HERsay Podcast

April can feel like the longest month of the year - we're so, so close to Spring, but winter just keeps coming back, and coming back for more. And where can people relate to this more than at the site of this month's HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble Book Picks episode recording - Buffalo NY! Each month, the HERsay Podcast selects the genres, and a bookseller from Barnes & Noble somewhere in the country selects titles from their vast knowledge of books available in all genres. They know better than anyone else what's new and exciting on their shelves, the hidden gems, the enduring favorites - choosing for us the books they think women will love this month. Books purchased from hersaypodcast.com in April go to Buffalo City Mission's Women and Children's Shelter - working to end the root causes of poverty and homelessness in Buffalo. Listen now! Guest: Anne Pfohl, B&N McKinley Mall in Buffalo, NY Host: Caroline Elliott HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble April Book Picks New Fiction: A Love Song For RIcki Wilde by Tia Williams Memoir: My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand Gardening: Buffalo-Style Gardens: Create A Quirky, One-Of-A-Kind Private Garden With Eye-Catching Details by Sally Cunningham and Jim Charlier Guest Choice: Crier's War by Nina Varela AND The Fury by Alex Michaelides   Music Credit: Tall Journeys by Blue Dot Sessions

Our March HERay Podcast x Barnes & Noble Book picks are here, selected by our guest Terri Rogers from the NEW Barnes & Noble store in Victor, NY. March is, of course,  Women's History Month, and also Oscars month - for any fellow cinephiles out there - so in addition to our usual fiction and non-fiction stories by women authors, this month we're including a biography about one of the most glamorous and trailblazing women of the Hollywood Golden Age. You won't want to miss it. Proceeds from books purchased through HERsaypodcast.com this month go to The Gemma Project - providing and promoting the national creation of gender responsive jail and prison reentry programming, serving women with integrity and compassion. Find our more at thegemmaproject.org.  Guest: Terri Rogers Host: Caroline Elliott Recorded: March 2024 HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble March Book Picks New Fiction: After Annie by Anne Quindlan Memoir: The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin Biography: Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong by Katie Gee Salisbury Guest choice (New Fiction): The Seven Skins of Esther Wielding by Holly Ringland  Music Credit: Tall Journey by Blue Dot Sessions

February brings us a time to celebrate the love we have in our lives, and this month's HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble Book Picks highlight the many kinds of love that bring us joy, pain, and fulfillment. This month we're shifting focus from romantic love, to the love of friends, family, and our own self-appreciation. Proceeds from books purchased at HERsaypodcast.com this month go to the Go Red for Women initiative of the American Heart Association - addressing the clinical care gaps of women's greatest health threat, cardiovascular disease. Guest: Clare Hilton from Barnes & Noble in Webster, NY Host: Caroline Elliott   HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble February Book Picks New Fiction: The Women by Kristin Hannah Fiction: Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson Personal Growth: Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton Relationships: The Other Significant Others by Rhaina Cohen   Music: Tall Jouney by Blue Dot Sessions

Happy New Year! We're already a few weeks into January, and that means many of us have already begun the work of tackling resolutions toward greater happiness, peace, fulfillment and more. And while we're out there doing the work on some of this year's top resolution topics like personal finance, mental health, and mending relationships, this month's HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble book picks bring you the companionship of others who have been on the same journey themselves and made it to the other side. Proceeds from books purchased at HERsaypodcast.com this month go to WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. Guest: Terri Rogers Host: Caroline Elliott HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble New Year Book Picks: New Fiction: Mercury by Amy Jo Burns Inspiration: Running With Grace by Lori Van Dusen Personal Finance: I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt: Everything I Wish I Never Had to Learn About Money by Madeline Pendleton Mental Health/Memoir/Poetry: Night Parade: A Speculative Memoir by Jami Nakamura Lin Personal Growth: How To Be The Love You Seek: Break Cycles, Find Peace, and Heal Your Relationships by Dr. Nicole LePera Music: Tall Journey by Blue Dot Session

