Shows
Sylvia & Me2025 Bring It OnThis year has been a whirlwind, hasn't it? For Sylvia & Me, October marked a huge milestone – our 5th anniversary! Five years of conversations, stories, and connections. Five years of incredible women sharing their wisdom, their laughter, and sometimes, their tears.
Over these past five years, I've had the privilege of interviewing just under 200 women. Each one with a unique story to tell, each one inspiring and empowering in their own way. This podcast has always been about giving women a platform to share their experiences, their triumphs, their challenges, and their wisdom.
2024-12-3116 min
Sylvia & MeCelebrating Live with Women of a Certain AgeLive from Noble Salon we celebrate the 5-year anniversary of "Sylvia & Me' with Women of a Certain Age. Our first live, in-person podcast and a conversation with a group of Women of a Certain Age. Sharing stories, insights and experiences, these ladies are not going to be 'aged out'! Friendship, trust, overcoming fear and having each other's backs! With more than 30 years on various stages, Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional Theater and more, ladies let's kick up our heels. Going past their comfort zone, anything goes. The ladies: Ann Alford, Lynne Colatrella, Tracey Marble, Ellen Krinick-Porto and Gail Yudain and their musical di...
2024-11-0443 min
Sylvia & MeToscanini Musical Love Story with Lucy Antek JohnsonSeptember is Classical Music month so let’s start with one of the greatest musicians, Maestro ArturoToscanini. For seventeen years Samuel Antek was first violinist for Toscanini. This Was Toscanini was written by Samuel Antek. His sudden death in 1958 never gave him the chance to finish. His daughter Lucy Antek Johnson expanded on her father’s story with This Was Toscanini: The Maestro, My Father, and Me. In 2021 the hardcover was published with pictures, and the audiobook has now followed. Swapping out pictures for music, from rehearsals to performances, Lucy allows the listener in to hear the passion and dedication of a...
2024-09-0435 min
Sylvia & MeReality or TV Show? with Dr. Stephanie S. CovingtonOrange is the New Black – reality or just a TV show? Dr. Stephanie S. Covington, an internationally recognized clinician, author, organizational consultant, and lecturer. Stephanie sheds light on the realities faced by incarcerated women in her new book “HIDDEN HEALERS: The Unexpected Ways Women in Prison Help each Other Survive.” The book highlights the brutalities these women endure within a system not designed for them. In our conversation she emphasizes the kindness they offer each other to navigate their challenges. It’s essential to recognize that the majority of women in the criminal justice system have themselves been victims of harm.
2024-09-0432 min
Sylvia & MeFamily, Marriage, Divorce, Motherhood with Joyce MaynardNew York Times Bestselling author Joyce Maynard’s latest novel How the Light Gets In is a story of family dynamics. Marriage, divorce, motherhood, raising children and letting go and the realization that ‘We don’t tell our children who they should be. They tell us who they are and what they believe. And it may not always be what we want to hear.’
2024-09-0431 min
Sylvia & MeThird Girl from the Left with Christine BarkerThe Other Side of Broadway and the AIDS Epidemic
Christine’s dream had come true, she was a dancer, the ‘Third Girl from the Left’ in the cast of the Tony Award-winning show A Chorus Line, first in London and then Broadway. Unfortunately it was the early 1980s and the onset of the AIDS epidemic. A conversation with Christine Barker, author of Third Girl from the Left, her story of what life was like for her, a young woman having to make impossible choices. Her start in New York, her dream job, and eight shows a week. In the middle of it...
2024-09-0440 min
Sylvia & MeToscanini Musical Love StorySeptember is Classical Music month so let's start with one of the greatest musicians, Maestro ArturoToscanini. For seventeen years Samuel Antek was first violinist for Toscanini. This Was Toscanini was written by Samuel Antek. His sudden death in 1958 never gave him the chance to finish. His daughter Lucy Antek Johnson expanded on her father's story with This Was Toscanini: The Maestro, My Father, and Me. In 2021 the hardcover was published with pictures, and the audiobook has now followed. Swapping out pictures for music, from rehearsals to performances, Lucy allows the listener in to hear the passion and dedication of a...
2024-09-0435 min
Sylvia & MeReality or TV Show?Orange is the New Black - reality or just a TV show? Dr. Stephanie S. Covington, an internationally recognized clinician, author, organizational consultant, and lecturer. Stephanie sheds light on the realities faced by incarcerated women in her new book "HIDDEN HEALERS: The Unexpected Ways Women in Prison Help each Other Survive." The book highlights the brutalities these women endure within a system not designed for them. In our conversation she emphasizes the kindness they offer each other to navigate their challenges. It's essential to recognize that the majority of women in the criminal justice system have themselves been victims of...
2024-08-2732 min
Sylvia & MeFamily, Marriage, Divorce, MotherhoodNew York Times Bestselling author Joyce Maynard's latest novel How the Light Gets In is a story of family dynamics. Marriage, divorce, motherhood, raising children and letting go and the realization that 'We don't tell our children who they should be. They tell us who they are and what they believe. And it may not always be what we want to hear.'
2024-08-2031 min
Sylvia & MeThird Girl from the LeftThe Other Side of Broadway and the AIDS Epidemic
Christine’s dream had come true, she was a dancer, the ‘Third Girl from the Left’ in the cast of the Tony Award-winning show A Chorus Line, first in London and then Broadway. Unfortunately it was the early 1980s and the onset of the AIDS epidemic. A conversation with Christine Barker, author of Third Girl from the Left, her story of what life was like for her, a young woman having to make impossible choices. Her start in New York, her dream job, and eight shows a week. In the middle of it...
2024-08-1440 min
Sylvia & MeBeauty Industry’s Most Feared WomanThis week an eye-opening conversation with beauty journalist Jessica DeFino. Beauty standards have an impact on our lives, often without us even realizing it.
‘The beauty industry reels us in by calling it 'beauty' and assigning it metaphysical powers. I really think we would be better off if we called the beauty industry the appearance industry.’
2024-08-0634 min
Sylvia & MeBeauty Industry’s Most Feared Woman with Jessica DeFinoThis week an eye-opening conversation with beauty journalist Jessica DeFino. Beauty standards have an impact on our lives, often without us even realizing it.
‘The beauty industry reels us in by calling it ‘beauty’ and assigning it metaphysical powers. I really think we would be better off if we called the beauty industry the appearance industry.’
2024-08-0634 min
Sylvia & MeFlame Bearers Women Olympians & Paralympians with Jamie MittelmanJoining the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and the Flame Bearers, celebrating women athletes changing the Sports Industry. This year is the first Olympics with gender parity. And it’s only fitting to have a conversation with Jamie Mittelman, Founder of Flame Bearers. Jamie doesn’t want to tell the stories of these trailblazing female athletes. No, she wants to empower these women to share their stories by telling them in their own words.
