Womankind

Juweria Dahir is a city planner who has lived in cities in different parts of the world before becoming the External Affairs Manager in the Mayor’s Office of Citizen Services in Buffalo, NY.

Camila Paez is a radio host for Poder Latino 97.1 FM in Rochester, NY although she currently lives in Bogotá, Colombia. Camila is a champion for the Latin community and loves to discuss the different facets of womanhood.

Lindsey Zajac is a principal for leadership and organizational development firm Ahern, Murphy, & Associates. Lindsey discusses how “leadership is a verb” and the challenges of balancing motherhood and a career.

Beth Slazek, manager of education and events for the Creative Education Foundation, joins Womankind this episode for a discussion of the benefits of creative living and to share her “because of that” story.

This episode was recorded from a physical therapy table set up in the middle of host Kelsey’s apartment. Guest Francie Marzec, owner of The Real You Physical Therapy, joins Womankind to discuss bodies, how we ignore them, how we can fix them, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Jeena Bloom is an LA-based comic, podcaster, and writer. In Womankind’s first episode of 2020, Jeena provides a valuable perspective and discusses what it has been like for her in these fields as a transgender woman.

Womankind’s last episode of 2019 features Rachael Morlock, a free-lance writer in Buffalo, NY. This rich episode discusses the importance of narrative choices in women’s stories, contains spoilers for Little Women and Jane Eyre, and takes a deep dive into Rachael’s experiences as a single woman in her thirties.

Womankind is back from a fall hiatus with guest Kym Ventola of Nine Retreat. Kym was craving deep connections with other women, and, from this need, Nine Retreat was born. Learn more about this amazing immersive experience for women and Kym’s journey through motherhood in this episode.

Karyn Reece is a psychic medium and has been on nationally syndicated TV shows in addition to hosting her own local TV show: The Karyn Reece Show. She considers herself to be a “mindful medium” and is concerned with overall wellness for women.

Shawna Stanley is a birth photographer who is diligently working to make The Vanguard House, a co-working space for women, a reality in the Buffalo area.

Although Womankind is an international podcast, this episode is a love letter to Buffalo, NY! Jessie Fisher, executive director of Preservation Buffalo Niagara, is here to discuss preserving historic buildings, the importance of walk-able neighborhoods, and how preservation can help save our planet.

In this episode, Chelsea VonChaz, founder and “She-EO” of Happy Period, discusses menstrual equity and the ways her organization is working to ensure that all women have access to menstrual products.

This special episode of Womankind was recorded at a live event called Sip, Shop, Support at Pearl Street Grill and Brewery in Buffalo, NY. Host Kelsey Novits moderates a panel discussion with Elisabeth Marino of Sales Dynamo Consulting, Jackie McGriff of Jackie Photography, and Lindsey Zajac of Ahern, Murphy, and Associates.

Donna Sager Cowan is a children’s author who has set out to empower young people to think for themselves, gain independence, and face their fears. Her book, With the Courage of a Mouse, explores these themes. Donna also gives advice for how to face fear of abandonment and go from “fear to fierce”.

Jessie Stegner identifies herself as a comedy writer. She is currently working in television, but has extensive experience in improv and stand-up. We discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of being a woman in these fields.

Upon giving birth to her first child, Chris Belin found herself crippled by postpartum depression and going back to her 9-5 was out of the question. Since then, Chris has built a career as a network marketer that meets her needs and allows her to have the life she wants—and she shares her journey here!

This episode is a celebration of friendships between women! This episode digs deep into host Kelsey’s friend group, a group of friends who met through their experiences with cancer, and a discussion of female/male friendship.

Eunha So started playing piano at six years old. Now, she is a jazz pianist who has spent time in both Denver and New York. In this episode, she discusses her experiences as a woman in the jazz music scene.

Alex, Lauren, and Megan are the founders of a business called The Armourie. The Armourie specializes in helping women celebrate each other in empowering ways through breaking down stereotypes and redefining what a traditional bachelorette party theme looks like.