As the holiday season kicks into high gear, we all need to schedule a little down time, which means there's no better time for some HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble Book Picks! Proceeds from books purchased at hersaypodcast.com the month go to Single Mothers Outreach, offering free services, such as access to housing, childcare, food, legal representation, emotional support groups, and financial and technological education, to single moms. Host Caroline Elliott talks with guest Nicole Finch from Barnes & Noble in Vestal, NY.   HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Picks New Fiction: The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters Romantasy: Fourth Wing (Special Edition) by Rebecca Yarros Mystery/Thriller: Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll Biography: The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush Gift Book: The Little Frog's Guide To Self Care: Affirmations, Self-Love and Life Lessons According to the Internet's Beloved Mushroom Frog by Maybell Eequay Young Adult: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross Children's Picture Book: The Christmas Owl: Based On The True Story of a Little Owl Named Rockefeller by by Ellen Kalish, Gideon Sterer, Ramons Kaultzki (Illustrator)      Music: Christmas Celebration by Tim Taj

Halloween is one of our favorite times of the year. When else is it perfectly acceptable - in fact, encouraged - to get dressed up and become a totally different person AND to eat loads of candy? So, too, with books this season. We can be transported to eerie and tantalizing locales, seek out thrills and chills, all while in the safety and coziness of our favorite reading nooks. With this in mind, this month we've tapped one of our favorite guests, Terri Rogers, from Barnes & Noble in Webster, NY, to help us find just the right books for women, to help get us into the haunted Halloween Spirit. Visit us on Instagram to let us know what you're reading this month, and to enter to win our monthly book gieveaway. Happy reading, everyone!   HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble HALLOWEEN Book Picks: New Fiction/Suspense: The Rosewood Hunt by Mackenzie Reed New Fiction/Thriller: Midnight Is The Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead Horror/Thriller/Comedy: Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison Cooking: Recipes For Murder: 66 Dishes That Celebrate The Mysteries of Agatha Christie by Karen Pierce Young Adult: Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson Children/Picture Book: Gustavo The Shy Ghost by Flavia Drago   Music Credits:  Tall Journey by Blue Dot Sessions Sound Credits: Halloween Intro by Denys Kyshchuk from Pixabay Witch Cackle by Pixabay

Our HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble August book picks are here to help us enjoy our final summer vacations, staycations, and long weekends. This month's picks are curated by Tracy Lessard from Barnes & Noble in Amherst, NY. Listen as Tracy and host Caroline Elliott chat about these titles in the Amherst store, then select your favorites to keep you company while relaxing in a hammock, sitting by a campfire, or even after throwing AXES (you'll have to listen to the episode  to find out what this means!).   Proceeds from books purchased through hersaypodcast.com this month go to World Central Kitchen - providing meals to people in need by partnering with local organizations. World Central Kitchen is currently helping the people of Maui as they recover from its recent wildfires. Visit us on Instagram to let us know what you're reading this month, and to enter to win our monthly book gieveaway. Happy reading, everyone!   HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble August Book Picks: New Fiction: Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur Mystery: In My Dreams I Hold A Knife by Ashley Winstead Parenting: Untangled: Guiding Teanage Girls Through the Seven Transitions Into Adulthood by Lisa Damour, Ph.D. Cooking: Taste of Home's 30-Minute Cookbook: 317 Mealtime Lifesavers by Taste of Home Editors Young Adult: Sadie by Courtney Summers   Music Credit: Tall Journey by Blue Dot Sessions

Our July book picks episode has arrived! Listen to Caroline and Marina Graham of Barnes & Noble in Webster, NY discuss our picks for your vacation, staycation, bedside table, and campfire in New Fiction, Beach Reads, Inspiration, and Feminism - AND books to keep kids inspired to read during the summer break. Proceeds from books purchased through HERsaypodcast.com this month go to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, because everyone deserves a healthy relationship. HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble July Book Picks New Fiction: The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda Beach Read: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid Inspiration/Self-Improvement: How Are You, Really? by Jenna Kutcher Feminism: Unlikeable Female Characters by Anna Bogutskaya Young Adult: The Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi Middle Grades: The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Krubaker Bradley Picture Book: Fatima's Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq  Music credit: Blue Dot Sessions "Tall Journey"  