Media coverage of women athletes represents just 15% of sports coverage. Of that 15%, the majority ‘look just like me’ as Jamie says…white and able-bodies from the global north. Jamie and...
2024-07-3032 min
Sylvia & MeFlame Bearers Women Olympians & ParalympiansJoining the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and the Flame Bearers, celebrating women athletes changing the Sports Industry. This year is the first Olympics with gender parity. And it's only fitting to have a conversation with Jamie Mittelman, Founder of Flame Bearers. Jamie doesn't want to tell the stories of these trailblazing female athletes. No, she wants to empower these women to share their stories by telling them in their own words.
Media coverage of women athletes represents just 15% of sports coverage. Of that 15%, the majority 'look just like me' as Jamie says...white and able-bodies from the global north. Jamie and...
2024-07-3032 min
Sylvia & MeGlorious Broad Aging Imaginatively with Maryjane FaheyMaryjane Fahey is aging Imaginatively & Unapologetically. Founder of GLORIOUS BROADS, Maryjane defines a Glorious Broad as independent, unconventional and fearless. She's a woman who is funny, has had a few 'restarts' over the years and likes her wrinkles. A woman who is proud of her age and who's not done yet.
Our conversation covers everything from living life on her own terms, why GLORIOUS BROADS, the women who inspired her, sex at 60+ and more. Maryjane's motto: 'It's never too late.'
2024-07-2331 min
Sylvia & MeMt. Everest and Tap Dancing with Dr. Mimi ZiemanTaking risk as a path to grow is exactly what Dr. Mimi Zieman believes and did. In her memoir Tap Dancing on Everest: A Young Doctor's Unlikely Adventure, Mimi takes us through her journey. As a 3rd year medical student Mimi joined an expedition attempting a new route on the East Face of Mt. Everest as the doctor. Mimi would be the only woman.
A conversation about a coming of age story and the risks we take to become our truest selves. A child of immigrants, her father a Holocaust survivor, Mimi delves into the struggles she faced as a y...
2024-07-0939 min
Sylvia & MeCanopy Meg Einstein of the TreetopsThis week, I had the privilege of engaging in a fascinating conversation with Dr. Meg Lowman. Known as "Canopy Meg," she is a globally-renowned forest canopy scientist. The Wall Street Journal dubbed her the "Einstein of the treetops". Meg has dedicated her life to the conservation of trees and forests worldwide.
A pioneer in forest canopy ecology, Meg has conducted extensive research in forests spanning 46 countries across all seven continents.. Her work has earned her the title of one of the world's foremost "arbornauts" — individuals who study the intricate ecosystems of forest canopies. Meg refers to them as the Earth's "ei...
2024-07-0226 min
Sylvia & MeSingle...Nonmarried...Breaking Assumptions with Jaclyn Geller & Joan DelFattoreHealth or happiness - why do we assume married people are healthier and happier? Pro-marriage and haves and have nots - let's get into this. Where is the raw data? What was the control group? The promise that marriage is a happy place - is that reality? Are marrieds healthier?
I needed to bring back and bring together two women, Jaclyn (Jackie) Geller, Ph. D. and Joan DelFattore, Ph. D. Jackie is an expert in the field of marriage research and marriage history. Joan is a retired professor and single by choice.
2024-06-2658 min
Sylvia & MeHolocaust's Hidden Children with Jennifer RosnerThe hidden children of the Holocaust was a story that author Jennifer Rosner had not heard about. In her latest novel ONCE WE WERE HOME, she tells their story. Throughout her journey, she became captivated by the intricacies of finding a sense of belonging and identity. Jennifer encountered a woman who worked on a post-WW2 mission to recover Jewish orphans hidden in Christian settings for safety. Jennifer's exploration of this lesser-known aspect of history highlights the moral complexities of displacing children who had already endured the trauma of losing their original families.
2024-06-1834 min
Sylvia & MeGuide for Slaying Dragons with Susan CombsA Missouri girl in a New York world is slaying dragons. Susan L. Combs, author and founder of “Pancakes for Roger” is on a mission. This week a conversation with Susan and ‘Pancakes for Roger: A Mentorship Guide for Slaying Dragons’. With a drive to ‘Do more, better’ we discuss the three facets of life that her late father taught her: 1. The person you’re with 2. The thing you do for a living and 3. The place you live. And the lessons she learned from her Midwestern upbringing to the two-plus decades in New York City. Susan reminds us that it’s the little thi...
2024-06-1136 min
Sylvia & MeAre You Calling Me A Racist? With Sarita SrivastavaRacism and conventional diversity workshops, are they the solution? Educator, activist and sociologist Sarita Srivastava, Ph.D challenges conventional ways of dealing with racism. Sarita's debut book "Are You Calling Me A Racist?": Why We Need to Stop Talking About Race and Start Making Antiracist Change reveals why these efforts have failed to effectively challenge racism.
This week an in-depth conversation with Sarita analyzing the emotional and historical roadblocks that anti-racist efforts have faced. Instead of ‘Feel-Good racial politics', we need to make concrete, collective changes to our practices and spaces. And answer the question: Why does antiracism flounder where it...
2024-06-0426 min
Sylvia & MeOutdoor Adventures at Any AgeThis week, with Award-winning and New York Times-Bestselling author Caroline Paul. Caroline had been an outdoor adventurer her whole life. In her newest book, "TOUGH BROAD," Caroline explores how outdoor adventure can improve our lives as we age, defying societal norms and expectations.
Caroline delves into the positive impact of outdoor adventure on brain health, physical vitality, mindset, and overall well-being. Through inspiring stories, she urges women in their fifties, sixties, and beyond to embrace the outdoors, redefining their futures.
2024-05-2835 min
Sylvia & Me'Dialed In' with Dr. Dana SinclairThis week a conversation with Dr. Dana Sinclair, Performance Psychologist and author of Dialed In: Do Your Best When It Matters Most. From Olympic champions to a teenager performing in a school play, we all perform, it's part of who we are. Does confidence in ourselves mean that we're going to perform well? As Dana explains, confidence is overrated, it's a feeling, but performance is about what we do. Performance means focusing, being there in the moment. 'Talent will not ensure success without focusing; being there in the pressure moments.' Positive self-talk is a key component to successful performance...
2024-05-2130 min
Sylvia & MeChildren Survival and HopeWhat happens after we survive and experience something life-changing and traumatic? Award-winning young adult author Veera Hiranandani’s new historical fiction Amil and The After addresses this question. Written during the COVID-19 pandemic, Veera also asked herself how can we heal as individuals and as a society? Written in part through the drawings of young Amil, the story follows the aftermath of the partition of India and Pakistan. It’s a journey like the one members of her family had made. ‘We as humans keep finding ways to divide ourselves and attack marginalized communities.’ Although her books are called ‘young adult’, ad...
