The Brick Magazine - March 2022 by The Brick Magazine Ann Arbor

BRICK

THE

MARCH 2022

MAGAZINE

ANN ARBOR

REINVENTING VALUE: WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE WOMAN POWER

PLUS! HABITAT CELEBRATING 20TH YEAR OF BUILDING HOMES FOR WOMEN

Maria

Sylvester

HONORING THE LIGHT OF INSPIRATION AND INTUITION

“it has to be more than pretty; it must be livable” R E F L E C T YO U R L I F E ST Y L E . www.birchdesignassociates.com R E S I D E N T I A L • COM M E RC I A L

734.994.5111 LEWISJEWELERS.COM

H E A R T S O N F I R E S T O R E S , A U T H O R I Z E D R E TA I L E R S , H E A R T S O N F I R E . C O M

THE

BRICK MAGAZINE

MARCH 2022

Publisher

•

Sarah Whitsett

Managing Editor

•

Tanja MacKenzie

Art Director

•

Jennifer Knutson

Copy Editor

•

Angelina Bielby

Marketing Director

•

Steve DeBruler

Cover Photographer

•

Hilary Nichols Photography

Contributors >> Shell Phelps Tanja MacKenzie

Tiffany Birch Nadine Burns Marilyn Pellini

Maria Sylvester Leah Tessman Marji Wisniewski

The Brick Magazine, LLC 734.221.5767 Email: office@thebrickmagazine.com Visit us on the web at thebrickmagazine.com

Advertising Inquires >> email office@thebrickmagazine.com or call 734.221.5767

CONTENTS 6

Reinventing Value: Women in the Workforce

Honoring the Light of Inspiration and Intuition with Maria Sylvester

Women in Financial History

One-Hour Skillet Focaccia

A Tastemakers Tribute

Woman Power

Habitat Celebrates 20th Year of Building Homes for Women

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4 | The Brick Magazine

Reinventing Value: Women in the Workforce

by Shell Phelps Photo by Marc Olivier Jodoin

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umerous professional women are leaving the workforce or downgrading their careers due to present trials and tribulations. It’s time to jump in and help alleviate this professional crisis for women! We need women to step up and reach out to support each other. Women are facing increased mental health challenges that are testing their confidence, which is needed to leverage their abilities as career-minded professionals. This includes high-ranking women in leadership roles to emerging professionals. The top five struggles women still face in the workplace today are unequal treatment, practicing self-advocacy, trusting themselves, building alliances, and battling imposter syndrome. No wonder professional women are looking to escape the adversity of the workforce! The power of perception in the workplace is our reality. The emotional toll these professional challenges bring decreases the confidence that change is around the corner as the world faces so much uncertainty. This is the perfect time to reinvent how women to find opportunities to shine. Women need to rise to the occasion and lend a hand to other professional women. It’s time to upgrade the way we leverage the assets we have accumulated, apply what we have earned. Professional women can rejuvenate their value by using these five key strategies to stay competitive and have a distinct advantage: 1.

Increase effective decision-making to get a seat at the table.

Apply an open-dialogue communication approach that emanates and wins respect.

Build professional partnerships that promote trust and collaboration with all, without exclusion.

Increase your visibility by standing out, speaking up, and spearheading teams and projects.

Build your confidence muscle by validating and acknowledging your successes stories.

To add more value to these five strategies, women should allow themselves the opportunity to transform and reinvent their professional style. Find ways to unite with different personality types. Be willing to accept others’ positive perspectives. Acknowledge your blindspots and close the gaps. Be mindful of your emotional state. If you’re feeling good, let it show. When you don’t feel your best, process it with a verbal acknowledgment.