Our HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble June book picks are here, and today Caroline is talking with Dorothy Bellas from Barnes & Noble Colonie Center, just outside of Albany, NY. June is a busy month for all of us - in addition to our standard-issue breakneck schedules, we're entertaining friends, planning ways to de-suction kids from their screens this summer, looking for our own summer escapism, and many women are celebrating Pride as members of the LGBTQ+ community or as allies. We've got the book picks to help you do it all. Proceeds from books purchased at HERsaypodcast.com this month go to Real Mama Bears - supporting, educating, and empowering parents of LGBTQ+ kids and the the LGBTQ+ community.  Happy reading! HSPxBN June Book Picks: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (New Fiction) Tastemakers: Seven Immigrapnt Women Who Revolutionized Food In America by Mayukh Sen (Food) Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H. (Biography/Memoir) Why Play Works: Big Changes Start Small by Jill Vialet (Parenting0 Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli (Young Adult) Hooky by Miriam Bonastre Tur (Middle Grades) Change Sings by Amanda Gorman (Childrens/Picture Book) Episode music: Tall Journey by Blue Dot Sessions    

Get your May book picks fix with our new HSPx BN episode! Caroline roadtripped to the BN store in Dewitt, NY to chat with guests Lauren Youngs and Liz Loftus about our May titles spanning New Fiction, Personal Finance, Travel and Home. Listen now, and visit us on Instagram to tell us what YOU're reading. Proceeds from books purchased through HERsaypodcast.com this month go to Alliance of Moms, supporting young moms in the foster care system. HSP x BN May Book Picks: Go As A River by Shelley Read Love Your Home Again by Ann Lightfoot and Kate Pawlowski Financial Feminist: Overcome The Patriarchy'd Bullsh*t T Master Your Money And Build The LifeYou Love by Tori Dunlap Italy Is My Boyfriend by Annette Joseph 100 Things To Do In Syracuse Before You Die by Linda Lowen    

Find your spring reading inspiration in our newest HERsay Podcast x Barne & Noble Book Picks episode! Guest Terri Rogers from Barnes & Noble in Webster, NY, chats with Caroline about our April selections, from the New Fiction, Romance, Mystery/Thriller, and Cooking sections. Listen now, and visit us on Instagram to tell us what YOU're reading. Proceeds from books purchased through HERsaypodcast.com this month go to United Against Book Bans, a national initiative to empower readers everywhere to stand together in the fight against censorship. HSP x BN April Book Picks: Sea Change by Gina Chung The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna Baking By Feel: Recipes To Sort Out Your Emotions (Whatever They Are Today?) by Becca Rea-Tucker  

We're celebrating Women's History Month with an extra helping of feminist and female-empowered titles in our HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble March Book Picks episode. Guest Brigette Meskell, from Barnes & Noble in Webster, NY, chats with Caroline about this month's selections, including a century-spanning vampire tale, a memoir of same-sex relationship abuse, a deep-dive into the many faces of love, and why cats are so often associated with women. Listen now, and visit us on Instagram to let us know what YOU're reading. Proceeds from books purchased through HERsaypodcast.com this month go to She Should Run, working to dramatically increase the number of women running for public office. HSP x BN March Book Picks: The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks Cat Call: Reclaiming the Feral Feminine by Kristen J. Sollee Music credit: Tall Journey by Blue Dot Sessions    

All year long we look forward to the festivity and fun of December. And although it feels like there's less time than ever to squeeze in some quality time for reading, December brings us lots of reasons to seek out a good book - whether its for us (because, hello, we deserve it), or as a gift for those we love and appreciate, or even to have on-hand for that last-minute, unexpected gift-exchange. This month's HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble book picks includes new fiction, biography, psychology (because, hello, family get togethers), home decorating, a cookbook, and gift ideas for kids and grownups alike. Check out our complete list of book picks at hersaypodcast.com. Proceeds from books purchased through our website go to SeekHer Foundation, supporting the mental health issues unique to women though empowerment and advocacy. Today I'm talking with Lindsey Eklund from Barnes & Noble in Pittsford New York.

