sharonksobotta

Lisa Kivirist and her husband traded in a life and workstyle that many of us have become very familiar with---long hours, stress and take-out dinners--for something much simpler. They learned the ropes of sustainability and food (from growing it to preparing it) one step at a time and turned their passion with purpose into a bed and breakfast called Inn Serendipity. The key to making substantial change, Lisa says, is making small, bite-size changes.

If you're in the midwest this summer, it may be worth checking this out.

http://www.innserendipity.com/

When I co-interviewed Gloria Steinem, I was struck by her response to my colleague's question. My colleague asked 'what is it in your bones that makes you believe you can accomplish anything?' Gloria paused a moment before humbling explaining that she doesn't believe that. She suggested that we may be setting girls up for failure by telling them that they can accomplish anythig, because, as she explained, change takes time.

As people around the United States stand in solidarity with Michael Brown and the people of Missouri, the mothers of Oscar Grant, Alan Blueford and others who have lost their lives to police brutality took to the streets of Oakland demanding justice.

Malalai Joya considers herself a member of the war generation in Afghanistan. Because she says the women in her country can't afford to stay silent, complacent and uneducated, she is dedicating her entire life to the cause of fighting for democracy through education.

Eric Velesquez is a children's illustrator. His mom began reading him illustrated books when he was a child in hopes of inspiring him to learn English. In time, he learned English, but fell in deep love with the illustrations!

No matter where in the world we end up or take ourselves, we are in charge of our own happiness and our life will be what we make of it. While working on my first book, The Journey of Life: 100 Lessons from Around the World, my mother suggested that I talk with her Scottish friend who wound up in what I had considered, "The-Middle-of-Nowhere, Wisconsin." I was deeply inspired by my interviewee's 'can-do,' 'life is what you make of it,' attitude and I'm sure you will be too.

A little over five-years ago, I took on my first field assignment for KPFA. I covered the Women's Multicultural Conference at UC Berkeley and did my very first on-the-spot field interview with a woman who has become an icon for women around the world, Gloria Steinem! Here's a clip of my interview with Gloria that I did along with Elisa Parker from KVMR in Nevada City, California! Thanks for fighting to make the world a better place Gloria! Keep fighting for justice and we'll keep fighting along with you:)

This episode of the Women's Magazine shows what is possible when you combine a passion for social justice with art and love! Learn about an up and coming people's yoga studio in East Los Angeles with the aim of transforming the community. Find out about the play The House That Will Not Stand that is premiering at the Berkeley Rep Theater. Finally, get to know the members of the amazing collective called Las Cafeteras!

On January 2, 2009 I woke up to a rainy, cold day in the Bay Area feeling slightly sorry for myself. I had made the New Year's resolution of applying a lesson a day from my first book The Journey of Life: 100 Lessons from Around the World to my own life. As I got into my car and drove myself over the bumpy, winding road to get a mocha and contemplate how to implement my second lesson, I heard news on the radio in my car that made my heart feel like it sank into my stomach. I learned that a 22 year old man named Oscar Grant, who was also a daddy, a partner, a son, a grandson, a brother and so much more had been fatally shot by Bart Police Office Johanes Mehserlee.The chilling news made me realize that my problems were frivolous and caused me to make an immediate commitment to do whatever I could to make the world a slightly better place (or at least try).

I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Oscar's mother, Wanda Johnson, as she remembers her son and prepares to acknowledge the five year anniversary of the death of her son. This piece aired on the Women's Magazine on KPFA on December 23, 2013.