2024-05-1428 min
Sylvia & MeGrit Cheerleading StyleMix grit, resilience, cheerleading, persistence, passion, compassion and style and you get Risa Kostis. From a very young age a stage and cheerleading was in her future. That is until a car accident at 17 had her navigating a different course. One that would take all of her ingredients and push her to a place she could never have imagined. The accident had left her with a traumatic brain injury and reconstructive facial surgeries. Self-taught, and determined, Risa is no longer the underdog. She is a celebrity stylist, stylist, and personal shopper. Risa helps women tell their story through what they w...
2024-05-0732 min
Sylvia & MeA Manifesto Against AgeismAshton Applewhite is a pro-aging advocate and author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism. She began blogging about ageism in 2007, speaking about it in 2012 and hasn't stopped. Aging is not a problem to be fixed or a disease to be cured. We live in a world that encourages us not to think about aging. It's time for a radical aging movement against ageism. And we need to start by confronting our own bias. Let's ask ourselves how do we feel about age and aging? It's difficult to go a day without seeing an ad for an anti-aging product...
2024-04-3035 min
Sylvia & MeCraving Spring and A Mother's QuestAnn Batchelder is the author of Craving Spring: A Mother’s Quest, a Daughter’s Depression, and the Greek Myth That Brought Them Together. Ann shares her story of her daughter’s journey with mental health and addiction. As mothers we are always looking for ways to be a ‘good’ mother. What if who we need to be is a ‘skilled’ mother? And learn how to ask for help.
2024-04-2331 min
Sylvia & MeAmerican Ex-Wife Reframing DivorceNew York Times Bestselling author Lyz Lenz is 'reframing' divorce and getting rid of the stigma. Her latest book, This American Ex-Wife: How I Ended My Marriage - and - Started My Life is a memoir/manifesto. Lyz debunks the myth of the 'happily ever' marriage scenario and gives us the straight talk about divorce. 'The stigma exists because everybody is afraid of a liberated woman'.
2024-04-1642 min
Sylvia & MeJust a Girl from the BronxJust a girl from the Bronx. That’s Francine Farkas Sears, the first American businesswoman invited to China after President Nixon re-established trade relations. The groundbreaking trip included twenty-five men and Francine.
Francine's first leap into entrepreneurship began in her teens with a babysitting business. Her second was revolutionizing a salon armed with an idea, $1,000 cash, 7th Avenue and Pucci-like dresses. Next an entry level at Alexander’s Department store followed by a stint as a famed Wall Street stockbroker leading the path for women. Alexander’s called her back where she worked her way up to become Fashion Director and Vi...
2024-04-0937 min
Sylvia & MeHistorical Fiction Madam SecretaryFrances Perkins is a woman I’ve come to know, admire and am in awe of through Stephanie Dray’s newest novel Becoming Madam Secretary. The first female cabinet member in U.S. history, she was Labor Secretary to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In a political time dominated by men, Frances Perkins was America’s leading advocate for workers’ rights and industrial safety. Fair Labor Standard Acts, Social Security…thank you Frances.
2024-04-0236 min
Sylvia & MeRetail Pioneer, Global TrendsetterRetail pioneer and global trendsetter, Liz Lange, transformed maternity wear in 1997 and gave women the empowerment to shine. Her brand, Liz Lange Maternity, became a game-changer for celebrities and regular women alike.
In the early 2000s, Liz Lange became a household name as a retail pioneer and global trendsetter. Her licensing deals with Nike, Target, and HSN established her as a fashion icon, with her maternity collaborations and ready-to-wear line becoming wildly popular. Lange's book, "Liz Lange's Maternity Style: How to look Fabulous during the Most Fashion-Challenged Time," published by Random House in 2003, further cemented her status as a fashion...
2024-03-2638 min
Sylvia & MeSmall Legacies and a TrophyIt started with a piggy bank, well sort of. Among Amanda's late husband's passions was financial wellness. Not finding anything but plastic children's piggy banks, Amanda made her own, a solid wood piggy bank. A piggy bank with three compartments: giving, saving and spending. Her son's financial education was not going to start in a plastic piggy bank. It was part of his father's legacy, the Enduring Legacy Bank. And it turned out to be the start of Small Legacies.
2024-03-1927 min
Sylvia & MeThe Women and VietnamMarch is Women's History Month. Let's take a moment to acknowledge the forgotten heroes of the Vietnam War- the women veterans. Approximately 10,000 women served in Vietnam as nurses, medical personnel, and military intelligence in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Award-winning author Kristin Hannah's newest historical fiction, The Women, sheds light on the untold stories of these brave women.
2024-03-1231 min
Sylvia & MePolitics of AdoptionRelinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood. The title is quite powerful as is its author, Gretchen Sisson, PhD. Gretchen has been making waves with her groundbreaking studies on abortion and adoption in the US. Her work sheds light on the experiences of women who have relinquished their child for adoption since Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court's dissent in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health from Justices Breyer, Kagan, and Sotomayor cited Gretchen's research. The stories of relinquishing mothers reveal a larger societal problem of our country's refusal to care for families at the most basic l...
2024-03-0537 min
Sylvia & MeRecipe for a Good LifeWhat ingredients do you need? It really doesn't take a lot for this particular recipe, the Recipe for a Good Life. Bestselling Canadian author Lesley Crewe is making her American debut and we could all use this recipe. This may be her 15th novel for her Canadian readers, but I can definately say, her new American readers will catch up.
For Lesley her writing started as an exercise for understanding her world and in doing so, we get an invitation to look into ours. How many of us think that only writers get writer's block like the protagonist in her...
2024-02-2734 min
Sylvia & MeFemale Scientists Breaking BarriersDr. Brooke Grindlinger, Chief Scientific Officer of the NY Academy of Sciences didn't take the conventional female scientist’s route. Instead of the traditional, academic path, Brooke pursued her passion of science communications. Brooke is breaking barriers faced by women in STEM and works with young female scientists pursuing their own 'unconventional' paths. By leveraging her voice and platform, Brooke engages and educates audiences, emphasizing the importance of science in shaping the future.
2024-02-2042 min
Sylvia & MeWhen Freedom SpeaksThe First Amendment and freedom of speech are being battled daily. But the First Amendment is not just the written or spoken word, it's also the freedom of expression. Lynn Greenky started her professional career as a lawyer. Ten years ago Lynn began teaching an undergraduate course about the First Amendment. She was disturbed about the lack of civics education in the U.S. Lynn is the author of When Freedom Speaks: The Boundaries and Boundlessness of Our First Amendment Right.