In November, we're preparing for the season of showing our love and appreciation for others with food, with gifts, and of course with the time spent on getting it all done. It's a busy time of year for sure, but all the more important that we carve out some time for ourselves to enjoy a book that nourishes the mind and spirit. In today's episode, host Caroline Elliott discusses our November HERsay Podcast x Barnes and Noble Book picks with Molly Norris, from Barnes & Noble in Greece, NY. Proceeds from books purchased through HERsaypodcast.com this month go to “Get Her There”, an initiative of The Obama Foundation's Girls Opportunity Alliance, empowering adolescent girls with the resources they need to fulfill their potential.    HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble November Book Picks Bliss Montage by Ling Ma Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel How To Keep A House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis Communion: The Female Search for Love by Bell Hooks Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out by Angela Liddon Where You Are Is Not Who You Are: A Memoir by Ursula Burns Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall  Kimmerer

October reading is what dreams are made of. The back-to-school rush is over and we're in the groove of a new routine… shorter and chillier days call for an extra latte, tea, or glass(es) of wine… and - can you hear it? - it's the sound of the short-lived quiet before the holiday storm. For this month's HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble October Book Picks episode, we have spooky stories, cooking inspiration, lessons from the universe, and more! In today's episode, host Caroline Elliott talks with Barnes & Noble's Clare Hilton about this month's titles, featuring women authors and/or amazing female protagonists (have YOU ever considered the Milky Way as a woman? It just makes sense!). Proceeds from books purchased through hersaypodcast.com this month go to the Foundation for Women Warriors, enhancing the wellbeing of women veterans and military women transitioning back into civilian life. Get your cozy on and listen now!   HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble October Book Picks: Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman I Used To Have A Plan: But Life Had Other Ideas by Alessandra Olanow Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy by Moiya McTier Half-Baked Harvest Everyday: Recipes for Balanced, Flexible, Feel-Good Meals by Tieghan Gerard The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook by Bridget Thoreson Moldilocks and the Three Scares by Lynne Marie There's A Ghost In This House by Oliver Jeffers

In September, we're excited about all things hygge!  If you're looking to get cozy with a good book this month, listen to today's HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble book picks episode, featuring six excellent titles and book convo with our host Caroline Elliott, and Lauren Pollock from Barnes & Noble in Webster, NY. Proceeds from purchases made at hersaypodcast.com in September go to Blessings In A Backpack. Our HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble September book picks: When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab Moody Bitches by Julie Holland, MD The Art of Escapism Cooking by Mandy Lee Know My Name by Chanel Miller In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney  

We're making sure you have plenty of options for your final weeks of summer reading with our HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble August book picks! Before the season changes and the festive holiday planning begins, listen to Caroline's conversation with Barnes & Noble's Katie Bretz about the books women will love spanning the genres we know women care about the most. From new fiction, biography, self-improvement, romance, home decorating, business, and gift books for the young people in our lives, there's something for everyone to cap off summer reading in the hammock, poolside, beachside, or bedside! Proceeds from books purchased through HERsayPodcast.com this month go to Girls Inc.   August titles: How To Be Eaten by Maria Aldemann; Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey; Natural Disaster: I Cover Them. I Am One. by Ginger Zee; Anxiously Attached by Jessica Baum; Feels Like Home by Lauren Liess; Be: A Not Bulls**t Guide to Increasing Your Self Worth and Net Worth by Being Yourself by Jessica Zweig; In Defense of Witches by Mona Chollett; The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson; Nana's Garden by Larissa Juliano; Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tolá Okogwu; As Old As Time by Liz Braswell; and Adulting: How to Become a Grownup is 535 easy(-ish) Steps by Kelly Williams.

