Fantastic Women and Where to Find Them

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti/Sara Barakzai Priscila recounts the motivating tale of the Lioness of Lisabi; the Nigerian educator, political campaigner, suffragist, and women's rights activist. Tray chats about Afghanistan's first female animator and her inspiring journey to become a digital artist despite the odds being stacked against her.  Please note that this episode was recorded in early August 2021, before the full exodus of the American troops from Afghanistan so our conversation reflects this. We currently do not know what the future holds for Sara, and the countless girls and women and their right to education under Taliban rule. Our thoughts are with the Afghan people at this time. Notes and references here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f4gHFn2n7CkWzQ8mhXQtEGutdQSmO1NUnRNUY-qKicQ/edit

Weee're baaaaaaaack! Hello everyone, we missed you! After a long hiatus, Priscila and Tray are back recording Fantastic Women and Where to Find Them. Unfortunately we're still recording remotely (due to this thing called a pandemic) but it also means we have unrestricted access to a fantastic woman who has lots of views and loves the news - Bairbre Holmes! We decided to kick off this season's episodes with a slightly different format than usual so in this episode we are having the chats with Bairbre, a producer with ITV news, who is currently based in the UK. We are also delighted to be back drinking cocktails on a Sunday morning together - Sláinte! Short notes and cocktail recipe here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/159K39HhrR0k7KfCg005Iic2Zp-2fCf1D8GgtVT67ROk/edit?usp=sharing

We are not over! This is just a sweet reminder that Tray & Priscila will come back to bring more amazing stories and drinks to enjoy with you all, we are just taking a minute to decompress and look after ourselves. We love you and we are so thankful for your support and for listening to our voices through these past months, please don't forget to subscribe and follow us on social media. Take care of yourselves and stay safe everyone! Much love from Tray & Pris.

Happy New Year from Tray and Priscila!!  For our last episode of the year - Episode 20, we cannot believe it - we did a New Year's Special/year in review and looked back over our previous episodes. We shared our favourite fantastic women stories as well as our cocktails of choice. Have a listen and see if you agree! If you haven't listened to us before, this might give you a flavour of the stories we like to share about fantastic women around the world (and some very tasty cocktails.) We can't wait to get going again in the New Year with more stories about fantastic women, but until then we wish you a Merry Resistmas and a happy New Year! May your year ahead be filled with love, laughter, safety, and strong and fearless women.  - All the best from Tray and Priscila, who are currently fervently kissing 2020 goodbye (with tongue! ;))

Diana Spencer/Dolly Parton This one is a merry one! In Episode 19, Tray and Priscila fulfilled a really nerdy dream and made a "Christmas special"! No matter what holiday you may be celebrating at this time of year it is a time of giving around the world. Priscila remembers Diana Spencer, "the people's princess". Even though she was a member of the British monarchy, Priscila discusses Diana's philanthropy and dedicates this Christmas episode to her advocacy for different charities and causes. Tray had some fun sharing the recipe for a Christmas sangria cocktail and chatting about the singer, songwriter, multi- instrumentalist, actor, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian that is Dolly Parton! Tray and Priscila wish you a safe holiday season, with hopefully some fun and laughter and good memories to cherish with your loved ones. Be kind to one another, and let's forget about COVID for a while and let our days be merry and bright. Much love, grá, amor, from the Fantastic Women and Where to Find Them podcast. Footnotes and delicious cocktail recipe here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gjk69vKRX1DcD7CqbyeMgGC5zzDPmsGgJgHTx3P2gH0/edit?usp=sharing

Victoria Santa Cruz/Anick Lubinda In this episode, Priscila brought a life story that had Tray riveted - her fantastic woman was an afroperuvian poet, choreographer, and activist from Peru. Tray chatted about a Zambian dairy farmer who rarely stands still and the freedom of movement brought about by the humble bicycle. The cocktail was also sweet and packed a punch - you can find the recipe for the Creole Daquiri and our notes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1frL46tbY4G4HN0zAZbjAkjrQixXvLlYyjAiyc8h3pPg/edit?usp=sharing