2024-02-1334 min
Sylvia & MeMah Jongg and Grey GardensThis week a fun, interesting, warm conversation with author and fellow podcaster Fern Bernstein. 2019 saw her debut memoir Mah Jongg Mondays: a memoir about friendship, love and faith. And this past October her second book Staunch: The Edies of Grey Gardens. Fern hosts the podcasts Mah Jongg Mondays and Grey Gardens: Don’t Just Be A Lady…Be A Legend.
2024-02-0631 min
Sylvia & MeSick While SingleMedical bias and discrimination come along with living single in a couple’s oriented society. Dr. Joan DelFattore is single by choice. She had never been moved to do anything, until they tried to kill her. That got her attention.
‘Diagnosed with stage 4 gallbladder cancer, I went to a well-known highly regarded medical oncologist and he really got on a tear about my family situation. When I said no to having a husband, children, siblings or living parents, he questioned how I would manage. I explained about the friends and extended family who had been very supportive through my surgery. My s...
2024-01-3036 min
Sylvia & MeA Mother's PursuitMegan Nix is the author of Remedies for Sorrow: an Extraordinary Child, A Secret Kept from Pregnant Women, and a Mother’s Pursuit Of The Truth. Her daughter Anna was born very small and deaf. Anna has CMV (congenital cytomegalovirus). CMV is the leading cause of birth defects in the U.S., a virus contracted through a toddler’s saliva. The medical system doesn’t disclose the existence of CMV to the public. It believes that additional stress during pregnancy could cause harm. A secret kept from pregnant women.
2024-01-2338 min
Sylvia & MeMaking Love vs PornMaking love, porn and sex education.
Add access to porn with society's reluctance to talk about sex. The result, porn becomes sex education by default. In comes Cindy Gallop founder of MakeLoveNotPorn. ‘Pro-sex. Pro-porn. Pro-knowing the difference.’ A candid conversation on knowing the difference.
At the 2009 TED conference, Cindy launched the MakeLoveNotPorn web site in a 4-minute TEDTalk. Her talk has been described as "one of the event's most talked about." She later published a TED book, Make Love Not Porn: Technology's Hardcore Impact on Human Behavior.
2024-01-1642 min
Sylvia & MeIntensity, Humor, LA & Kelly SatherDebut short story author Kelly Sather's 'Small in Real Life' explores the complexities of the human experience. The collection of nine short stories set in LA, Southern California, blends intensity and humor, invoking the myth and melancholy of L.A. glamour. Each story follows characters searching for power, fame, love, and redemption, no matter the consequences.
Kelly Sather is a former entertainment lawyer and screenwriter. Her work has appeared in various publications, including Santa Monica Review, Pembroke Magazine, J Journal, PANK, and on ZYZZYVA.
2024-01-0229 min
Sylvia & MeSharing Voices and PodcastersSharing voices with a fellow podcaster. A few months ago, I was invited to be a guest on Jackie Tantillo’s podcast. The topic was one that I’ve often mentioned in passing but never delved into…my mom. Should Have Listened To My Mother … wonder what my boys would have to say?
‘Are you here today because of or in spite of your mother?’
How many of us have asked ourselves that question? How many of us are able to answer that question?
I became curious about Jackie and why she had chosen the name and subject. And so I invited Ja...
2023-12-1231 min
Sylvia & MeA Trilogy, 3rd Time Around & Alka JoshiA Trilogy, 3rd Time Around and we have Internationally bestselling author Alka Joshi. The Jaipur Trilogy to be exact: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris. 2020 saw the publication of Alka's debut novel The Henna Artist, 10 years in the making. The last of the trilogy was released this past October. The rest is, as they say, history.
Named one of Forbes 2023 Women 50/50, Alka says 'Life takes unexpected turns, and some only take place in your 60s.'
Alka Joshi is a graduate of Stanford University and received her MFA from the California College of t...
2023-11-2832 min
Sylvia & MeSo Many Topics & Molly Wadzeck KrausMolly Wadzeck Kraus is a freelance writer with ADHD who is always looking for an exciting topic or idea to spark her next hyper-fixation. She writes about mental health, parenting, politics, animal welfare, reproductive rights, pop culture, and dabbles in poetry & creative nonfiction. Born and raised in Waco, Texas, Molly currently resides in the Finger Lakes region of New York with her husband and three children.
When there’s so much to talk about, how do you choose? Molly caught my attention on Instagram. Reading her poem ‘Now that I have a son’ urged me to contact her. I knew there...
2023-11-1438 min
Sylvia & MeErasing the Finish LineAna Homayoun's latest book Erasing the Finish Line: The New Blueprint for Success Beyond Grades and College Admission explores erasing the faulty finish line. Explaining how we can help children build their own blueprint for success, Ana discusses important skills.
Executive functioning skills
Building social capital and fostering genuine connections
Buoyancy – the ability to bounce back from disappointments
2023-10-3135 min
Sylvia & MeBanned Books and Young AdultsSOLD by Patricia (Patty) McCormick is one of the most banned books for the 2022 - 2023 school year. It’s the story of a 13-year-old girl in India who is sold into sexual slavery. The book addresses the global issue of child trafficking. There is no graphic dialogue in the book.
Patty writes for the YA (young adult) audience. She is the author of several critically acclaimed novels. Her novels vary in topic including genocide, self-harm, and child trafficking. Banning books on such topics does a disservice to our youth. When Patty speaks at schools, young adults realize they are not alo
2023-10-1733 min
Sylvia & MeMarried vs NonmaritalJaclyn Geller, Ph.D. - Embracing Nonmarital History
Jaclyn Geller, Ph. D. is an expert in the field of marriage research and marriage history. She is the author of Moving Past Marriage: Why We Should Ditch Marital Privilege, End Relationship-Status Discrimination, and Embrace Nonmartial History.
A person can be in a committed relationship and not want to get married. And it’s not because they are against marriage. The bonds that create a family are there. They just don’t want to get married.
2023-10-0354 min
Sylvia & MeFood, Glorious Food & Cole KazdinFor most of us (especially women), our relationship with food is complex, as is our perception of what we should look like. To break it all down, I spoke with Cole Kazdin, Award-winning journalist and author of What’s Eating Us: Women, Food, and the Epidemic of Body Anxiety.
Women of all ages and backgrounds struggle with a preoccupation with food and body anxiety. Cole was one of those women. She suffered from disordered eating. People would tell her how great she looked and asked for her secret. Her secret was quite a secret…she purged after eating.
2023-09-1936 min
Sylvia & MeLisa Cornwell Gutsy Woman & 'Troublemaker'‘Troublemaker: A Memoir of Sexism, Retaliation, and the Fight They Didn’t See Coming’ written by Lisa along with Tucker Booth. Lisa tells her story of a toxic working environment. It’s a story that so many have lived through. A story that not many have the courage or the ability to take the repercussions that come along with using your voice.
