Welcome to the Speaking of Phenomenal Podcast - Episode 002 On today’s Episode meet Suzanne- Suzanne B. O’Brien RN is a Holistic Wellness Nurse, International Speaker, and bestselling author, She is the proud Founder and Creator of The International Doulagivers Institute based in New York City. She created the award-winning Doulagivers trainings in 2008 and has traveled the world educating and helping build training programs to help support communities globally. In 2015 Suzanne was Awarded "Worldwide Leader In Healthcare” by the International Nurses Association for creating Doulagivers International. Named Oprah Magazine Humanitarian Brand Ambassador in 2019. Today Suzanne has combined her years of training, education and experience to create The Doulagivers Institute for Higher Learning Featuring the Doulagivers Life Café and Global Educational Summits and programs to help raise the individual and collective consciousness to help create a better world for everyone everywhere. -------------------------------- OFFER: -------------------------------- Free tickets to Death Doula Global Summit November 16th-22nd 2020 Description: On November 16th-22nd, Suzanne will be hosting the first ever Global Death Doula Summit. With over 24 speakers from 9 countries, the summit will be interviewing and hearing from some of the most passionate visionaries that have been instrumental in propelling this movement into the worldwide phenomenon we are seeing today. https://www.doulagiversinstitutefhl.com/death-doula-summit/ Free Level 1 Family Caregiver End of Life Doula Training November 12th @7pm ET Description: The Doulagivers Level 1 family caregiver Training will teach you how to care for an end of life loved one through the time of a terminal diagnosis all the way till the time of death. End of life is an inevitable part of our lives journey. This will be a FREE 90 Minute Webinar taught by Suzanne B. O'Brien RN. Live questions will be answered during each class from participants. We can help those at the end of life have the best experience possible. Learn the skill, change the world. REGISTER: https://doulagivers.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- Be sure to subscribe now as well as follow along @Speakingofphenomenal on Instagram and www.52phenomenalwomen.com. See you soon! Support the show --------------------------------------------------------------------- INTRO/OUTRO MUSIC (used with permission) WOMAN Performed by Tiffany Villarreal Instagram Written by Greg Buddy Bangs Reed Jr, Michael Big Mike Hart Jr, Taura Stinson, Tiffany Villarreal ------------------------------------------------------- HoneyBook Save 50% off your 1st year with HoneyBook Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amyboylephoto)

Welcome to the Speaking of Phenomenal Podcast - Episode number 1 On today’s Episode meet Tiffany Villarreal  - San Antonio native and notable singer/songwriter Tiffany Villarreal has never been a stranger to the boundless world of music. Growing up being surrounded by the arts, she strived to find her own voice and use her gift to inspire others to be their true, authentic selves. Having years of experience as an exceptional creative, she has mastered the ability to produce music that is both precisely calculated, and tailored to apply to the lives of all those who listen. To nurture her artistry, Villarreal set out to craft a body of work that encompasses all she holds dear to her heart. She was adamant about using her platform to promote vulnerability and spread a positive message. In her debut EP “Wildflower,” listeners witness the graceful composure of Villarreal’s free spirit through melodic, ambient rhythm and harmony firsthand. Through the unique conjuncture of R&B and Latin genres, she creates a style that is singularly her own and captivates the minds and spirits of her listeners. She carefully formulated a new era of music whose goal is to motivate others into cultivating their own individuality from within themselves. Elements of self-love, friendship, and unconditional-love present themselves and resonate throughout the project. The overall premise of adhering to the “reflection of a woman’s heart” comes into full effect by way of the feminine and the precise, delicate balance of each song’s production and lyricism. Music has always been a primary source of inner-peace for Villarreal and her EP “Wildflower,” aspires to be a safe-space for listeners to, in-turn, find their own inner-peace. To streamline with her message through music, Tiffany is releasing her first inspirational non-fiction book on personal growth, early 2021. Instagram YouTube Lyrics to Woman Tiffany Villarreal --------------------------------------------------------------------- Be sure to subscribe now as well as follow along @Speakingofphenomenal on Instagram and www.52phenomenalwomen.com. See you soon! --------------------------------------------------------------------- INTRO/OUTRO MUSIC (used with permission) WOMAN Performed by Tiffany Villarreal Orgain Save 30% your 1st order Use code AMYBOYLEPHOTO at checkout (Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Podcast artwork by Caffeination Design Support the show

Support the Phenomenal Women Project - The #52PWP Store is NOW OPEN!

