as well as a blend of my parents. You would think that it would be easy for me to be successful in life, but health issues and a lack of an immune system meant that I crashed and burned every couple of years. I had to reinvent myself constantly. There were painful times when I was tempted to give up. But nothing is lost and at this point in my life, I am more creative, well-known, and successful than I could ever imagine when I lay in one of many hospital beds. I started writing from one of those beds and kept writing whenever I was too sick to hold down a job. I thought of myself as a loser rather than a writer, but as I got better with practice, I became an award-winning author, determined to make the world a better place. I didn’t think I would be long on this planet and wanted to leave something meaningful behind. I’m grateful to be alive and to be featured as a trailblazer in Forbes Magazine is surreal. It turns out that the passion to leave a legacy when you think your life is soon over is motivation to be driven, determined and fearless. But why wait for that particular motivation? Dream big and work to achieve great things now, knowing that life is short for all of us.”

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE AMIRA!!

With more than 15 years devoted to the education & empowerment of youth, Amira is responsible for designing & managing the educational and training programs that are offered by the Career Development Department at The American University in Cairo AUC. Amira was always dreaming of helping others. As a young girl, she wished to open a shelter for children who were homeless or an orphanage for children who were orphaned & disabled. Her dream became reality in part when she became a Pharmacist aiding and allevWiating the suffering of those in impoverished, poverty-stricken areas, and she then fulfilled her passion for service when she shifted to Teaching and Education Management.

Dynamic, rich, & simple is how Amira describes her life so far, and she offers this advice to other women & girls, replete with encouragement and inspiration, “Follow your dreams.. Make your own story. A life spent in helping others is a very rich life.” Truer words were never spoken. #LookForTheHelpers

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE SHAWNA!

An ambassador for women’s authentic living, Shawna leads women in the transformation of our lives…manifesting our power to RISE daily, entering into a passionate love affair with ourselves and prosperity through self-love, self-acceptance, and self-discovery practices. When she was a young girl Shawna aspired to be a singer and teacher, and describes her life so far as an “Adventure, Exciting, & Peaceful.” When asked what she would like to share in order to inspire other girls & women in her life, Shawna gripped me with her fearless truth, “We are at a tipping point in history, moving forward it is of utmost importance that women by example show girls how to tell and live ‘HerStory’ from a place of self-love, self-acceptance, and selfdiscovery. You see, for ages women and girls alike have been led to believe they are inferior, unworthy and must constantly work to prove their ability to think on advance levels as well as carry out task that at one time were only available to men. History seeks to covertly continue to put limits on her despite of her extraordinary achievements and mastery in education, science, human development, social and family arenas. She has been crowned with fear instead of FAITH… Social, and religious constructs continue peddle her in unworthiness, incapable of making global decisions, with the air that she is required to earn through societal approval her way back to worthiness with no end in sight. The time has come for Women to ‘RISE’ -ReActivate and Value their Vision. Let us begin to embody our truth, “Greater is he who is in me” If there is a God in me I MUST be a Goddess “Divine Goddess” by birth right to be exact. We are Visionaries, stand up, let us ALL live Victoriously!” #sisterhood

CELEBRATING WOMEN

CELEBRATE HOLLI! Holli manages tours for performers; arranging travel plans, coordinating with venues, managing financials, facilitating media interactions, and scouting local services at each tour stop for the talent, essentially planning and directing all the logistical activities that underpin extensive trips in the entertainment industry. Holli is multi-talented, and recently spent her time on a production filming in New York, skillfully building sets, a job predominantly performed by men.

CELEBRATING WOMEN

Describing her life as unpredictable, quality, & love, Holli shares her path, “It’s hard to think of a time where I ever thought of a career I wanted to have “when I grow up”. I’m 37 and still don’t really know what I want to be when I grow up haha. At least not as a profession. I just know I want to be financially secure and have a schedule with some freedom to take time off when I need to because life is what happens when I’m not at work. Work is just where I sell my time. I find satisfaction working with my hands and I love theater. So I manage performing artists in their dayto-day on the road and when I am home I build stages for theater or TV. The work suits me and it’s contract work so I can always turn down a contract to go climb pyramids in South America.” Holli inspires and encourages women and girls and shares this advice, “Find a female mentor if you can. Most of my mentors were males because there weren’t many female Tour Managers that were accessible to me when I was coming up but I learned more from working with women because they challenged me more. No one is ever going to value you

more than you value yourself so don’t undersell your skillset because I guarantee someone else with your identical skillset oversells themselves every day. But also, don’t oversell yourself. The entertainment industry is competitive. Everyone wants to work here. Some people will tell you to “fake it til you make it” and that is TERRIBLE advice. Be confident and ask intelligent questions. Know when to say “I don’t know the best way to do that. Can you show me?” and when to say “I will figure it out on my own.” The show has to happen RIGHT NOW so when you’re too embarrassed to say you don’t know how to do something and drop the ball, everyone remembers. People want to teach you if you want to learn. No one will teach you if you pretend to know. The entertainment industry is one of the hardest but most rewarding industries to work in. It’s hard to break into, but if you want to work here bad enough, you will. It will take sacrifice, but what you will gain in experience and lifelong friends who will be like family will be worth it.” #lifelongfriends #familyforever