On a sunny spring evening, I walked through aisles of brightly colored international candies, hundreds of varieties of wine, and an array of flower-shaped cheeses to find Hannah Blair sitting at a table near the coffee shop inside Jungle Jim’s International Market. After swapping stories of the peculiar displays we’d each passed on the way in, we grabbed a seat and chatted about small town life, filmmaking, and what it means to “make your work.”
Read MoreBatman and Robin, peanut butter and jelly, popcorn and movies – all of these duos showcase unique flavors or talents while simultaneously balancing each other out, much like the mother-daughter partnership behind Gather Cincy. From renovations to wellness classes, daughter Meg Cooper and mother Peggy Bustamante have worked together over the past year to open Cincinnati’s first coworking space that offers childcare on site. Gather Cincy wants to bring working men and women together through a shared passion of hustle, hard work, and collaboration.
KellyAnn Nelson believes in empowering people and helping them to access their superpowers through music. She is the founder and artistic director of Young Professionals’ Choral Collective of Cincinnati (YPCC), an open access nonprofit choir. YPCC has a roster of 1,100 young professionals (YPs) who sign up to sing in any or all of the organization’s three arms: 1. Non-auditioned cycles which run 6-8 weeks each; 2. Community singing, which takes place around town upon request, whether at breweries or on the steps of Music Hall; and 3. The auditioned chamber choir. KellyAnn is also the managing artistic director of the Cincinnati Boychoir. Through these dual roles, she is helping to create a community of inclusion in Cincinnati.
Read MoreAt the end of June, our team ventured to Washington Park along with 4,500 others to make a statement about recent immigration practices. Take a look at some moments from the day.
Read MoreWith glasses, long dark hair with bangs, and a red lip, filmmaker Jen Day was serving up some serious “New Girl” vibes when we met her at Nation Kitchen & Bar earlier this summer. We found a corner near the front windows, and with our photographer Heather’s encouragement, I tried a whiskey Moscow Mule for the first time – it was love at first sip. We nestled in with our drinks, took in Nation’s inviting atmosphere, and got right down to the nitty-gritty of being a woman in the city and what it means to tell unique stories through film.
Read MoreIt was a near-perfect sunny day when we met activist and community organizer Megan Anderson at her go-to spot, Wyoming Community Coffee. The naturally lit, bright and open coffee shop is the perfect mirror for Megan’s warm and inviting personality.
Read MoreRachel Miller walks in the door and the room brightens. She spends time with the barista, thinking about what she wants and cracking jokes, and I smile knowing we’re about to have a great conversation.
Read More“So the who, what, where, when, why is it’s a three-day film festival at the Woodward Theater, August 23, 24, 25. It’s being designed to attract filmmakers, as well as community members. It’s really important to connect storytellers in and outside of the industry. It’s no different than sitting next to somebody watching a movie and then turning to them and being like, ‘Oh my god. Did you just see that, too?’ You get to talk to storytellers, and that’s all connected through the human experience and the human perspective.”
Read MoreOn an oddly warm day in March, we ventured out to a little corner pub in Madisonville to meet Allyson West. Little did I know that she’d immediately become one of my favorite people: an unapologetic, authentic, instant friend who makes you feel like you could walk up to her on the street and pour out your heart and soul. We met the fiery filmmaker, actress, and founder of the brand new Cindependent Film Festival at her favorite neighborhood haunt, The Bramble Patch.
Read MoreThe organizers of the inaugural Cindependent Film Festival joined forces with Women of Cincy on July 4 at Washington Park to celebrate the rad party that will be the event's inaugural edition, August 23-25 at the Woodward Theater.
Read MoreMentorship matters. As residents of Women of Cincy, we’ll learn as much from you as you’ll learn from us. We believe that life is just one giant learning curve, and learning about the world and its women is not only beneficial, but essential. Heading out into the world is not always easy, but it’s always a welcome challenge.
Read MoreI still remember my first real friend. His name was Collin. Our common interests included peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, “Sesame Street,” catching worms, and hogging the monkey bars from our preschool classmates. We became besties at age 3 simply because his cot was next to mine, and I saw him every weekday from 8 to 5. It was that easy. Now, at the age of 30, it’s a bit different.
Read MoreWe asked Cincinnatians of all genders, sexual orientations, races, religions, ethnicities, and cultures one question at the 2018 Cincinnati Pride Parade and Festival last Saturday: “What does Pride mean to you?” As rainbow flags flew through the rain and dancers pranced through the streets, smiles beamed while we dodged through crowds and heard their answers.
Read MoreWith both public health and community engagement experience, Kiana Trabue has a unique perspective on how we define health in our community. Since we last talked to her in June 2017, she’s taken on a new challenge as executive director, Gen-H, at The Health Collaborative, where she’s leading a project with the “simple” goal of transforming health and healthcare through collective impact.
Read MoreI met Megan Fischer a few years ago, while she was working at an educational publishing company. She was smart and capable and sometimes had pink hair – the kind of person you suspect has interesting things ahead. When Megan started talking about a diaper bank, a term I’d never heard before, I stopped and listened. From her, I learned that diaper banks help provide diapers, a necessity for children that is not covered by any government program like food stamps or WIC. Health clinics and food banks aren’t regular sources of diapers either, so parents in need have no reliable way to get them if they’re short on cash.
Read MoreFrom bikes to art, there was no shortage of empowering for our city this week. Check out what our incredible team has to say about this past week’s happenings.
Read MoreCommonwealth Bistro, tucked away in a gorgeous historical building, is bringing that feeling back. Built on the community of Covington and the rich history of Kentucky, Commonwealth Bistro encourages you to pull up a seat, dig into some Kentucky Fried Rabbit, and make new connections. We met up with co-owner Tess Burns to hear about the origins of Commonwealth Bistro, how to make new girlfriends, and reconnecting with nature.
It was a very cold April morning when we sat down with Amy Vann, founder of Give Like a Mother. The air was crisp, the sun was bright, and the scenery at the Cincinnati Nature Center was absolutely gorgeous. With an inviting energy and a smile that could light up any room, Amy opened up about her childhood, the important role faith plays in her life, and her aspirations for her nonprofit organization. Here is a glimpse of her inspiring story.
BombASSbabes is a mini-series celebrating the tenacious broads of Cincinnati. The short films explore a sundry of hobbies, skills, and enthusiasms women choose to pour their creative energy into. Session 2 features Siri Imani, a performer and member of Triiibe LLC.
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