WARNING: You're gonna need a bigger shopping cart! Our HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble July book picks are here and, take it from us, it's going to be hard to keep your reading list short. July brings some extra time to hunker down with a good story, expert advice, and inspiration for your summer to-do list. Need a book for young people in your life? We've got you covered there, too. Listen to Caroline's conversation with Barnes & Noble's Diana Davis to scratch the surface of our July picks. Proceeds from books purchased through hersaypodcast.com go to Planned Parenthood Action Fund, promoting and protecting reproductive rights nationwide. Listen now!

Host Caroline Elliott discusses our June book picks with Barnes & Noble's Terri Rogers. This month's titles include: New Fiction Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Poole Beach Read Birds of California by Kate Catugno Self Improvement/Psychology The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins Parenting Forever Boy: A Mother's Memoir of Autism by Kate Swenson (Auto)Biography Fly Girl: A Memoir by Ann Hood Children's Picture Book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn Chapter Book (middle grades) Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman Young Adult The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson College Prep The Freshman Survival Handbook by Nora Bradbury-Haehl  

For this month's HERsay Podcast x Barnes & Noble Book Picks episode, Caroline talks with Barnes & Noble's Vi Everley about May's selections. Titles include The Helm of Midnight (new fiction), Explorer's Guide to the Adirondacks (travel), A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD: Embrace Neurodiversity, Live Boldly, and Break Through Barriers (women's health), Cooking for Wizards, Warriors and Dragons: 125 unofficial recipes inspired by The Witcher, Game of Thrones, The Broken Earth and Other Fantasy Favorites (cooking,) Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks (biography), and Dare to Lead (business). 

In April, Springtime has arrived, and with warmer weather comes our desire for creativity and a re-focus on physical and mental health. Join Caroline and B&N's Sara LaFaro for this fun and informative discussion our book picks for April. Each month, the HERsay Podcast partners with Barnes & Noble to select books that speak to what's on the minds of women. This month's picks: Remarkably Bright Breatures by Shelby Van Pelt; Mating In Captivity by Esther Perel; The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine; Emily Dickinson's Gardening Life by Marta McDowell; Born A Crime by Trevor Noah (for it's amazing female characters); and The Pepper Thai Cookbook by Pepper Tiegen.

February is an especially great month for hunkering down with a good book. This month we're sharing four titles we think you'll love, as we also celebrate Lunar New Year, Valentine's Day and Black History Month. In today's episode, host Caroline Elliott talks with Barnes & Noble's Clare Hilton about this month's picks: Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman, and Kindred by Octavia Butler.

Happy New Year everyone! We want 2022 to be a year of connection, being our best selves, and doing our part to create a brighter future for generations to come. For this Open Mic New Year message, we asked 17-year-old social activist Lola DeAscentiis to share her vision for how we all can help create the future that her generation wants and needs in the new year and beyond. What's your wish for 2022? What would you most like to see change? Share your voice at hersaypodcast.com or visit us on Instagram at @hersay_podcast.   Lola DeAscentiis is a high school senior in Rochester, NY. She is co-President of the Upstate NY Girl Up Coalition, a division of the UN Women's international Girl Up Campaign, Communications Director for the New York Youth Climate Leaders, and a member of the leadership team for the Rochester Youth Climate Leaders. In her spare time, she is also an interpreter at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House. You can find her on both Twitter and Instagram at @Lola.Deascentiis       Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

The path to pursuing our goals and dreams is rarely a smooth, easy, or linear one. When we know what we want and have the passion, plan, and tools to achieve it, it feels like nothing can stop us.  But when unforeseen challenges and obstacles test our resilience, we need to take a moment to re-calibrate and create a new plan for achieving our goals. For many of us, 2021 has been a year of regaining our footing after the uncertainty of lockdowns, perhaps riddled with stops and starts, and getting back to a new sense of normal in a world that seems to be evolving faster than ever. If this sounds familiar to you, you may be looking to get back on track in 2022 to pursue the goals, passions, and dreams you've had to put on hold, maybe even defining new goals to pursue and achieve in the coming year. In this episode of our series She Succeeded (and You Can, Too!), we're talking with Dr. Dravon James, author of Freedom is Your Birthright and host of the Everyday Peace radio show, who shares tangible steps we can take every day to re-focus, re-ignite our drive, and make our goals and dreams a reality in the new year. Let's do this!   Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