Guest on The JAM Show What full segment of video below -

Complete Show Notes here: Think about your own story. What is phenomenal about you? What is the special gift you bring the world? If you’re having trouble accessing that, you are not alone! As women, we often struggle with recognizing our own talents and impact on the world. On today’s episode I talk with the inspiring Amy Boyle, professional photographer and creator of the 52 Phenomenal Women Project. She takes us through her journey as an internationally published photographer and her passion project giving women the opportunity to tell their stories and empower others through the process. We dive into: [9:10] How Covid has affected Amy’s business and how she pivoted to adapt. [12:20] The inspiration she pulled from Maya Angelou to create her project.  [14:00] How she chooses the phenomenal women for her project.  [18:10] The importance of the self-nomination process and the power of stepping into and owning your own spotlight.  [21:35] Recognizing the impact of shared stories and the powerful exercise her project has become for the women involved.  [24:25] How I learned something new about a shared friend through Amy’s project.  [29:50] The similarities that were found across different women and the one special way we all differ. [31:30] How a participant in the project made a pivot after being Michelle Obama’s personal photographer. [34:00] A shared weakness that women perceive about themselves (that is just NOT true!) [35:35] Two statements you can use EVERYDAY to empower yourself. [41:35] A special way Amy uses music in her life and why it’s a superpower! [43:30] 2 important things that tie together in her work and why you need both to tell powerful stories.  [45:15] An inspiring story of advocacy from one of Amy’s participants and how important it is to release limiting beliefs.  [48:55] Amy’s beautiful advice for all women so they can live empowered lives.

On Today’s show, Amy discusses her upbringing in an artistic and supportive household, the 52 Phenomenal Women Project and how it started, her 104 photoshoots with diverse and inspirational women, how having a community can change your life and her life-changing trip to the Amazon. Tune in and learn more about Amy’s incredible story. SHOW NOTES HERE

Podcast: HERE Blog: HERE ABOUT THIS EPISODE In todays episode, we got to interview Amy Boyle Founder of #52phenomenalwomen www.52phenomenalwomen.com  Amy Boyle’s keen artistic vision coupled with her genuine and warm personality allow her to photograph subjects in a way that truly captures their natural essence that is authentic to each of their personal stories. Her inspired photos and ability to easily connect with people of all ages bring a unique depth and beauty that rises from print to tell a tale. A photographer for more than 20 years, Amy graduated from Northwestern University where she received a dual degree in art history and marketing. Her body of work includes portrait, theater, PR, special events, as well as fine art photography. Founder of the 52 Phenomenal Women Project #52PWP #52Phenomenalwomen - Brand Ambassador with O, the Oprah Magazine since 2017 #omaginsiders Social Media: @amyboylephoto Email: amy@amyboylephoto.com Website: www.amyboylephotography.com

Meet Lady: In her own words - "Growing up I always wanted a mentor like some of the other kids had. I never thought that I would even BE a mentor. When I was in the City Year program I fell in love with mentoring and the kids. Working with the kids just came naturally to me. I began to build great bonds with my students. When I realized that I was pretty good at this I knew I wanted to continue this work, but not in a classroom setting. I found My Block My Hood My City and I loved what they stood for. This organization was presented to me by my team leader at the time. She felt I was the best candidate for the job because of the great impact I had on my City Year students. My Block My Hood My City has a program called “Explorers” in high schools that are located in divested communities. We work with freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Each school gets to go on one exploration per month. These explorations are meant to encourage students to think outside the box and understand that there are many things out there. It’s also an opportunity to visit and see other communities and all Chicago has to offer. I am the Program Coordinator for the Explorers Program. That’s just my title but I consider myself the Mentor for the program.  Being able to step into someone's life willingly and when they become receptive of that, has to be the best feeling ever. My kids are my world. They help better me everyday.  I love being able to be someone in their lives that they can count on, and they know I’m coming! I do this because I love being able to be there for someone. I work with 120 kids and what I do for one I will certainly do for all. They’re the reason I get up everyday. They gave me a purpose I didn’t even know I had. Being in my position the number one thing I have to be is understanding and willing to listen and not just hear them. I make sure they know they have a voice and that it can be heard. I try to be adaptive in every moment with my kids so I can become exactly what/who they need in every moment. They say once you find your purpose on earth you found the key to life. Well, I got the keys 💪🏾!" *** Please follow along on instagram as well and learn more about Lady. 52 Phenomenal Women has now completed its second year! This is week 52 of 52.2. Participants in this project will be supporting the efforts of Dress for Success Worldwide – Central. We are all stronger together and it is my sincere hope that we will be inspired by each other’s stories. Now is the time to celebrate as well as encourage one another. Tell your story!

Thank you, Belinda for spotlighting the 52 Phenomenal Women Project on your show September 6, 2020. Be sure to check it out... EPISODE 25 We are so excited to welcome our Brunchers to Season Two. Let’s do EVEN MORE good during our second season and support our friends in food, wine, restaurants, small business and OURSELVES in mind, body and spirit. As always, REGISTER HERE to join us (care) free - with or without pants on, with or without video and whether you want to drink, cook and move with this week’s featured guests OR NOT. We are always just happy to connect with you. In Episode 25, we explore TARTS: a few of my favorite tarts and few excellent TARTS doing good. ☀︎ SWIZZLE ALONG with Garret Richard "the torchbearer of the next generation of tikiphiles" according to Punch Drink. Get your swizzle stick ready! HERE are two of his recipes that we will be making together! ☀︎ SWEET and SAVORY TART ALONG with Stephanie Lock, founder of Ready to Roll Dough and global tart expert. You can buy FARM to PIE KITS from Mick Klug if you live in the Chicago area or Michigan OR prepare Melissa Clark’s RECIPE and we will roll out our sweet and savory tarts together with Stephanie! Click her image below for a treasure trove of recipes on her website. I’m doing a savory tomato tart, but if you wanna do a sweet fruit tart, you do you, boo. ☀︎ PHENOMENAL WOMEN ALONG with photographer, Amy Boyle, and learn about three of the women that she has profiled for her new book! HERE is her website and HERE is how to support her amazing work. ☀︎ and of course, we continue to connect, comfort, laugh and bring the Sunday Brunch cheer SAFELY and TOGETHER!