Photo by Alexander Suhorucov

Share your successes and failures with other professional women and remove some of your safeguards. Offer another professional woman your time without feeling territorial about your position. Believe in your self-worth and become vulnerable by owning your mistakes. Mistakes are learning opportunities, so teach others by using them as examples. At the end of the day, women in the workforce should lean in and trust themselves to know themselves. Reinventing the value of being authentic and being true to yourself will help you stay connected to what you do. This is the genuine key to success. Embrace your experiences and mentor other women; it will make your professional accomplishments more meaningful. Spend time in a career you enjoy, at a company who appreciates you, and get paid what you are worth. Shell Phelps is a recognized SHRMCertified HR Consultant, award-winning author, speaker, and co-founder of Phelps Strategies, where she is a distinguished thought leader coach. She holds a master's in counseling psychology and over 21 years of HR experience. Shell focuses on solution-based strategies to empower her clients with leadership development techniques. She is the author of the popular book The Big Bliss Blueprint: 100 Little Thoughts to Build Positive Life Changes. Website: www.shellspeaks.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/phelpshelps Instagram: @phelpsstrategies LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shell-phelps-hrprofessional-author-speaker-52717b47/

March 2022 | 7

Photo by Hilary Nichols Photography

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Honoring the Light of Inspiration and Intuition! by Maria Sylvester

created my life coaching practice the same way I’ve done just about everything in my life: by trusting my intuition and taking one inspired step after the next.

I embrace and navigate these steps, never quite knowing where they will lead, yet fully confident that if I trust myself and honor my heart, intuitive nudges, and inner wisdom, I’ll land well. I’m delighted to say that establishing my coaching practice, starting my Midlife Magnificence Programs for women, and founding Ann Arbor’s Life Empowerment Coaching & Healing Arts Center have felt like intoxicatingly blissful landings thus far.

Even as a very young child, I was intrigued and fascinated by people. I sensed that there was always more going on behind each and every gesture, comment, or expression. I was mesmerized by the myriad ways people connect and communicate (or don’t!). My veracious curiosity first drove me to take personal development courses in high school, then led to my undergraduate degree in psychology and a master of social work degree program from the University of Michigan, and then to my coaching certification through the International Coach Academy.

What led and inspired me to pursue a now 15-year coaching career was the powerful realization that feeling emotionally well did not automatically result in living a life I loved. A healthy mind does not necessarily lead directly to a sense of inner joy or peace. You can have all the insight in the world, but unless you take action with that insight, transformations will not occur. This realization, to me, is the biggest distinction between therapy and coaching. Therapy helps you deeply understand your life. Coaching helps you take action and transform your life based on those understandings!

My career as an inpatient and outpatient therapist for adolescents, adults, and couples lasted for 25 years, until life challenges called me toward a new and extremely exciting direction.

Coaching with me includes both. I’ll help you gain deep psychological insights and then guide you toward inspired action. The result: a life you love!

Challenges Open Opportunities

From Queen of Self-Abandonment to Queen of Self-Empowerment

Prior to my work as a therapist and life coach, I had also experienced my own personal therapy journey. Severe depression and anxiety haunted me at certain points in my life. Hard and frequently painful, yet eye-opening sessions in therapy helped me better cope with and alleviate distressing symptoms, but I was far from complete.

My diamond-delicious life today, dear reader, is nothing like it used to be. I’m here before you as a vibrant queen of self-empowerment. I have a full-to-overflowing coaching practice, and an incredible second husband/life partner of six years. These years together have been ones of heartMarch 2022 | 9

opening intimacy and relationship expansion beyond my wildest dreams. Additionally, I have the blessing of a mutually rewarding and adventurous relationship with my 25-year-old daughter and her partner. In addition I have a dearly treasured circle of dear friends and family. My empowerment has evolved through commitment to hours of mindfulness, meditation, a devotional prayer life, and investment in my own personal coaching. Perhaps most importantly, I’ve been disciplined in practicing what I’ve termed “Steadfast HeartSovereignty;” by this I mean I’ve taken a stand for and fully embody my core essence, energy, values, beliefs, and intuitive knowings. However, before I was the queen all of this empowerment and good stuff, I was definitely the queen of selfabandonment. This latter title goes way back, beginning in childhood. I learned very early on that my survival (and my attachments to those I needed) demanded that I put myself and my feelings on a back shelf. This was because parts of my essence, which tended toward outrageous exuberance, proved (or so I perceived) threatening to my parents and to some of my friends. I grew up frequently feeling that I was too much, too headstrong, and way too emotional.

