Sometimes it seemed as if Sharon Malheiro was everyone’s mom. “When she died, it felt like, ‘Well, Mom is gone, and we’re not ready to be Mom yet,’” said Des Moines attorney Breanna Young. This is Iowa’s first Pride month without Malheiro, a longtime attorney and activist who was instrumental Read more…
Annual Fearless survey: Awareness of gender equity issues is improving post-pandemic, now action needs to happen By Emily Kestel There may never be a definitive answer to what gender equity truly looks like in practice. Countless factors are at play when discussing women’s equality: equal pay, representation in leadership positions Read more…
10 stories of leadership, perseverance and authenticity Interviews by Emily Kestel, Fearless editor | Portraits by Jami Milne, Ballet Des Moines creative director What is it we see when we look at each other? When we really look at the woman to our left or to our right? Society teaches Read more…
As told to Emily Kestel and Jami Milne. Portrait by Jami Milne. What characteristics do you admire in other women? Women who speak truth to power, who show up unapologetically. How do we support the next generation in finding a path to success and fulfillment? By not creating unrealistic expectations. Read more…
As told to Emily Kestel and Jami Milne. Portrait by Jami Milne. What strengths do women bring to the table? Their resiliency. We endure so much as women and we have to show up and get the job done with a smile on our face. What characteristics do you admire Read more…
As told to Emily Kestel and Jami Milne. Portrait by Jami Milne. What characteristics do you admire in other women? I admire women who curse, who are willing to drop the F word. And women who show up authentically. I think the words “too much” are labeled to women when Read more…
As told to Emily Kestel and Jami Milne. Portrait by Jami Milne. What characteristics do you admire in other women? I think women are really good about being honest with each other, and especially good friends, where they can tell you anything, and sometimes it’s hard to hear, but they’re Read more…
As told to Emily Kestel and Jami Milne. Portrait by Jami Milne. Who is the woman that you most admire? Harriet Tubman. She is a woman who lived love. It was love that drove her to go back to risk her life to keep moving forward. It was love that Read more…
As told to Emily Kestel and Jami Milne. Portrait by Jami Milne. What characteristics do you admire in other women? Authenticity. Who is the woman that you most admire? My amazing three grandmothers, Dorcas Boit, Rael Boit and Anna Cheboina. They were educated. One of them actually went to Spelman Read more…
As told to Emily Kestel and Jami Milne. Portrait by Jami Milne. Who is the woman that you most admire? Probably my grandma Martha. She came from Slovakia, and she was the youngest of 10. She was the best. She was very crafty. She was an educator at a time Read more…