home — Women of Cincy

Tanya Leach: ‘Do the things you don’t think you can do.’

Walking into the pottery studio where Tanya Leach often seeks refuge, turning lumps of clay into works of art, was like stepping into an alternate reality. The studio, a historic home in the heart of Covington, is filled with painted tiles and stacked shelves of tools, mixing bowls, and artwork, all covered in the fingerprints of a tight-knit community of women. Tanya, accompanied by her sister Tiffany and studio owner Jane, describes the environment as a place where women can show up and express their support and creativity freely with each other – all over good beer and even better conversation.

Arts + Culture, FeaturesSarah WheatleySeptember 9, 2019Features

The Second Annual Cindependent Film Festival: Celebration, Opportunity, Expression, and Story

People from all over the world gathered in Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine August 29-31 for the second annual Cindependent Film Festival.

Arts + Culture, September 2019, Around Town, Reported By WomenWomen of Cincy StaffSeptember 6, 2019Community Mix

Meet the Women of Cincy Team: Dani Clark

Preparing to interview Dani Clark was a little stressful for me – I’d been told she’s an exceptionally good interviewer. I wondered how the role-switching would feel for us, but I needn’t have been worried. Her relaxed demeanor and the care with which she responded to each question left me in awe. I was impressed by how thoughtful and purposeful she is. Curious to the core, she couldn’t stop herself from asking our photographer, Katie, and I what our responses would have been to my questions.

Meet the Team, September 2019, Arts + Culture, Around TownErin GlynnSeptember 4, 2019Community Mix

By the Book: Sex Talk with Your Local Librarian, Chapter 2

Every single person deserves a healthy sexual relationship.

Read that sentence again. And a thousand more times until it is under your skin. Last month, we talked about taking the nervousness out of sex and making it fun. In my opinion, you can’t have fun when you’re having anxiety-ridden-probably-low-key-acting-super-casual panic attacks.

By the Book, September 2019, Education, Around Town, Sex Talk with EmmaEmma WilligSeptember 2, 2019Community Mix

Scenes from the City: Michele Burroughs

With summer energy pulsing, Cincinnati is more than just a heatwave. The possibility of good moments seems to be swelling, just as my heart did when I heard about Michele Burroughs. A long word-of-mouth grapevine of coworkers, mothers with a hunger for caffeine, and my frequent eavesdropping paid off in the best way. After learning about Michele’s journey establishing a Pleasant Ridge caffeine gem a few months ago, I knew I wanted to make time to hear her story.

Julie LeMaster: Fighting for Immigrants in Cincinnati and Beyond

Earlier this summer, we checked in with Julie Leftwich LeMaster, co-founder of the Immigrant & Refugee Law Center based out of Roberts Paideia Academy. With immigration and asylum seekers being a hot button issue right now, the I.R.L.C. is growing exponentially as the need for immigrant and refugee services increases. Julie’s story was so inspiring we decided to extend it and show our readers why she is one of Cincinnati’s most badass legal women.

September 2019, Outreach + AdvocacyBlaire BartishAugust 29, 2019Community Mix

Good (Man)ners: Rodney Christian on Finding Your Gift and Giving It Back

Rodney Christian grew up in East Westwood – to be frank, one of Cincinnati’s most struggling communities. Even as a kid, he was a leader, but he didn’t know it. One day a friend shined a light on Rodney’s gift of community and relationship building. He encouraged Rodney to help him open a basketball gym so the kids in their community had a safe place to spend their time. Today, Rodney manages a recreation center at Third Presbyterian Church in the heart of East Westwood. It’s open seven days a week, and there’s always an open door for the kids who need it.

Tamara Harkavy: ArtWorks' 'Accidental Director'

“Do you see this? It says, ‘Breathe.’ That’s my mantra.”

Tamara Harkavy leaned in to show me her gold necklace. Though I see her almost every day in my role as ArtWorks’ executive assistant and office manager, I’d never noticed it. The message is fitting. Nearly 24 years ago, Harkavy founded ArtWorks, the nonprofit responsible for over 12,000 projects that have turned the greater Cincinnati area into an art gallery. Not to mention the businesses which have become staples to our city who went through business development training through ArtWorks, like Brown Bear Bakery, Handzy, and S.R.O. Prints. She’s also a star player on the creative team organizing BLINK. It’s a hefty load.

Arts + Culture, Outreach + Advocacy, FeaturesSandra Okot-KotberAugust 19, 2019Features

Susan Casey-Leininger on Village Life and the Meaning of Global Citizenship

Susan Casey-Leininger has done it all – from working with Americorps to fundraising for the African Leaders Malaria Alliance to living and working in East Africa. Today, as the executive director of Village Life, Susan personifies the word “adventurous.” As shown in her work, Susan is passionate about cultural immersion and the benefits – as a community, society, and world – of learning about each others’ differences. Her various travels and work experiences have given her a unique and valuable perspective on fostering change both inside and outside of Cincinnati.