Lisa Cornwell is an Award-winning on-air sports media reporter. The trouble came to a head after seven years with the Golf Channel. December 31, 2020 was her last day at the Golf Channel. So on January 1, 2021 Lisa was ‘free to speak up f...
2023-09-0537 min
Sylvia & MeWe're Back! Season 15 On It's WayWe're Back! It's almost the end of summer. Labor Day is around the corner and so our hiatus is coming to an end. And a new season of my podcast is upon us.
Tuesday, September 5th, Sylvia & Me is back with more extraordinary and inspiring women:
Lisa Cornwell - Award-winning on-air sports reporter and author of Troublemaker: A Memoir of Sexism, Retaliation, and the Fight They Didn't See Coming
Cole Kazdin - Four-time Emmy winning television journalist and author of What's Eating Us: Women, Food and the Epidemic of Body Anxiety
Jaclyn Geller, PHD - Associate Professor of English at C...
2023-08-2804 min
Sylvia & MeThankful for Our Voice - Wendy Walker & Sylvia BeckermanWhat better way to give thanks to being able to use your voice. International bestselling author Wendy Walker sets out to interview me, Sylvia Beckerman, CEO & Founder Life Après and Après Divorce. Author of psychological thrillers, Wendy has been a guest on the podcast numerous times and a speaker at several Life Après and Après Divorce events. So the question is...who better to uncover the story behind the story?
Why the journeys? And what was the beginning? 135 episodes later...135 extraordinary women and now for some answers. How a shy, divorced, single working mom of two foun...
2022-11-2452 min
Sylvia & MeTova Friedman - Holocaust Survivor - Never ForgetTova Friedman, 'Daughter of Auschwitz', is one of the youngest survivors of the Holocaust. She wants us to never forget. Never forget the innocent children who were murdered during the Holocaust. Together with Malcolm Brabant, Tova is the co-author of 'The Daughter of Auschwitz', her story of resilience, survival and hope.
From the age of one, Tova lived through the Holocaust. In 1945 at the age of 6, along with other children in her barrack in Auschwitz, Tova entered the crematorium. A glitch took place and the children were told to get dressed and return to their barracks.
2022-10-2753 min
Sylvia & MeThe Janes...Ep 134 Part 2...Feminist Underground Abortion ServiceWe continue our conversation with Laura Kaplan, author of The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service. A member of the Abortion Counseling Service, code name Jane, Laura recounts the evolution of the organization. And the power of women helping women. Jane was a feminist underground of diverse women who provided low-cost abortion services, counseling and referrals before abortion was legalized in 1973. With the Dobbs decision and the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the story is one that we are reliving.
Part 2 of our conversation...how the women took control after learning the doctor wasn't a real doctor. The...
2022-10-1135 min
Sylvia & MeThe Janes: '70's Underground Feminist Abortion Service, Part 1Laura Kaplan was one of the members of the 1970’s underground abortion service, Abortion Counseling Service of Women’s Liberation. Code name ‘Jane’, the Chicago based organization was a place for women seeking an abortion. There they could find a level of protection and financial help. Laura is the author of The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service.
2022-10-0422 min
Sylvia & MeFamily Business & Cindi BigelowCindi Bigelow is the 3rd generation President and CEO of the family-owned Bigelow Tea company. She was born with the name. But name alone does not make for sustainability at the top. It takes the skill and determination to make themselves better every day. For over 25 years, Cindi has made sure that she’s better and better every day.
Bigelow Tea is the national market leader of specialty teas. Cindi’s initiatives have included leading the company’s greening efforts. Conserving water and natural gas earned Bigelow Tea’s 2012 designation of being a ‘Zero Wat to Landfill’ company.
2022-09-2029 min
Sylvia & MePride vs Persistence - Reimagining 'Pride & Prejudice'Reimagining Jane Austen's 1813 Pride & Prejudice, New York Times bestselling author Sayantani DasGupta gives us her debut YA novel - Debating Darcy. Sayantani moves the story to the 21st century. It's set in the ultra competitive world of high school speech and debate tournaments. Debating Darcy explores the class conflict between private and public schools and the diverse world of American high school culture. Pride vs persistence. Sayantani allows her female characters to do all the things that their 1813 counterparts couldn't.
Sayantani DasGupta is the author of the critically acclaimed, Bengali folktale and string theory - inspired Kiranmala and the Kingdom Be...
2022-09-1430 min
Sylvia & MeRachel Vail, Author & Big FeelingsRachel Vail's picture books explore the power of Big Feelings. The pandemic has turned the lives of children and parents upside down. We're in the midst of a mental health crises. For some children the start of the school year across the United States can be terrifying, Most have been out of the loop of social interaction with other children. Rachel's latest picture book Sometimes I Grumblesquinch explores, in just a few words the emotional metamorphosis of growing up.
It's a book to be read by parents to their children with parents learning the complexity of helping children dealing with b...
2022-08-3031 min
Sylvia & MeLisa Bradshaw, Author & Storyteller, Don't WaitLisa Bradshaw - author, storyteller, cancer survivor, TEDx speaker, mom and TV host. Lisa is the founder of The DON’T WAIT Project®, a nonprofit organization. Its purpose - raising community awareness about the impact of positive life choices. Lisa is all about empowering youth through positive media. She has built a career as a storyteller by searching for the balance between loss and trauma and what can be gained from the lessons learned before, during and after these experiences. She is the author of Big Shoes: A Young Widowed Mother's Memoir.
Lisa hosts a television talk show and travels thro...
2022-08-0930 min
Sylvia & MeAndie Swim and Demi MooreSwimwear and women. Let's go to the archives with Melanie Travis, co-founder of Andie Swim. Melanie had a need to find a swimsuit that made her feel empowered. It was for a business weekend. She needed empowered, awesome and appropriate all rolled into one. And so the beginning of Andie Swim. A recent collaboration has taken place with actress Demi Moore. A new swimsuit line of glamor, vintage and sexy has been added. Challenging the way we view aging women with swimwear.
That episode was #60 having aired January 20, 2021. I’d read about Melanie’s vision to create a positive experience for...
2022-07-2127 min
Sylvia & MeRobin Benoit, Sorority Alumna, AuthorRobin Benoit, Sorority Alumna, Author, Sisterhood
Robin's first-two books were non-fiction. The Eighty-Year-Old Sorority Girls is her third book, a novel. Based on sisterhood, Robin Benoit’s inaugural work of fiction is rooted in reality. Reality of her mother’s Alzheimer’s and her knowledge of the necessity of support and sisterhood. There are many stereotypes of what a sorority is. Sorority = friendship, sisterhood, support and always showing up.
With a degree in Journalism/Public Relations, Robin established her career in public and community relations for non-profit agencies and corporations. Robin’s first book followed the success of her daughter Jillian’...