During National Native American Heritage month, the HERsay Podcast is shining a spotlight on a trailblazing woman who, for over 40 years, has been sharing the stories and spirit of Indigenous people in a most unique way - through modern dance. Daystar Rosalie Jones is the founder and Artistic Director of Daystar Contemporary Dance Drama of Indian-America, recognized as the first native modern dance company in the United States. Daystar was born on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, and in 2021 is celebrating 41 years of the Daystar Dance Company “Making Spirit Visible”. She is a choreographer, dancer, teacher, author, and winner of the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute of American Indian Arts. Learn more and purchase tickets to the gala performance of Daystar Contemporary Dance-Drama of Indian America's Stories from Turtle Island in Rochester, NY from December 3-5.   Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

This one is for our book lovers! Each month, the HERsay Podcast partners with Barnes & Noble Booksellers to assemble a list of books we think women will love, informed by what's happening in our lives and in the world right now. Our lists feature empowered and empowering women characters, women authors sharing unique stories, and books to help us get things done, help us be our best selves, and inspire the happiness we all deserve. In this episode, we're sharing Caroline's fun and SPOOKY conversation with Barnes & Noble's Kasia Zubrzycki about our October selections, featuring spine-tingling fiction, literary fantasy, Halloween crafts, decor, and even trivia to share with kids. Be sure to listen ALL the way to the end to get the clue you need to enter our book giveaway at the end of the month!   Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

In a world filled with influencers today, it would be hard to name one person with more enduring influence and impact on the aspirations of young girls than the Disney Princess. But we, and Disney Animation, have come a long way since the first Disney Princess, Snow White, graced the big screen in 1937 singing “Someday My Prince Will Come” and keeping house for the seven dwarves while they went off to work. Today's Disney princesses are embarking on their own “hero's journeys”, saving their kingdoms from destruction, and learning valuable lessons along the way. In this episode in our HERsay Today series, we're talking with Osnat Shurer, producer of Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon, released earlier this year, and also of Moana, released in 2016. Osnat shares how Disney's newest princesses and role models, 18-year-old Raya and 16-year-old Moana, were created and how Osnat herself rose to be the ideal leader for these films.   Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions  

More than 186,000 residents and staff of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic, accounting for approximately one-third of all U.S. COVID-related deaths.   As new information, rules, and regulations were filtered into nursing homes beginning in March 2020, staff were tasked with not only the medical treatment of residents but also the emotional and spiritual support of residents and families as sickness and death loomed larger than ever, and in-person contact with loved ones abruptly diminished.   Sister Mary Lou Mitchell became Director of Pastoral Care at St. Ann's Community, a network of senior care facilities in New York State, back in 2006. In today's episode, Sister Mary Lou discusses her experience leading the support of residents, families, and staff throughout the pandemic, and helping to create closure and peace for all after the many changes and losses endured throughout that.     Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

And we're back! But…We've made it to the finish line of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while we're working toward creating a new sense of “normal”, things are definitely not as they were before March 2020. We're kicking off Season 2 of the HERsay Podcast with the series “So, Now What?” to help us all figure out how best to move forward after the many changes and challenges that the last year and a half brought on for women. Barb Klein is a certified life coach, addiction recovery coach, and author of 111 Invitations: Step Into the Full Richness of Life. In today's episode, Barb shares her advice for moving forward after career changes, mothering changes, and changes in our own mental health, so that we can reconnect with our own happiness, get unstuck, and step confidently into our next new chapter. An early-bird registration discount is available now for Barb's next Women's Renewal Retreat until July 31st.   Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

Damona Hoffman is one of the country's most visible and sought-after dating experts. She shares advice on air on The Drew Barrymore Show, CNN, NPR, as a journalist in the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post, and also on her own podcast Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman. But the road to entrepreneurial success wasn't a straightforward one, or one traveled overnight.   Listen as Damona shares the twists, turns, and other obstacles encountered along her career path, her sage business advice to women entrepreneurs everywhere, and her secret to managing a dream life of devoted mom, wife, and media multi-hyphenate.   Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