Reflections on Self-Abandonment

Photo by Hilary Nichols Photography

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Sometimes, it just hits you — that pivotal moment when you know something has to change. For me, that moment occurred 15 years ago, tightly wrapped up in a full-blown panic attack. I realized in that instant, amid swirling lights, gasps for air, and a sudden falling to my knees, that my life was far from what I desired or would even deem good enough. In

that flash, I let into my awareness that the marriage I was in left me feeling utterly and completely straight-jacketed. It was a feeling eerily similar to the experience I had growing up in my family. Compromising ourselves, or hiding aspects of our being in an attempt to make relationships work, takes a tremendous amount of psychological energy. Not to mention that by doing so, we become inwardly inclined to then feel extremely empty, lonely, or bored — tell-tale signs of trouble! Once I realized that this was what I was doing in my marriage, and stopped doing so, I was blown away by how much new energy I had for other significant aspects of my life. In the midst of the horror of my panic attack, I heard an equally powerful calling. It was essential, for the sake of my survival and for overall thriving, that I never again abandon vital parts of myself in an attempt to maintain an attachment to another. From that moment, I committed to living from the heart of all that truly mattered to me. I got a divorce, but I’m happy to say that my ex and I remain on good, friendly terms. Hence one sad and sorry crown was out, and one sparkly, dazzling one was now on my head!

Reclamation of Queendom in Midlife I started to make amends to my lost, abandoned self and reclaimed her — every ounce and every facet of her being. I promised to never again sacrifice who I was, what I felt, or what I believed in for the sake of maintaining a connection with someone, especially someone unable to value or appreciate me in all my raw glory. This process of reclamation occurred rapidly once I put my stake in the ground, declaring and decreeing my full sovereignty, presence, and power. That crown was glistening. My midlife experience shifted from one of messy mediocrity to that of pure magnificence. Our words, and our commitment to ourselves, matter. They become the springboard to all that we then manifest. It was, and still is, from this place of divine and purposeful living that I stepped into a new mission: a commitment to uplift and empower women in midlife! I love, and have become quite masterful at, supporting queens in reclaiming their sacred essence and embracing their sensual, sexy energy and power. Rediscovering one’s inner gold never felt so good!

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March 2022 | 11

Photo by Hilary Nichols Photography

12 | The Brick Magazine

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world into grand focus — to harness that inner gold — let me be your guide! I’ll support you along with an intimate group of other dedicated women in a super impactful eight-week online coaching experience beginning March 10th. Using impactful techniques, my transformational magic, and the wisdom of the sistermind, you can craft an individualized manifesto. It will become your north star for how you want to live out the rest of your diamond-studded days on this glorious earth. I’ll meet you there!

Maria Sylvester, MSW, CPC is a certified Life Coach in Ann Arbor, MI who loves empowering adolescents, adults, and couples to live from the HEART of what really matters to them so that they can bring their fully expressed, vibrant selves into the world. She has a special gift for helping women reclaim their feminine power, and embrace their radiant, sensual, sexy spirits. Their lives transform. They soar into their mid-life magnificence! www.lifeempowermentcoaching.com Instagram: @life_coach_maria Facebook: www.facebook.com/LifeEmpowermentCoaching

March 2022 | 13

Women in Financial History

by Nadine Burns

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich

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s a woman in the financial industry, I often find myself in a room full of men — a situation that is, to be fair, becoming less common. According to the Certified Financial Planner® Board, women make up only 23% of CFP® Professionals; that number has not grown in the past 20 years. Many strong women have paved the way in this industry, and it’s good to look back and recognize those who made these strides. I’ve been lucky enough to attend a conference to hear Adena Friedman, the first chairperson of a major stock exchange, talk about the goal to involve more women in finance. As the current Chairman of the Board for the Michigan Chapter of the Financial Planning Association, I have worked to increase diversity in our own state by reaching out to women and girls to let them know what a fabulous industry and career this can be. It’s not just a career of numbers; it’s also a career of helping families use their finances to achieve security and reach their dreams.