Daphne du Maurier/Naomi Klein Priscila made every effort to make this a (very VERY late) Halloween special, despite my lack of cooperation! So enjoy her spooky recounting of the talented English novelist and playwright Daphne du Maurier's interesting life. In this episode Tray also spoke about the "brazen" anti-capitalist agitator and environmental activist from Canada, Naomi Klein.  We encourage you to do your own research on these topics and hopefully together we can create awareness of the impact of corporate globalisation on our world. Our notes and the 'Naomi Klein' cocktail recipe can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nn6WLKqLzDKvjuW3dzgV6e7imcdriE4oIGHg3RJGU-A/edit?usp=sharing Please be kind to one another, the world needs more kindness.  Sending good wishes to you and your families, Tray and Pris x

Andrea Ghez/Li Jingzhi Welcome to our latest episode! Priscila talks about Andrea Ghez, a phenomenal astronomer and astrophysicist from the USA, and Tray tells the story of Li Jingzhi, a mother who searched for her kidnapped son across China for 32 years, helping other parents find their children along the way. As always, our tasty cocktail and notes can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MHPwUj5S7mXJREKNsK1QqPcCU4UkVqCqJBdA6Wac_pQ/edit?usp=sharing

Shankutala Devi/the Jeju Haenyo This episode brings the varied and interesting stories of a mathematician, astrologer, and published author from India, as well as the communnity of women from Jeju island in Korea who go deep sea diving to gather food without oxygen masks (and some of them are in their 80s!) Listen to find out more about these women, past and present, from the far side of the world to us. You can find our notes and the delicious Sea Breeze cocktail recipe here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13SMLkgij_jxD7rJ9YwfVDgoJ9aD8LkAFBrW7rMihL9g/edit?usp=sharing Stay safe and well, love Tray and Priscila

Hedy Lamarr/Katie Taylor Hedy Lamarr is known worldwide as a golden age actress and icon, but in this episode Priscila digs a little deeper into the story of this Austrian woman who was also an inventor and a chemist. Tray talks about one of her favourite Irish females, Katie Taylor, who is the most outstanding Irish athlete of her generation and known as the best female fighter in the world. Footnotes and cocktail receipe can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hAqpPG2xzEs2Mm_OGUzzaa4oOAi1k2kziFqf9wLdDXM/edit?usp=sharing We apologise for the delay in releasing this episode due to hectic schedules and the messiness of life. We hope you enjoy it, and we look forward to releasing our next episode in 2 weeks time. Stay safe and well, and thanks for listening, from Tray and Pris.

Anaïs Nin/Delia Derbyshire Priscila and Tray were back to recording remotely with some dodgy signal, but we still had some fun times with two very interesting stories! Tray told the tale of French-Cuban sex positive writer and literary femme fatale, Anaïs Nin.  Anaïs wrote short stories, novels, and erotica, and is known for her detailed diaries spanning decades. Priscila revealed the brilliant talent that was Delia Derbyshire, an English mathematician and composer, and a pioneer in the electronic music genre. Listen to the episode to find out what famous theme song she composed! Trigger warning: We mention child sex abuse in this episode. You can find the links to more information on these two fantastic women - and the delicious cocktail - here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rr3RsUIdWN9kvvCeIgEHsMFXzQNLShW1WoP0KxzlCSY/edit?usp=sharing

Mekatilili wa Menza/Angela Davis Join Pris and Tray in Roscommon for their latest episode. Priscila told the interesting legend of a Kenyan freedom fighter who helped ignite a revolution in her country through the power of dance! And of course we couldn't do a fantastic women podcast without ever mentioning the stalwart and venerable Angela Davis, brought to you in this episode by Tray. We were in a creaky house during a stormy Roscommon weekend so you may hear some rustling throughout too, sorry about that! Resources and footnotes (and delicious cocktail recipe we didn't get to make) can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fau3uN4LUW0YQb9jEFVMBmK2FqbjbGUlWPLWk5AUu9Y/edit?usp=sharing