Jessica was a University professor in a male-dominated science department when a new professor created a sexually-charged, toxic environment for students and faculty. When Jessica and colleagues filed a complaint, instead of providing support, the University retaliated, derailing the victims' academic and professional careers.  Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

Moms of Black, Brown, Muslim, LGBTQ+, and Autistic Children Tell Us What Their Kids Need and How We Can All Help Each Other To Unite and Thrive In this Mom Allyship special, we're talking with moms of children who are often victims of “otherness” discrimination: what weighs heaviest on their minds and how other moms can help make the world a safer and more unified place. Guests include Rachel Rosner (2:22), Uzma Jafri (34:02), Zaiba Hasan (59:12), Liz Dyer (1:25:44), and Cheli English-Figaro (1:46:18).  

Sue Kirby is the Founder & CEO of Brightstar Community, an organization connecting survivors of trafficking and prostitution with services and housing to help them heal and transition into a new life of independence and sobriety. Sue was inspired to begin her work as a result of her own experience with addiction and abusive relationships. Despite the many challenges of starting from the ground up, in our episode, she is celebrating the opening of Brightstar's first home for women and shares the inspiring story of how she made it all happen. Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

Maggie Battista is the author of cookbooks Food Gift Love and New Way to Food, and the founder of Boston-based Eat Boutique, a food-gift retail space and online resource for crafty cooks and DIY food fans. A daughter of Honduran immigrants, Maggie discovered that when she shared the personal story of her struggles with food in her second cookbook, her relationship with her fan base and clients deepened, leading to an abundance that has enabled her to feel aligned with her values and to give back to her community. Maggie now uses these principles to guide entrepreneurs toward their own vision for success with We Are Magic Studio. Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

Lisa and Lexi grew up in homes that weren't very different from yours or those of people we all know. Yet it only took a few choices before prostitution became the only way they felt they could survive. How did they get lured into this dangerous, trauma-filled lifestyle? How did their families react? Why did they stay, and what finally made it possible for them to break free? In this interview with host Caroline Elliott, Lisa and Lexi share their first-hand accounts of life as sex workers and their struggle to escape its entrapments and begin a new life. Some strong language and graphic descriptions are included.   Songs: Borough & Gra Hovedvei by Blue Dot Sessions

You are a college student, or you've been one, know of one, or seen one on Netflix. Pre-pandemic, college years were a time when students independently test-drive adult life, organically meet potential boyfriends/girlfriends anywhere they go and figure out their own best practices for finding and maintaining romantic relationships. In this episode of HERsay Today, we talk with a panel of women college students about how the pandemic has impacted dating life today, and our experts share solutions for making the best of dating right now. Guests include relationship expert Beth Sonnenberg, digital matchmaker Julie Spira, dating coach, and "Dates & Mates" podcast host Damona Hoffman.   Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

As President & CEO of the Susan B. Anthony Museum and House, Deborah Hughes has become a leading voice in the fight for gender equity and the empowerment of women to use their right to vote. 2020 was a milestone year for the museum and for Deborah herself. In this episode of Callings, Deborah shares the story of her path to taking on this role at this pivotal time in women's history and discusses some of her incredible, unexpected experiences during one of the most turbulent years of our time.   Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions

The HERsay Podcast is a platform for the voices of all women. We build community by connecting women through sharing stories, advice, and opinions, and having the sometimes-difficult conversations that can help move us forward. You will hear from women who ARE like you and also from women NOT so much like you. Because if we only hear one perspective, how can we continue to grow? Each week of the month, we listen to the voices of women in a new way., with segments such as our “Open Mic” series, women share first-hand accounts of dealing with the most difficult issues facing women today, or  “Callings,” talking to inspiring and influential women leaders who are making a difference in our country and discussing their journey toward achieving a life of meaning and purpose.  Join us each week as we listen, learn, enlighten, and transform. All women - from every background, every perspective - are welcome. Don't find your voice represented? Let us know! Have something you want to say? Get in touch! Your voice may be just what we need. Welcome to HERsay.   Song: Borough by Blue Dot Sessions