American Women in Finance

The Witch of Wall Street, Hetty Green (1934-1916) Hetty Green became one of the wealthiest women in the United States during the Gilded Age. While she did grow up in a wealthy Quaker shipping family and handled the family’s accounting at the age of 13, legend has it that she sold the clothes given to her to attract a wealthy husband in order to start investing. Hetty did marry and was nicknamed “The Witch of Wall Street,” as she wore only black after his passing. She gained an inheritance from both her father and aunt, but was not allowed to access the principal. She fought the issue in court and was granted a lump sum of $600,000, the equivalent of over $12 million today. On several occasions she was called upon for loans to keep the City of New York afloat. She also was a very private philanthropist. Even as a wealthy woman she scrimped, forgoing medical care for herself and her children. She passed with over $100 million in liquid assets as well as land and other holdings estimated to be over $4 billion in today’s dollars.

Abigail Adams (1744-1818)

Maggie Lena Walker (1864 -1934), Bank President

Abigail Adams, the wife of President Adams, handled the property and household investments while her husband was engaged in politics and invested in government and war bonds. She helped quadruple her family’s wealth.

Maggie Lena Walker was a daughter of slaves who had a keen mathematical and business acumen. She was the first woman to charter a U. S. bank in Richmond, Virginia — the Penny Savings Bank — to encourage savings and financial independence in the Black community.

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Muriel Siebert, (1928-2013) American Businesswoman

Abigail Johnson, Fidelity President and CEO

Muriel Siebert was the first woman to hold a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. She obtained her position after lying about having a college degree. She wanted to make as much money as the men who were her coworkers, and was told she could do so if she obtained a seat on the exchange. She borrowed most of the $445,000 needed and had to ask more than ten firms to sponsor her, but she got the seat in 1967 and was the first woman to be the New York Superintendent of Banking.

Fidelity has been overseen by President and Chief Executive Officer Abigail Pierrepont Johnson since 2014. Ms. Johnson is the great granddaughter of Fidelity founder Edward C. Johnson II and is considered one of the most influential women in finance today. Only one year ago, on January 26, 2021, Janet Yellen became the first woman Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, the 78th person to do so. Ms. Yellen, a professor of economics, was the Chair of the Board of Economic Advisors to President Clinton, and Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board under President Obama. She is the first person to hold all three of these impactful posts in the history of the United States. Women have made valuable contributions to the field of finance and economics, and we hope these recent women open more doors for those to follow them and sit at the table where so many impactful decisions are made. Nadine Burns is a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional and holds a master's degree in business from the University of Michigan. She is the CEO of A New Path Financial in Ann Arbor and works with women who want to be involved in their financial well-being.

Adena Friendman, NASDAQ President Adena Friedman became the first woman to lead a major stock exchange very recently in 2017, when she became the Chief Executive Officer of the NASDAQ. She started there as an intern in 1993, worked at another firm, and then returned in 2011 to continue to rise through the ranks. She works today to increase the opportunities for women in finance.

Securities offered through Sigma Financial Corporation, member FINRA (FINRA.org) and SIPC (SIPC.org). Advisory services offered through Sigma Planning Corporation, a Registered Investment Advisor. A New Path Financial, LLC is independent of Sigma Financial Corporation and Sigma Planning Corporation. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

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One-Hour Skillet Focaccia by Tanja MacKenzie

Photo by Haley Truong

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he smell of fresh-baked rosemary focaccia wafted through the library stacks, making my mouth water during the summer I worked in a third-floor book collection. The building caretaker lovingly shared her homemade focaccia with me; the rosemary was straight from the garden. So far away from home, my young self felt so nourished by this random act of kindness. I finally found a recipe that comes close to that special delivery. May you have someone to share this with as well. I have no doubt you’ll love this chewy focaccia on its own, alongside a bowl of soup, or as a sandwich bread at lunchtime. Try doubling the recipe and using a sheet pan to feed a crowd!

DIRECTIONS 1.

Preheat oven to 220F. Once warm, turn oven off. You’re creating a warm place to let the bread rise.

In a large bowl, mix warm water and sugar until dissolved. Add yeast and stir. Let it sit 5 minutes until foamy.

Add 1 cup flour and salt. Mix on low speed until combined. Add oil and mix until combined.

Add remaining flour slowly until a soft, stringy dough forms. You may not need the entire amount.

Grease your skillet with olive oil. Turn out your dough onto a floured counter top. Knead dough a few times — just until it’s smooth.