Dr James Barry (Margaret Ann Buckley)/Aisholpan Nurgaiv This was a very interesting episode! Priscila regaled us with the fascinating story of Dr. James Barry, who was born Margaret Ann Buckley in Ireland in the late 1700s but lived most of her life as a man. In her guise as Dr. James Barry, she became a successful military surgeon, brought about medical reforms, and performed the first successful cesarean operation in Africa. Tray brought a fantastic girl to the table - Aisholpan Nurgaiv. In 2016, the then 13-year-old Mongolian eagle huntress competed in the Golden Eagle festival and finalised her training in traditional art of eagle hunting. Our notes and delicious cocktail (The Eagle's Dream) can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JjeM5uLksfdwJGaslQIR1kxgP-pZ3DXoQ688jbXnHDM/edit?usp=sharing Thanks for listening! - Tray and Priscila

Vilma Espín/Jewher Ilham A big hello from Swords in Co. Dublin - Tray and Priscila managed to record Episode 10 in person! (While retaining appropriate physical distance of course.) We also switched things up a little and Tray spoke about someone from the past, a Cuban revolutionary, feminist, and chemical engineer, and Pris updated us about the journey of a Uigher woman from China, who is the daughter of scholar Ilham Tohti and is an author and a human rights activist. Please note that Priscila brings up a very topical subject at the moment, and we want to emphasise that she felt the need to comment about the current events that are happening with the femicides in Turkey In light of several domestic violence-related murders and how female activists are rallying together to demand the government put legislation in place to protect women. And also what is currently happening in Kashmir, where Indian authorities continue to impose harsh and discriminatory restrictions on Muslim-majority areas in Jammu and Kashmir, one year after the revocation of the State's constitutional status on August 5, 2019. We hope you enjoy listening to this episode, and we encourage you to do your own research. As always, our links and our fantastically refreshing cocktail can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eE9_28M-yasqbMu0n9m17hw-sQenS68tK51nj2FpgRE/edit?usp=sharing

Berthe Morisot/Soultana (Youssra Oukaf) In this episode, Priscila and Tray chat about two pioneer female artists from two completely different eras. Tray invites you to listen to Soultana, a Moroccan female rapper who sings subversive songs about prostitution, street harassment, the patriarchy, and encouraging women's independence. Pris goes back in time to 19th century France to touch on Berthe Morisot's story, an impressionist painter who deserves her place not just as a "grande dame" of impressionism, but as one of the pioneering artists of that technique at that time. Appropriately, our cocktail was an iced tea too! As always, you can find our resources, footnotes, and the delicious cocktail recipe here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kL58HiE4ZQgELdoWTFHqXPk7LKIangLdhEFW5amhvAU/edit?usp=sharing

Mariya Oktyabrskaya/Rosmery Mollo Mamani The two women on this episode had an interesting link - blood! Priscila tells the passionate story of a Soviet Sergeant who fought in WWII who was a tank driver and a mechanic. Tray talks about a Bolivian nurse and community leader in women's health and empowerment in Latin America for indigenous women. This was a strong cocktail too, fair warning - it is not for the faint hearted! As always, you can find our links, resources, footnotes, and our delicious cocktail here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CvaBrxM10Awt46H5ka3KqcyueP38GUxGEmHpByQUuhU/edit?usp=sharing We hope you enjoy listening, from Tray and Priscila.

Ching Shih/ Yusra and Sarah Mardini Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! In this episode, Priscila regales us with the tale of the most successful pirate in history who conquered the Chinese seas in the 19th century. Tray introduces two sisters who are Syrian refugees, one is an Olympian and one is a humanitarian. Please note: Tracey mispronounces Yusra's name and wishes to apologise for this. It has come to our attention that it is pronounced “Eesra”. Also, Ching Shih's story is incredible, and has been somewhat lost to the annals of history so Pris brought it to light. But even though it is hard to resist the sexy allure of piracy and skullduggery, we would like to state unequivocally that we do not endorse piracy and plundering your neighbours' villages. Our delicious Dark and Stormy cocktail and our research can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jOAF0hs2pOUWtdjBtXC6h1jcEVpDHO8DauIvSLteZv0/edit?usp=sharing

Ernestine Eckstein/Camille Wardrop Alleyne On Episode 6, Priscila and Tracey discuss two fantastic women from the USA and Trinidad. Intro and outro music created by Jenova Reunion. Pris passionately recounts the tale (what little we know) of Ernestine Eckstein, a social and civil rights activist who rose up pre-Stonewall. Tray talks about Camille Wardrop, a rocket designer, space scientist, aerospace engineer, science ambassador and educational leader from Trinidad. These women's struggles and achievements can inspire little girls everywhere to dream and to live their own lives. You can check out our footnotes and our delicious cocktail recipe here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gaskSyoZS3CDBO6z00px_42H_rl3r8NZbHZDsteOX6Q/edit?usp=sharing Thank you Ernestine Eckstein, and may you rest in power.