Outreach + Advocacy, Health + Wellness, Education, FeaturesCourtney ReynoldsAugust 12, 2019Features

From Runway Projects to ‘Project Runway’: A Conversation with Tessa Clark

For those of us born with a fascination with fashion, the shirts on our backs are about more than function. What we choose to wear can be a source of confidence, a way to tell someone passing by a little bit about who we are – even what we stand for. And on a rainy summer evening, I scurried down Vine Street with my deteriorating cat-ear umbrella to meet Cincinnati’s rising style icon and nationally recognized designer, Tessa Clark.

Arts + Culture, Entrepreneurship, FeaturesBrittany BarkerAugust 5, 2019Features

Good (Man)ners: Kick Lee on Ending the Starving Artist

Writing for Women of Cincy has given me the opportunity to meet and share stories with influencers and change-makers throughout Cincinnati. I usually walk away from my interviews feeling inspired, but Kick Lee is quite possibly the coolest person I never knew I needed to meet. He’s created a career and a lifestyle based around helping others achieve their dreams. As the founder of the Cincinnati Music Accelerator, he’s helping local musicians realize their worth as artists and discover how to take control of their own careers.

Women of Cincy Gift Guide: Fall 2019

My favorite part about moving to a new city is discovering the gems that stud the marketplace. I find so much joy in gawking over the perfectly curated shops, chock full of local, handmade goods, and the community of makers and doers that surround them. Cincinnati continues to reveal hidden treasures, and I’ve only brushed the surface. To me, there’s nothing better than being someplace full of people dedicated to pumping life back into their city.

Gift Guide, Arts + Culture, Entrepreneurship, August 2019Hannah ReedJuly 27, 2019Community Mix

By the Book: Sex Talk with Your Local Librarian, Chapter 1

Do I think sex is something to start shouting about from the rooftops? No. I do like keeping the mystery alive in a lot of aspects. However, I think breaking the negative parts of the sex stigma starts with you. Yes! You. You, me, and sex education.

On Creating Community with Westwood’s Youth: Liz Haradon, Kim Springer, and Cheryl Whiting

When we first walked into the basement of the Third Presbyterian Church, we were greeted by a hallway gallery of framed photographs and newspaper clippings. Photographs of wrestlers, basketball players, and football players hung on the wall – all of whom once came to this church for the same reason children go there today: for guidance, homework help, crafts, cooking, games, and more. It is a space full of life, bustling with kids ranging in age from 5 to 20.

August 2019, Outreach + Advocacy, EducationWomen of Cincy StaffJuly 27, 2019Community Mix

Reported By Women: Noir – A Celebration of Female Artists

On Saturday, July 20, German synth-pop, punk rock of England, and New York's new wave converged within these hallowed walls nestled on the Kentucky border. Southgate House subjected Newport to the sound of women's rage and freedom with Noir: A Celebration of Female Artists.

August 2019, Music, Arts + CultureOlivia TaylorJuly 24, 2019Community Mix

Nick Erby and Joe Puchala: Building Workplace Equality with MARC

“I think it’s hard for a lot of white men to embrace what we’re trying to do. It’s difficult for them to bring to the surface some of the difficult topics and hard dialogue to have with your peers and superiors in and out of the workplace. I personally feel that it’s very much about owning some of the responsibility. Looking at it as, ‘it’s not my fault that there are inequalities, but it is our responsibility to be a part of helping to resolve some of that.’ You have to do more; you have to take action. We like to joke that watching documentaries on Netflix that’ll inform you ain’t gonna help.”

August 2019, Outreach + AdvocacyMadeleine MeeksJuly 23, 2019Community Mix

Monique Gilliam: ‘I am a beautiful mess.’

Monique Gilliam – mom of four, change-maker, mentor, advocate, and more – requested that we meet her at Findlay Market for our conversation. It was a peaceful Tuesday evening, and the weather was more than agreeable. She arrived with open arms, flashing her bright smile. She was rocking a gray O.T.R. T-shirt that listed the street names that she knows all too well.

Features, Outreach + AdvocacyKristyn BridgesJuly 22, 2019Features, Celebrate Black Stories

Ask Cincinnati: The Heartbeat Bill

This article – a response to our open-ended group project assignment as Women of Cincy residents – was a complex undertaking, but we find these perspectives are a necessary part of the broader conversation of abortion in America. Abortion is a complicated issue with deeply emotional stakes, and the fate of Roe v. Wade could be determined in our backyard. The recent coverage of this issue has been lacking the voices of Ohioans and we want to change that.

On Second Thought: Catching up with Suzy Strachan

Last time we talked to Suzy Strachan, she and business partner and friend, Brittney Braemer, told us about themselves, their origin story, and their hopes for moving Handzy into a new space. Fast-forward to late 2018, Suzy shared with us the details of their move and the bliss of living in Covington.

Ohio Fairness Act: Cincinnatians Respond to a Fresh Attempt

“I always talk about feeling less safe in Cincinnati than I ever have anywhere else when it comes to employment,” she said. “It never crossed my mind when I was living in Los Angeles that I would be discriminated against for being gay, whereas when I'm here, I feel like it’s a possibility at every turn.”