Gently stretch the dough into a circle slightly larger than your skillet and place it in your pan, with the dough stretching up the sides a little bit. Cover with a kitchen towel and place it in the warm oven for 20 minutes to rise.

Next, remove the pan from the oven and preheat oven to 400F.

The best part: sink your fingers into the dough to make dimples that will hold your drizzle of olive oil and melted butter. However you feel inspired to today, top with oil, cheese, salt, and/or herbs.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, then remove focaccia from the skillet. Slice and drizzle with more oil if you’re feeling decadent.

10. Once cool — and if you have any leftovers — store in an airtight container. Adapted from CrunchyCreamySweet.com

INGREDIENTS ¾ cup warm water ½ tsp sugar 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast 2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for greasing your skillet) 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided ½ tsp salt Top the dough with any combination of: chopped fresh rosemary grated fresh parmesan generous drizzles of olive oil or melted butter flaky sea salt fresh chopped herbs thin lemon slices I use a stand mixer for this dough, but it’s totally manageable by hand.

Tanja RohnMacKenzie is an urban farmer who grew dahlias instead of carrots this year. These, too, remained unpicked. As managing editor of The Brick Magazine, she is continuously astounded by the talent, grace, and goodwill of the writer community in the Ann Arbor area. As she navigates the parenting of two teen girls with her partner, she operates under the mantra of “sweat your prayers” and cycles often. The two activities are often related. Her portrait photography work lives at tanjerinestudios.ca.

March 2022 | 19

A Tastemaker’s Tribute

by Tiffany Birch Photo by Laurence Katz 20 | The Brick Magazine

“S

uitability, suitability, suitability!” are the hallmark words by which the late, great inventor of interior design, Elsie de Wolfe, lived by throughout her remarkable career. Born in 1865, the New Yorker and “chintz decorator” caused quite a stir after ending a stint on Broadway in an effort to bring into light the art of living with taste, being the first woman known to charge her friends a fee for her decorative services. In her book The House in Good Taste, de Wolfe exalts that “a woman’s environment will speak for her life, whether she likes it or not;” for example, she wonders, “How can we believe that a woman of sincerity of purpose will hang fake ‘works of art’ on her walls, or satisfy herself with imitation velvets or silks?” Though it sounds a bit garish and quite snobbish today, she ends with a humbling fact: “A house is a dead giveaway, anyhow, so you should arrange it so that the person who sees your personality in it will be reassured, not disconcerted.” It’s fair to say that Elsie was a pioneer of women’s rights and surrounded herself with people who had a like-minded

approach to not only her politics, but to her reverence for candid banter. She did not beat around the bush when it came to her views on the importance of architecture, interior design, or its place in transforming one’s spirit. It’s in this regard that I pay homage to those commonalities I hold as a fellow design professional and attest to the following principles that she originated (and still hold true). *** I have long proposed that if we select items that “speak” to us, they will remain beautiful and withstand the test of time. There is no shame — I repeat, no shame! — in repurposing or re-arranging furnishings and accessories in our home and finding a new resting place for them. Elsie believed this too, as long as the considerations of suitability, proportion, and simplicity are entertained. In past articles for this publication, I’ve preached the concept of “letting go” of those items in our homes that serve no purpose and hold little value or meaning. It’s from this clean slate that one can rationally uphold our individual expressions and create a home where raising our families is both beautiful and sincere.

Photo by Beth Macdonald

March 2022 | 21

Photo by Seville Home

Photo by Nathan Oakley

Another principle of quality design is buying a home with good bones; if the home itself is fundamentally “good,” then creating a tranquil and tasteful environment should not be a difficult task. Whether you decide to enlist the help of a design professional or not, noticing things such as quality window structure, pleasant views, and inviting wall spaces is somewhat natural to us all. Lighting, whether natural or artificial, is one of the most important considerations within the design process. A good architect or designer will create spaces utilizing the best of both natural and artificial light; putting a sweet floor lamp in the right corner could offer just the right glow to read by on a lazy Sunday morning. It’s possible to select lighting fixtures that are both beautiful and functional if the proper attention is paid in their selection. The key is to avoid glare, but select options that disperse light proportionately to the space. Here too is where light switches and floor plugs become vitally important in the early phase of the design process, whether you’re building or redesigning your existing home. It will save money in the long run if the location of these items is correct prior to the installation of final finishes. Consider the old adage: “Measure twice, cut once.”