Lydia Cacho/Debbie Evans In Episode 5, Priscila tells us the inspiring tale of courageous and tenacious Lydia Cacho, described by Amnesty International as Mexico's most famous investigative journalist and women's rights advocate. She exposed corruption and had to flee Mexico. Tray talks about Debbie Evans, who is known as the best female stunt driver in the world and is based in the USA. You can catch up on all our resources at the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jvC_hMdXuZ0RGzaDc9BViI91SdtUwhzCHxmrv9LicfU/edit?usp=sharing Note: We implore you to please sign the petition to demand the Mexican Government to give Lydia Cacho protection, found here: https://www.change.org/p/casolydiacacho?recruiter=42473136&uGtm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&fbclid=IwAR2vY6qA-1SprISGtXzUH2CdHzUY-6SeP88664ac3r3wimPw0rnZ8Uypr

Julia Child/Caitlin Moran On Episode 4, Priscila tells Tracey all about how shark repellent spray is actually a real invention and not just from a Batman TV episode. She tells the story of an American OSS agent in WWII who became a world-famous French chef. Tray brings a British journalist, broadcaster, author, and feminist to the table, a woman who is fantastically funny and whom Tray adores. The cocktail was also deliciously refreshing! Join Tray and Priscila as they discuss two fantastic women who are household names because of their written words (and voices). Click on our resources to find out more about these fantastic women and the tasty cocktail: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o3vhANRT1F__tS3PQmPUaWEz97RwGsHFUkTExqXr1UI/edit?usp=sharing

Elvia Carrillo Puerto/Pussy Riot On Episode 3, Priscila and Tray talk about two fantastic women from the past and present in Mexico and Russia. Tray talks about Pussy Riot, the feminist protest punk rock group from Russia. Priscila talks about Elvia Carrillo Puerto, the poet, politician, and advocate from Mexico. Once again there were one or two moments where we suffered from bad internet connection so we hope you can forgive us. We changed the time of future recordings so it won't happen again, which you will notice if you tune into Episode 4 next week! Check out our resources and cocktail recipe for Episode 3 here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17dKItIyaRNUz1Dijpy1RJQLQIHpeXAtqiXpa7SVKAJs/edit?usp=sharing

Dr. Kathleen Martinez/Obiageli Ezekwesili On Episode 2, Priscila and Tracey talk about two women from Dominican Republic and Nigeria on their own quests to unearth answers. Priscila has discovered Dr. Kathleen Martinez, Criminal Lawyer turned archaeologist. Tray discusses Obiageli Ezekwesili, a woman of many achievements and co-founder of the #bringbackourgirls campaign. Please note that we are recording during a pandemic and there was some bad reception during this recording - thanks for your patience! There is a volume drop from around 1 minute 40 seconds where Priscila describes the cocktail - please increase the volume on your device to hear the delicious ingredients. Click on our list of resources to find out more about these women and our fantastic cocktail: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NO7sVlzAPvVWzBfjhEL5kngsgw8Gg_unkemlw_u9qwQ/edit?usp=sharing

Noor Inayat Khan/Jane Campion Join Priscila and Tray for their first episode! In this episode we discuss two fantastic women from the past and present from New Zealand and Britain while enjoying a themed cocktail. Tray chats about Jane Campion, the award winning screenwriter, producer, and director. Priscila brings the fascinating history of Noor Inayat Khan a princess who was a spy for the British army during WWII Fact check: We mention the amazing female director of the Star Wars Mandalorian TV show, however please note her name is actually Deborah Chow, not Deborah Chung. We apologise for this mistake. Fact check: It's important to acknowledge Hattie McDaniel (actor, comedian, singer-songwriter) as the first African American and first African American woman to win an Oscar Click on our list of resources (and our delicious cocktail recipe!) if you want to discover more about these fantastic women: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16_Ln741-YZZsaAXxQhT9k4jN5uEltjhMISlRbF-P8G8/edit?usp=sharing