2022-07-0528 min
Sylvia & MeAuthor Annie Hartnett & Unlikely AnimalsAward-winning author Annie Hartnett and UNLIKELY ANIMALS. Annie's first novel, RABBIT CAKE was listed as one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2017. RABBIT CAKE is currently under option with Amazon Studios. Annie's second novel, UNLIKELY ANIMALS published this April, was Good Housekeeping magazine and Amerie's Book club April selection. And an April Indie Next pick.
Annie is a writer with a passion. Sometimes you stumble across the unexpected. For Annie that stumble resulted in UNLIKELY ANIMALS.
Annie has been awarded fellowships and residencies from the MacDowell Colony, Sewanee Writers' Conference, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. She holds d...
2022-06-2828 min
Sylvia & MeNo More! Moms Demand ActionMary Ann Jacob, a library clerk at the school, lived the horror of Sandy Hook 10 years ago. There was an announcement over the school’s public address system. Not hearing it clearly, Mary Ann called the office. From under her desk, the secretary said: ‘There’s a shooter in the building.’ Boom, boom, boom! Mary Ann and a colleague sheltered 18 children in a closet.
It’s a public safety issue, not a political one. Mary Ann is a volunteer with Moms Demand Action, the grassroots arm of Everytown for Gun Safety. She is also a Survivor Fellow with the Everytown Survivor Ne...
2022-06-1433 min
Sylvia & Me'Girlhood' and Melissa Febos'Girlhood' and the unending assaults that young women face. What is the story that we tell about ourselves? Is it our own or is it what someone else has told us? Award winning author Melissa Febos, gives us first hand insight into what happens when we learn to adopt stories about ourselves. A physical metamorphosis at the early age of eleven changed how the world around her perceived her.
Melissa Febos is the author of four books, including the nationally bestselling essay collection, GIRLHOOD, which is a LAMBDA Literary Award finalist and won the National Book Critics Circle Award in...
2022-06-0730 min
Sylvia & MePreserving History Through DanceRachel Linsky has found a new way to keep the history and the story of the Holocaust alive through dance…one step at a time. Using stories from survivors, Rachel choreographs and performs their stories. Her dancers come from all backgrounds and religions and their own interpretation is incorporated in the dance.
‘We hold this history of the Holocaust and the importance of keeping it alive. But if we all remain in our own community bubbles, studying only our histories how can we learn and keep the histories alive?’
2022-05-3135 min
Sylvia & MeRoyalty or FoundlingSociety tells us that we love our mothers. But what happens when that love isn’t there? Justine Cowan felt no love for her mother. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t feel that emotion. What Justine felt for her mother started out as fear. Over time the fear turned to anger and the anger turned to hatred. Hatred that held her back from learning a secret that her mother had tried to tell her. A secret that Justine’s mother had kept for decades.
Justine was in her 50’s when her mother died. She had grown up knowing a couple...
2022-05-1737 min
Sylvia & MeMother's Day and Kate SwensonA Mother's Day Special with Kate Swenson, a very special mom.
Kate dreamed of being a mother from a very young age. While other young girls dreamed of being a ballerina or president, being a mother was hers. And that dream came true 11 years ago with the birth of her son, Cooper. Kate and her husband now have two more sons and a daughter. Her dream though came with an unexpected path. At the age of three, Cooper was diagnosed with nonverbal autism.
Kate is the creator of the blog and Facebook page Finding Cooper’s Voice and the author of...
2022-05-0839 min
Sylvia & MeFood, Healthy Heart and Dr. KlodasDr. Klodas is a cardiologist who is looking to put herself out of business, as she would say. Why? Because, according to the CDC, 80% of all heart disease should not exist. It’s proved by people who live in what’s called ‘Blue Zones’ around the globe. They’re home to some of the oldest, healthiest, and happiest people. A large reason comes from how they manage what they eat.
After years of treating her patients with statins, she noticed that the overarching cause of their heart issues were not because of a deficiency of the right drugs, but deficiency of eating...
2022-05-0330 min
Sylvia & MeDreams to Reality, SCOREWith her passion for helping entrepreneurs and small business owners for over 30 years, Liz Sara shines in her new position as President of the SCORE Foundation. SCORE is a national free network of mentors for entrepreneurs and small business owners. The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of SCORE. And Liz is the right person supporting its mission of mentoring and educating America’s small business owners.
When Liza Sara was a guest last year, she was just appointed by the President as the Chairperson of the National Women's Business Council. The council is a non-partisan federal advisory committee that makes re...
2022-04-2634 min
Sylvia & MeThe Red Cross & Mary BarnebyMary Barneby finds herself among very notable women, Juliette, and Clara. The Girl Scouts and the American Red Cross share some history. Both are over 100 years old, and both were started by women. Clara Barton was 60 when she founded the American Red Cross in 1881. Juliette Gordon Low was 52 when she founded the Girl Scouts of the United States of America in 1912. And back then, that was considered quite old. Did I mention…Mary is the Regional CEO of the American Red Cross, a journey she started in the mist of the pandemic, September 2020. For eight years prior to joining the Red...
2022-04-1933 min
Sylvia & MePositivity, Alzheimer's and Eugenia ZukermanNearly four years ago, Eugenia was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Eugenia made the choice to be positive. A choice few can make.
Upon hearing the diagnosis, Eugenia returned home, stared at the wall, and started writing. The result, a book of poetry Like Falling Through a Cloud. It follows her journey through her gradual cognitive impairment and memory loss. Writing has helped Eugenia process the emotions that she has been dealing with since the beginning of her diagnosis.
2022-04-1230 min
Sylvia & MeThinking Addiction & Nancy ColierThinking, thinking, thinking…we can't stop thinking. When we talk about selfcare it usually contains words like diet and exercise. But what about our emotional care?
Nancy Colier is an author, psychotherapist, and mindfulness teacher. Her books include Can't Stop Thinking and The Power of Off: The Mindful Way to Stay Sane in a Virtual World. Her newest book, The Emotionally Exhausted Woman: Why You’re Feeling Depleted and How to get What You Need will be released this fall. Nancy has been featured on Good Morning America, The New York Times and countless other media. She is also a regul...
2022-04-0531 min
Sylvia & MeSeeker of Lost Stories - Ruta SepetysRuta Sepetys hadn’t known the depths of 1989 Romania, the maniacal dynasty of dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu and the brave young Romanians who fought for their freedom. Being the daughter of a victim of communism, Ruta thought she knew about post-war communist systems and their history. On tour in Romania with her publisher promoting her first novel Between Shades of Gray Ruta had a rude awakening. Their translator was searching for listening devices. She was checking the ashtray on the outside table they were sitting at in case the ‘blue-eyed boys’ were listening. That’s when Ruta learned about the more than...