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Elsie claimed that there are “…always good and bad fixtures offered at the lowest and highest prices,” and that is certainly true. As always, I think a good pairing of high and low always works best and creates an environment that doesn’t feel “staged” (or the opposite, as if you just purchased all of your lighting in one fell swoop). One of my personal favorite things to do is to select a vase or ginger jar and have it electrified. The cost is surprisingly affordable (depending on your taste, of course). This option offers a custom feel and elevates your own personal style. This is also true of selecting a fabric of your choice and having a custom shade fabricated. I will admit that I’m not a fan of chintz fabric, as Elsie so lovingly adored in her interiors, but one principle where we do align is on our choice of wall color and the application of wallpaper in certain areas of the home. We’re both big fans of cream and white walls and trim. Nothing looks better against this backdrop when trying to make a statement with your furniture or art selections. However, it’s safe to say that most individuals know their own color sense. I often suggest to my clients who claim otherwise to check their closets. We can often see it plain as day in the clothes we wear daily. For example, I’m a sucker for black, navy, cream, and white. Those are also commonplace in the color selections of my personal home.

Know what works for you, but keep in mind that rooms that face south lend themselves best to greens, blues, whites, and cool grays. The opposite is true of spaces facing north, which can handle rich deep colors or even wood-paneled walls and ceilings. When it comes to wall coverings, the options are limitless! Nothing can make a statement like wallpaper in the right setting. I believe that wallpaper is hands down the best choice for hallways, landings, powder rooms, and bedrooms to offer interesting and personal expression. Bedrooms especially are a completely different animal, as it is a private space. It’s here where you can choose to go a bit rogue and showcase your truest self, without concern for the overall flow of the home’s color palette. Paying homage to those who have guided our way and opened doors to places we never thought imaginable is the ultimate thank-you, in my mind. Whether you agree with every one of Elsie de Wolfe’s principles matters not. It’s validating to acknowledge all pioneers’ contributions to the world, and the role they’ve played in our individual lives. Tiffany Birch has been an interior designer since 2002, and specializes in both residential and commercial projects. She holds a Master of Social Work degree (ACSW) and utilizes interpersonal relationship skills on a daily basis with her client base, largely comprised of Ann Arbor and Metro Detroit residents. She enjoys residing in the city and the comforts of home. When she’s not fully immersed in client projects, you can find her on the golf course, a favorite pastime. www.birchdesignassociates.com Instagram: @birchdesignassociates

My wife had passed away and I was living alone, I became one of the best microwave chefs, but that’s not a good way to live. I have enjoyed every minute I have lived at Silver Maples. There’s a diverse group of people living here, which truly makes it special. Will Laycock Joined Silver Maples 7 years ago

(734) 475-4111 www.silvermaples.org Locally-Owned, Non-Profit Jointly Sponsored by 5 Healthy Towns Foundation and United Methodist Retirement Communities, Inc.

March 2022 | 23

Woman Power by Marilyn A. Pellini

Photo by Chelsi Peter

y age will be quite apparent when I tell you that women in my time were pretty much confined to being a nurse, teacher, or secretary. This was true even if they had attended college and perhaps had an advanced degree. Most women back then married young, had a family right away, and became stay-at-home moms. Some were frustrated by this strictly regulated role, while others felt this to be their plight as women, and there were definitely those who were totally fulfilled with this structure.

back to her. When I took the SAT, I truly wished my math score came even close to my grade on the English section of the test. My mother was so ahead of her time in other aspects of her life as well. Our house was not just a functional place, but one decorated like no other home that I had ever visited. My uncle was an artist and helped with colors for paint, carpet, and draperies, but she selected the stylish furniture and all the interesting touches that added warmth and charm, which in turn made ours not just a house but a home.