The last thing that Amy Lipman expected to hear at age 29 was a blood cancer diagnosis. Years later, Amy is in remission (yay!) and is on Womankind sharing her wisdom. We discuss the life-changing aspects of illness at a young age along with many universal lessons.

Among many other things, Jackie McGriff is a Rochester, NY-based photographer who specializes in helping women combat negative self-talk. In this episode, Jackie shares her personal struggles and provides some concrete suggestions for people to practice self-love.

What happens when you put an evangelical minister and a lesbian comedian in a van? Get the answer to this question and more from comic Kristen Becker, the founder of the Dykes of Hazard and Loosen the Bible Belt.

Aaron Palmer is a newly minted, Chicago-based attorney by day and a talented gamer, cosplayer, and tabletop player in her free time. Aaron also tells a Story of Subversion about a 17th century French bisexual dueling opera singer named Julie d’Aubigny.

Womankind’s first episode of 2019 features Jazmine Frazier, Buffalo-based rap/hip hop artist Hop Hop. Jaz describes Hop Hop as her “id” and brings her bold, quirky, and transparent style to her music and performances.

Suniti Thapa follows her passion wherever it leads her. She left her job in banking to pursue her dreams of creating a non-profit to help guard children from sexual abuse in her home country of Nepal, creating a company to showcase Himalayan tea, and learning about design.

Journey Gunderson is the Executive Director of The National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY. Journey shares her experiences interacting with comics and her personal experiences in getting the center up and running. We also discuss the controversial phrase “female comic”.

Solange Castro is an LA-based comic with a very unique background, traveling from Berkley to New Haven to attend Yale. She has been in the comedy world for many years and has seen the ebb and flow of how women have been treated in the industry.

Diana Matthews is drawn to other women who are “dedicated to setting the world on fire”. A few years ago, Diana moved to NYC to work in post-production on the film Dream, Girl and now is a co-host of the podcast BeaverTalk. This episode includes some celebrity dishing and some recommendations for what to watch.

Shannon Bryant, founder of Stay Awhile, calls herself a “heart counselor”. Through her de-cluttering business, she helps people heal both their internal and external environments.

Womankind’s guest this episode is Christina Shaw, photographer and creative coach. Along with her husband Brian, Christina is one-half of the photography duo Shaw Photography Co. and now has a solo business venture called Aligned and Kind.

Cheryl Chambers is a Licensed Mental Heath Counselor and a person who suffers from a chronic illness. We openly talk about mental health in an effort to dispel some of the stigmas associated with it. Cheryl also outlines what it’s like to be a person with a chronic illness and offers some coping mechanisms for women who may be suffering in a similar way.

Womankind’s first episode after a summer break features Mary Odden, self-identified gamer. Kelsey and Mary discuss the complications women face in this vast world and the significance of existing.

Maureen Darcy, a certified nurse midwife, joins Womankind to discuss her experiences guiding women through their birthing experiences for the past several decades. Maureen emphasizes the importance of a woman’s choice in healthcare. This episode is dedicated to Maureen’s mother, Dorothy Sullivan.

The world of jazz is dominated by men. However, Denver-based musician Annie Booth is making a name for herself as a pianist and composer. Annie discusses her musical background and the importance of getting girls interested in music at an early age and keeping that passion burning.

Sue Cervi of the Buffalo City Mission sits down with Womankind to discuss the mission’s offerings, the process of becoming a volunteer, and Sue’s journey to the position of manager of volunteers and outreach. Sue provides insight into how she balances a job that requires so much of herself with her personal life.

This Buffalo-centric episode of Womankind focuses on Kristy Michelle, founder of the webzine Qween City! Kristy and I have a fun chat about the many offerings of Qween City, Kristy’s personal journey that led her back home, and the “badass bitches” that inspire us daily in this city.

As a Korean American woman who has called several countries “home”, Esther Kim has often felt “rootless” and as if she has not been able to find a country to claim as her own. In this episode of Womankind, Esther speaks of her intersecting knowledge and experiences of the Eastern and Western worlds, and of her work as an aspiring YA writer, a teacher, and the lead singer of Tokyo and the Boy.