2022-03-2929 min
Sylvia & MeLauren Leader: Thought Leader, Activist, AuthorWomen’s rights, we sometimes forget the long journey that it has taken to get here. What we are presently faced with is a chipping away of what we consider our fundamental rights. Why is this happening and what can we do? For some answers I turned to Lauren Leader. Lauren is passionate and obsessed with ensuring that women get the voice they deserve.
Lauren is an activist, thought leader and co-founder and CEO of the nonprofit All In Together (AIT). AIT is one of the only national, nonpartisan organizations empowering and mobilizing women across the political spectrum to become ad...
2022-03-2235 min
Sylvia & MeFixed & The Art of PerceptionArt and problem solving, I can’t imagine what one has to do with the other. I never thought that looking at art could help solve a problem. That is, until I had a conversation with Amy Herman, a recovering attorney, author, and art historian, amongst other things.
Remember when ‘Where’s Waldo’ was a thing? Or looking for where caricaturist Al Hirschfield hid the name of his daughter, Nina in his drawings? We were looking to solve a problem in a way. Maybe we were waging a bet to see who could find Waldo and Nina. There were times when I kn...
2022-03-1527 min
Sylvia & MeInternational Women's Day 2022Today we're celebrating International Women's Day, March 8, 2022. With a number of themes running through today, I thought I would pick a few and spotlight some of the extraordinary women I have had the privilege to have on this podcast. A clip of conversation is included.
2022-03-0808 min
Sylvia & MeBirth, Born, Midwifery and Ahri GoldenAhri Golden asked me how I came upon her and why I wanted to have a conversation with her. My answer was simple…I had read one of her posts about motherhood and being a woman. Then I learned about her, and Birth and Born and Delve and Shades of Gray and Stillpoint and I listened to the beautiful melody and words of Smitten.
Lean into change, lean into life – it’s a powerful act. Realizing we’re not alone. Interweaving of conversation leads to a conversation that is so needed. And there’s not one right way.
2022-03-0135 min
Sylvia & MeDr. Jennifer Lincoln: OB/Gyn, Sex Ed & Busting Myths‘Misinformation goes viral much quicker than the good old-fashioned truth.’
The first thing that jumped out at me as needing clarification had to do with birth control. It was the weirdest thing that was going viral – the idea that melatonin (quote-unquote) ‘cancels out your birth control.’
And so, Dr. Jennifer Lincoln went viral – viral with facts. Jennifer is a board-certified OB GYN who uses social media to educate and bust myths. She’s the sex education educator who should be in every school. No shame, no judgment, Dr. Lincoln demystifies sex ed and breaks down stigmas. Her passion is helping girls, women a...
2022-02-2240 min
Sylvia & MeNever Forget - The HolocaustNever Forget - The Holocaust - it really happened. Ariana Neumann uncovered the secrets that her father held tight. She put together the pieces of a puzzle he left behind. Ariana is the author of the When Time Stopped, A Memoir of My Father’s War and What Remains, a New York Times Bestseller.
Ariana tells a family memoir, a love story and the unbelievable heroism that members of her family had taken. Her father had actually hidden ‘in plain site’ during the Holocaust to escape the Nazis. Among her discoveries are family members that she had not known anything about...
2022-02-0342 min
Sylvia & MeMia Dillon: Broadway Actress & ReinventorMia Dillon made her Broadway debut in Hugh Leonard’s Da in 1978 and never looked back. Her work has included Once Upon a Catholic, Crimes of the Heart (Tony Award nomination), Agnes of God, The Corn is Green and Our Town. There are of course her screen and television credits throughout her career.
I had the pleasure of an interesting and fun conversation with Broadway actress Mia Dillon. What drew me to her? The story of a 10-year-old with a flute, a passion, positive attitude, and drive. Put that all together, add some realism and you have a Tony nominated Br...
2022-01-1133 min
Sylvia & Me'Our Table' and Peter H. ReynoldsPeter H. Reynolds is my guest on this week’s episode of ‘Sylvia & Me.’ That’s right, a MAN! You see, Peter is a New York Times bestselling children’s book author and illustrator. I received an advance copy of his latest picture book ‘Our Table’. Within five minutes of reading it, I realized that this book needs to be read to children because the adult reading it needs to learn what it offers. And then I went back and read Peter’s other books, including his award winning ‘The Dot’.
2021-12-2135 min
Sylvia & MeDystopian Pandemic and Ally CondieDystopian and The Pandemic
What do they have in common? The word ‘dystopian’ comes to mind: ‘relating to or being an imagined world or society in which people lead fearful lives.
The difference: The last year and a half - real and full of fear. Matched was imagined. Ally's message to her audience, young and old: it's okay to not be okay.
Matched, a dystopian young adult novel has been read by a wider readership than the young adult population. The first in a series of three, it has been compared to ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Twilight’.
2021-12-0730 min
Sylvia & MeFamily, Food and CookingIt's that time again - coming up on Thanksgiving. Yes, we're on hiatus but as promised, you've asked and we're re-airing some of our extraordinary women. And right now who better than Ida Morris, CEO of the Morris Family Kitchen. She's MacGuyver and Mary Poppins rolled into one amazing lady.
An inspiration for bringing food and family together, Ida is the perfect episode for right now. We originally aired this episode over a year ago during the height of the pandemic.
Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy.
2021-11-2424 min
Sylvia & MeClimate Crisis and ChildrenA year ago we aired a conversation with Harriet Shugarman about the climate crisis and children. The COP26 climate conference has just taken place. What better time re-air this episode? Known as 'ClimateMama' Harriet spoke about children and the crisis.
2021-11-1631 min
Sylvia & MeAbortion & The Turnaway StudyAbortion and a women's right to choose. Harmful legal decisions in Texas have brought a women's right to choose front and center. What will the Supreme Court decide? Can we save Roe vs Wade?
Dr. Diana Greene Foster, PhD headed the Turnaway Study, a ten year study. She is the author of Turnaway Study: Ten Years, a Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having - or Being Denied - an Abortion.
2021-11-1629 minSylvia & MeClimate Crisis and ChildrenA year ago we aired a conversation with Harriet Shugarman about the climate crisis and children. The COP26 climate conference has just taken place. What better time re-air this episode? Known as 'ClimateMama' Harriet spoke about the crisis and how to talk to children about it.
2021-11-1631 minSylvia & MeAbortion & The Turnaway StudyAbortion and a women's right to choose. Harmful legal decisions in Texas have brought a women's right to choose front and center. What will the Supreme Court decide? Can we save Roe vs Wade?
I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Greene Foster last year. Our conversation is even more relevant today.