I had a mom who was so ahead of her time, even though advanced education was not open to her as her family was in no position to afford to send her to college. She read about three books a week and always had a dictionary beside her. Her vocabulary was very extensive, and she would often pepper us with her strange new words, which we would digest and then sometimes spit

Growing up, I was a very shy kid. I was so shy that teachers often did not call on me in class, as my eyes would fill up with tears because it was so painful for me to speak out. This lasted until college when I finally came out of my shell, and my naïveté was mistaken for an odd sense of humor. Once I became more popular, it was much easier to exert myself and know my own taste, wants,

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and limits. When I went off to a small state university there were only 125 women in my class, and I knew even before freshman year that I wanted to be a teacher. Deciding to teach kindergarten was a good ploy, as it would mean I would not have to vie with a male in the job market. Most men taught high school or middle school. After my first year in this school system, I was approached by the assistant superintendent of schools to take a job in a brand-new school, which was in a very depressed neighborhood. Taking the assignment was not easy, as the class size was huge and the kids often very rambunctious. Two years after accepting this position I bravely asked for a transfer, as it was affecting my health. Being an asthmatic and exposed to kids who were sent to school with a fever or obvious chickenpox often left me ill myself. Instinctively I knew that being offered this position in the first place meant I was thought to be an extremely capable teacher. My room was always neat and tidy and decorated with the kid’s good works. The children were always engaged in meaningful academic pursuits. I banked on their not wanting me to leave, and I was right. The transfer was forthcoming, and I stayed in that position that I just loved until I was married and about to have a child of my own. Many friends had found themselves in untenable work situations, but were afraid to speak up or assert themselves. One gal had been hired to work in an insurance agency for the summer. Being a business major, she felt this a great coupe on her part. Getting extensive training in the field she might want to enter when she graduated from college was essential. The boss had other ideas, however, as on the third day in the office she noticed a pile of grocery store bags filled with papers beside her desk on the floor, and there were five new scrapbooks on top of the desk. He wanted her to go through all the news clippings in the bags, which were about him and his wife, discard duplicates, and paste the rest into the scrapbooks. The gal felt totally demeaned, but needed the money badly in order to go back to college. She decided it best not to point out this was not the job she applied for. This gentleman also liked to park his car in an illegal spot if he was just picking up some things at the office, and sent her out to sit in his car and honk the horn three times if a policeman came. She hoped and prayed this would never happen as she was certain the policeman would know this was some kind of signal, and she was frightened that she might be arrested. Although today workplace discrimination and the harassment of women is still prevalent, females are no longer afraid to be whistle-blowers, especially since the advent of the “Me Too” movement. In the past, the only

way to get out of a difficult situation at your job was to quit and simply find some other work to do. We learned just how powerful women are in physical strength once they were allowed to be firefighters, policewomen, EMTs, and serve in the military. There have been many stories about the bravery, resolve, and accomplishments of women now in these four fields. I do not believe that a coworker running into a burning building feels the woman beside him needs sheltering or protection. Women can hold their own in these difficult situations, and this has been proven time and again. Some believe that women who have lost their mate do better at being alone than men — but why? Is it just because they already know how to cook or clean a house? We ladies are social beings — getting out of the home, into gatherings, volunteering our time, and seeking ways to contribute and be useful is essential to our being. A giving nature makes us a powerful force for good. Extending a helping hand is a natural tool for selfpreservation, and a healing force for society. Often we hear the term “mind over matter.” Exactly what does that mean? I believe it is saying we can train our minds to think and respond in a positive way. Only we have the power to strike out and fill our lives with supportive force. I remember my husband always trying to impart life lessons to our kids. “You know,” he said one day, “there are three ways you can go through life: one is as a winner, the other is as mediocre, and the last is with negative thoughts toward yourself and others.” He went on to explain that the choice at a certain age is only theirs. A parent can suggest and advise, but not compel them to do anything they do not wish to. Friends, relatives, teachers etc. can influence, but in the end the choices are theirs alone. Women of power and strength, you must continue to get out there with your ideas of peace, cooperation, and freedom, and do so with a demeanor of affability. You can change this world into a place of serenity and happiness, just as so many of you have done with your own individual little families. Power on! Marilyn Pellini published her first book, Dear Al, A Widow’s Struggles and Remembrances, in 2018. That same year, she won the first place prize in the New York State Federation of Women’s Club writing contest. In the past, she’s had poetry and articles published in magazines such as On the Water, Westchester Parent, Balanced Rock, and others.

