Grecia Chasteen on ‘Because of Yesterday’ and Healing from the Inside Out

Grecia met us on a snowy Cincinnati day at the public library downtown. We found a table on the top floor where we could chat without disrupting other readers. Her smile and calming demeanor made it feel like we were old friends catching up at the dining room table. She’s kind; she’s strong; she’s humble; and she makes you feel at home.

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Em Joy, an Educator: From Planned Parenthood to Women Helping Women, ‘Ask for Lexi,’ and More

We sat down recently with Em Joy, the self-proclaimed “super-sexy nerd,” to hear their story. A Cincinnati native, graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) program, and fierce advocate for social justice, Em found a way to bring their passion and talents together to make our city a safer and more equitable place.

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Meet the Women of Cincy Team: Tara Keesling

I was nervous the day I drove to Muse Café. It was raining, I was in unfamiliar territory, and I was about to do my first Women of Cincy Q&A style interview. Tara Keesling was warm, calm, and in tune with herself. Right off the bat, I related to the value she places on her community, her love for reading, and her spontaneous spirit that pushes her to say “yes” to the right experiences.  

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Rosemary Oglesby-Henry: 'Teen parents can learn to be leaders.'

We sat down with Rosemary Oglesby-Henry on a chilly day in January. After some confusion on our meeting location, I rushed across town from Withrow High School to Mount St. Joseph, but I was quickly brought to calm with her presence. She has a peaceful demeanor about her and can make you laugh in a moment with a simple story about her Bible and her son, Qua'Ron.

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Sylvia Brownlee on Pure Beauty Skin Bar and Learning to Love your Skin

Sylvia Brownlee has been working in the beauty industry for more than two decades, and over time, she found skincare to be her passion. After clearing her own skin and finding unstoppable self-confidence, she knew she wanted to use her expertise to help others do the same. That’s why she opened Pure Beauty Skin Bar in Silverton and established her own skincare line: to serve a community in need of quality care and that ever-coveted healthy glow.

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‘Be okay with not being okay’: Allie McLaughlin on Mental Health, Addiction, and Cincinnati Renewed Wellness

The co-founder of Cincinnati Renewed Wellness has a lot of letters behind her name – L.P.C.C. stands for “Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor”; L.I.C.D.C. means “Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor” – but McLaughlin’s dreams and approach to wellness go far beyond our traditional expectations in the world of mental health.

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Sarah Center: Outreach, Art, and National Women’s History Month

Chris Schuermann, executive director of St. Francis Seraph Ministries, and Lois Shegog, director of the Sarah Center, are two amazing women doing good work focused on women.

The Sarah Center is a program of St. Francis Seraph Ministries that was created as a safe place for impoverished women in Cincinnati. It’s been around since the ’80s and has turned into a creative community with the same female and community focus it started with.

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The Cincinnati Preservation Association’s Margo Warminski: What’s Old Is New Again

On a gray morning downtown, Vine Street’s ancient brick giants look over the city as if to say, “I’ve been here longer than you.” Inside one of these beautiful edifices is the spacious but quaint office of Margo Warminski, preservation director at the Cincinnati Preservation Association. Peering into the distance, Margo identifies iconic landmarks with a passion most people reserve for sports statistics or “The Bachelor.” She marvels in the use of slate, repurposing of schools for offices, and the view of the church spires in the distance. A longtime advocate for preservation, Margo started at the organization as a volunteer in 1977 and has since worked her way up to the top position at the small but mighty nonprofit company. We sat down at her office to discuss her reverence for the past and her hope for how the history of the city will influence its future.

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