2021-11-0929 min
Sylvia & MeWhat I've LearnedThis week I’m Sylvia and I’m ‘Me’. Two years ago I spoke to an extraordinary woman. Since then, I’ve spoken to over 100 women. 100 ordinary women doing extraordinary things. I didn’t set out with a specific goal in mind. But it turned out that as smart as I may have thought I am, I learned something new and different from each of these women.
2021-10-2638 min
Sylvia & MeLiz Sara: Women Entrepreneurship and the PandemicWomen entrepreneurs and business owners, and the pandemic. For insight, we turned to an expert in the field, Elizabeth (Liz) Sara. Liz currently serves as the Chairperson of the National Women’s Business Council, having been nominated for the position by President Trump in 2018.
The Council is a non-partisan federal advisory committee serving as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, the U.S. Congress and to the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration on issues of importance to women business owners and entrepreneurs.
2021-10-1937 min
Sylvia & MeTherese Plummer: Strong, Inspiring & DeterminedThis week is all about a strong, inspiring woman. A horrid, nearly fatal car crash isn't keeping her down. I'm talking about Therese Plummer, a storyteller, performer of audiobooks and a woman who is an inspiration. In honor of Therese and wishing her a speedy recovery, here's our conversation from this past January.
A very candid conversation with an amazing actor, storyteller and all around extraordinary woman. Therese has helped many of us to be able to escape, even for just a little while during these wild times. Amazing, but it was her mother who pushed her into this field.
2021-10-1233 min
Sylvia & MeJennifer Jelliff-Russell: Pandemic & Female Veterans WorkforceToday's guest is Jennifer Jelliff-Russell. Jennifer calls herself a military brat and spouse. An advocate for female veterans, Jennifer’s mission in life is helping them re-enter the workforce and civilian life. She realized this after working at Fort Campbell’s Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Program (TAP).
And Jennifer didn’t stop there. She also took a position as an Employment Coach at Wounded Warrior Project. There she had the opportunity to work with both veterans and their caregivers.
2021-10-0532 min
Sylvia & MeChandra Sanders: 'The Mom Project’, Pandemic & Working MomsWorking moms have been hit hard during the pandemic and the resulting financial crisis. Some of the hardest hit have been moms of color. Chandra Sanders, a single mom of three lost her job during the pandemic. Turning to 'The Mom Project' as a resource to help her, she found more than just a job.
'The Mom Project’s' mission is to connect moms with world-class companies. And so as they say... ‘timing is everything’ and for Chandra the timing was perfect. 'The Mom Project' was hiring, Chandra applied and was hired. The result – Chandra is Director of their new program...
2021-09-2829 min
Sylvia & MeDr. Alisa Stephens-Shields: Women in the Sciences and the PandemicDr. Alisa Stephens-Shields is an Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a mom of an infant and a 5-year-old. The field of science has always been a struggle for female scientists to break into. On top f that, add being a mom to the mix and that struggle becomes a whole lot more challenging. A female scientist, mom and a woman of color and you’re looking at a very rocky path. And that was before the pandemic.
Alisa’s job is demanding. It is technical and detail oriented. It involves long uninterrupted hours of th...
2021-09-2134 min
Sylvia & MeTanya Selvaratnam: Writer, Artist, Activist, 'Assume Nothing'‘Intimate Violence’ is a term that is not well known. Tanya Selvaratnam is changing that in a big way. Her recently published memoir ‘Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence’ is her story. A story of a committed relationship and the 'intimate violence' she endured.
Meet the woman who helped bring down former NYC Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman. Tanya met Schneiderman at the Democratic National Convention. It started off as a fairytale romance that quickly turned into a nightmare.
2021-09-1429 min
Sylvia & MePoet Maggie SmithA perfect way to start the fall season - Let's revisit and in case you missed it.
Maggie Smith is the award-winning poet and author of Good Bones. This week saw the release of her latest collection of poems, Goldenrod. Maggie is the author of the national bestseller Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change. In addition, Maggie is the author of The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison, and Lamp of the Body, Maggie’s poems and essays are widely published and anthologized. They've appeared in Best American Poetry, the New York Times, The New Yorker, The Paris Review...
2021-09-0710 min
Sylvia & MeAuthor Sharon G. FlakeSummer Break - Let's revisit and in case you missed it.
Sharon G. Flake is a multi-award winning young adult and children’s author. She is a three-time winner of the Coretta Scott King award. Her latest book, The Life I’m In follows her groundbreaking debut novel The Skin I’m In. The impact of her debut novel more than 20 years ago, is felt today. Sharon’s books withstand the test of time. It was a given that a sequel was needed, even if it took her 20 years to be convinced of it.
2021-08-3109 min
Sylvia & MeFaith Ed & Linda K. WertheimerSummer Break - Let's revisit and in case you missed it
Linda K. Wertheimer is an award-winning education journalist, essayist and author. Specifically, she is an educator teaching about religion...Faith Ed.. Not preaching, but teaching. And Linda makes sure that we understand the difference between preaching and teaching. Public schools are allowed to teach about religion. Teaching about different religions goes side by side with teaching about different cultures.
‘God was not kicked out of the schools. What was kicked out of the school was illegal preaching. Teachers have always been able to teach about religion, as a part of...
2021-08-2409 min
Sylvia & Me'The Babysitter' Liza Rodman & Jennifer JordanSummer Break - Let's revisit and in case you missed it
A summer story to end all all summer stories
My Babysitter, My Summers With a Serial Killer is a chilling true story, part memoir and part crime investigation. Based on Liza's summers as a child on the Cape, you won't be able to put it down. It was the 60’s. Her babysitter was a kind, handsome handyman who took Liza and her sister on adventures. Adventures which included visits to his ‘secret garden.’ A secret garden which turned out to be where some of his victims were buried. And a babysi...
2021-08-1709 min
Sylvia & MeJustice & Childhood Sexual AbuseSummer Break - Let's revisit and in case you missed it
Life with My Idiot Family: A True Story of Survival, Courage & Justice over Childhood Sexual Abuse, Kathy Picard's story. 10 years of abuse by her stepfather.
The Abuse and Staying Silent
The abuse started when Kathy was 7 and lasted for 10 years. The grooming for the abuse took place at around the age of 5. Her abuser and rapist was her step-father, a person who she had been raised to believe was her father. He told her real bad things would happen if she told. At the age of 9 she told her...
2021-08-1010 min
Sylvia & MePeriod. End of Sentence.Summer break - Let's revisit in case you missed it
‘A period should end a sentence, not a girl’s education.’
Accepting the 2019 Academy Award for producing the documentary Period. End of Sentence, Melissa Berton, founder of The Pad Project spoke those words. And so it was no leap to turn to New York Times bestselling author of The Red Tent and award winning journalist, Anita Diamant. With the foreword by Melissa, PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE. The Next Chapter in the Fight for Menstrual Justice, Anita explores menstrual issues and period poverty around the globe.
2021-08-0310 min