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Habitat Celebrates 20th Year of Building Homes for Women

by Leah Tessman

or 20 years, hundreds of women have joined together to help renovate a home in Washtenaw County for a local, hardworking woman as part of the Women Build project for Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley (HHHV). Each year, the women team up to fundraise,

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donate, and volunteer on the build site to fully renovate the home for the Habitat homebuyer of low- to mid-income. “Women Build is a great opportunity for local women and partners to rally together to learn new skills and complete

a home for a local woman,” said Sarah Stanton, HHHV CEO. “It’s a great chance for women to take a proactive step in serving other women in our community. It’s an experience for women to empower other women.” Since 2002, HHHV has hosted Women Build each year and helped house 20 women and their families. In the first year, HHHV’s all-women crew — including the carpenter and house supervisor — donated their time weekend after weekend, hosted many fundraisers, and built a complete home in Ypsilanti for a mother and her two daughters. On March 1, 2003, HHHV hosted its first Women Build house dedication with 16 women who served on the Women Build committee, the family, and supporters of the project. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, HHHV’s 2021 Women Build project welcomed more than 70 volunteers and raised more than $65,000 to help renovate the Simby family’s future home. Simby, who participated in Habitat’s Home Ownership Program (HOP), and her son moved into their home in October 2021. HHHV homebuyers qualify for an affordable mortgage, provide 250 “sweat equity” hours of financial management classes and other education, and help with renovating and volunteering. “Becoming a homeowner is a huge blessing,” said Eden Simby, the 2021 Women Build homeowner. “I look forward to making great memories with family and friends in our new home.” This spring and summer, HHHV’s Women Build hopes to bring together 150 women to build and raise more than $65,000 to support the 2022 renovation project and family. Women Build is presented by the James A. & Faith Knight Foundation, which has supported the womenled project since the beginning, and also has support from other local businesses and women-led teams of fundraising volunteers. Teams of six to eight women will volunteer on Fridays and Saturdays to help renovate the Women Build home. HHHV estimates that it takes roughly 1,500 volunteer hours to help the organization complete a home; local women are

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a build day to create a positive change for a local woman. Team leaders have a fundraising goal of $800 to gain a closed volunteer day for six to eight friends, family, and/or co-workers.

invited to devote at least one day to help. No construction experience is necessary and site supervision and direction is provided. HHHV estimates that each home costs the organization roughly $140,000 from acquisition, renovation, homebuyer education, and support to the sale of the home. In the last few years, the organization has witnessed rising costs in construction materials, such as lumber, and shortages of trades, which has further strained HHHV’s work to help those in need of affordable housing. Therefore, HHHV is seeking financial support and sponsors to help cover costs associated with the Women Build. Sponsorship opportunities range from $1,000 to $10,000 and include recognition on the 20th Anniversary Women Build T-shirt and build days for employees or friends. HHHV is also seeking team leaders to inspire and motivate other like-minded women to pick up a hammer or support

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In over 30 years, HHHV has built or renovated more than 260 homes, provided more than 6,000 home improvement projects, engaged with more than 5,500 residents and community partners through community development activities, and served roughly 1,000 people through the Habitat Education Program. Beyond the local community, HHHV has also provided more than $800,000 to overseas Habitat work. To learn more about Women Build or to sign up today, visit www/h4h.org/women-build or contact Leah Tessman at ltessman@h4h.org. You can find HHHV on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn

Leah Tessman has been the Development Associate for Corporate and Faith Relations for Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley (HHHV) since 2016. Leah partners with local corporations, congregations, organizations and individuals to help fundraise, donate, volunteer and renovate Habitat homes for future Habitat homebuyers in Washtenaw County. Each year, HHHV renovates 10 – 15 homes for families and individuals of low- to mid-income who qualify and are in need of decent, safe and affordable housing. Additionally, HHHV serves and/or assists more than 1,500 households in Washtenaw County through Habitat’s Education Program and Home Improvement Program.

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