When Karen Magill was thirty-five years old, she woke up to find an entire side of her body paralyzed. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with MS and found herself in financial crisis. Nearly twenty years later, Karen has redefined her life and joins Womankind as a published author, motivational speaker, and debt reduction coach.

This special mini-episode features Senator Karin Housley! Senator Housley has been many things throughout her life: a mother, an author, a broadcaster, a real estate business owner, and, now, a senator. During this episode, she gives Womankind listeners advice for juggling career and family life as well as advice for how to enter politics.

The American Flag. Girl Scouting. Bruce Springsteen. These are some of the topics of discussion with Womankind’s latest guest, TV producer and Girl Scout leader, Emily Berens.

Mother-daughter team Susan and Ciara Morreale are the owners of Her Story and Her Sanctuary, two Buffalo-based businesses that feature all female-produced products. In this episode, these two entrepreneurs discuss the dynamics of running a business together and the importance of self-care. Breast cancer is an issue that is close to these women’s hearts, and they are on a mission to change the conversation to reflect the true struggles of people with this deadly disease.

Rochester native and professional ballerina Aesha Ash is Womankind’s 25th guest! Aesha, creator of The Swan Dreams Project, is using her platform as a former ballerina to challenge stereotypes about black women and reach out to young girls to inspire them to dream big and see themselves as multi-faceted.

Maura Kutnyak, self-proclaimed “intellectual wanderer”, and host Kelsey Novits have a quality conversation about Maura’s journey into the field of public administration, her dabbling with forms of dance and performance (especially aerial dance arts), and the evolution of the podcast she hosts with her brother (Radio Ellipsis). Determined to “have it all”, Maura also discusses the unfair choices women are forced to make when balancing family and career.

Early in her career, Jackie Stroh quit her job at a bank to start her own consulting business. Nearly thirty years later, she hasn’t looked back! On this episode of Womankind, Jackie uses this journey to give listeners advice about life balance, taking leaps of faith, and being “fruitful” instead of busy.

Erin Bagwell is a girl who follows her dreams. She is the creator and director of Dream, Girl film, blogger at Feminist Wednesday, and host of BeaverTalk podcast. In this episode of Womankind, Erin shares what it takes to get a creative project off the ground and tells the story of how she met Oprah!

Buffalo artist Julia Bottoms is fighting to represent the experiences of women of color in the art world. In episode twenty-one, she discusses some of her latest projects including Albright Knox Art Gallery’s “The Freedom Wall” and running her own business at Buffalo Brush Paint and Sip.

Womankind’s first guest of 2018 is…Kelsey Novits, creator and host of Womankind! This special (extra long) episode features Jen O’Donnell from Episode One as guest host interviewing Kelsey about the origins of the podcast and what it means to be a woman.

Emma Smales (rhymes with “males”) is a woman who wears many hats. She is the owner/operator of a small business called Smales Pretzel Bakery in Dayton, Ohio, a public health worker, a “young democrat”, and a self-proclaimed feminist and activist. In this episode of Womankind, Emma outlines some of the challenges of being a young, female entrepreneur and describes how she runs her business and her life as a feminist.

For educator Angelecca Jackson, what it means to be a woman cannot be separated from what it means to be black. On this episode of Womankind, Angelecca shares personal experiences of what it means to be a black woman at this moment in history. Then, for Stories of Subversion, I run through a list of “first” ladies—women who have been the very first to do what they’re doing!

As part of our commentary on recent sexual assault allegations against many prominent Hollywood figures, guest Brittney Heller and I share our own #metoo experiences. Brittney also provides information about reiki healing and her emerging business, Rapha Reiki.

Rocks of Unity™ is an organization that works tirelessly to promote kindness and positivity in response to intolerance and hate. Founder Alexa Zappia joins Womankind to spread the message of Rocks of Unity™ while sharing some personal insight into life as woman. If you’re looking to be inspired, listen as Alexa discusses the importance of taking a leap, breaking barriers, and leaving your mark on the world!