By Ariel Parrella-Aureli @ArielParrella An encyclopedia of women’s empowerment Local photographer Amy Boyle's new project, 52 Phenomenal Women, elevates the voices of women and reminds us there’s power in sharing our stories. On a recent hot Friday afternoon, I went with photographer Amy Boyle to visit 80-year-old Sue Smith in Lincoln Park, to hear her joyous words of wisdom I’d only read about. She greeted us in a summery orange shirt and matching handkerchief with shining jewelry, but an even brighter smile. Smith recently lost her husband to coronavirus and moved to Chicago from Indiana to be with her son and family. But despite the loss, which she called a life-changing event, Smith is not letting her happiness be spoiled and wants others reading her story to follow her lead. “Find joy in life through this pandemic,” Smith told me. “There is joy every day—in a leaf falling, a flower blooming, that is my philosophy.” Smith is one of 52 women featured in Boyle’s two-year photo project called 52 Phenomenal Women, which started September 2018 and will conclude September 9, 2020. For more than 100 consecutive weeks, Boyle has highlighted extraordinary and inspiring women for her photo project, showcasing the beauty in our stories, turning struggles into words of advice and lessons learned. It’s a reminder that we each have a story to share and that there is power in displaying vulnerability—that we aren’t as alone as the world can sometimes make us feel, especially the isolation brought on by this pandemic. Boyle, an internationally published photographer, wanted to start the project to create a dialogue of inclusion, support, and recognition by celebrating the phenomenal qualities within each woman. As the project wraps up, the Chicago native looks back on the inspiring community she’s created. She’s also looking forward: she plans to create a book out of the project. It's scheduled to be released on International Women’s Day in March 2021. And she’s working on a podcast to debut in October to keep the conversation going. Tentatively called Speaking Of Phenomenal, it will be a combination of new and old interviews with women bettering their communities. “The community that the project has built, whether in person [or on Facebook],a lot of these women have gotten to know each other.[It] has been wildly rewarding,” Boyle says. As luck would have it, Boyle says our new normal hasn’t stopped the project’s routine. Thanks to the large but tight-knit group of women, she never lost a week, even though photo shoots shuffled around like Tetris. That taught her to let go of her regimented plan—a thing so many of us cling to in an effort to complete a project—and pivot to the present moment. “I am a planner, but I had to surrender a lot more than I thought but for the best outcome I could have ever hoped for,” she says. “We put ourselves in such rigid [boxes]—‘I have to do this by this time’, whether it’s in your 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50s. But as long as it’s guided by your heart and where you would like to go, heck, the road keeps changing and that’s OK, that makes the ride interesting.” Smith did exactly that and followed a new path to Chicago to start fresh after 57 years of marriage and a plentiful life in Fishers, Indiana. She says she was honored to be part of the project and share her story with the world, and the community of women has been a blessing as she adjusts to a new city. “It was such joy for me to find friends,” she says. “I am not from here and I came here [two days] after I lost my husband.” Nika Clark, who grew up in North Lawndale but now lives in Bricktown, shared her story of traveling to Ghana to connect with her heritage and culture after finding out she had Ghanian ancestry. What started as a 40th birthday trip turned into a deeply emotional and rewarding experience that Clark was happy to share with the world through Boyle’s project. She was able to make the trip in early February, before coronavirus took hold, and says the lessons learned from the trip will stick with her forever, just like the connection to the land that she felt. She says the trip was like a coming home journey, especially visiting the Cape Coast, which was the final passage where enslaved African were taken through and put on the ships. “I hope I did return to one of my ancestors who has been watching over me; I hope there was some relief because I know I felt it,” she says. “It was a powerful release of emotion that I didn’t know I had within me.” Tanya Turner, who lives in Oak Park and is an admirer of Boyle’s work, found power in sharing her story of growing up in an abusive, low-income household and how she persevered through the odds. She became the first person in her family to graduate college and paid off her student loans in just three years. She entered a lucrative career in computer science and started her own travel blog. Her motto: the glass is refillable. “My goal was to let people know you are not alone,” Turner says of participating in Boyle’s project. “It’s been encouraging to see that women have a voice and that it’s captured and expressed with others. It’s positive and in the world today, we certainly need that.” Original Article in the Chicago Reader September 3, 2020

Meet Kelly: In her own words - "It is 2015, I’m pregnant with my daughter, trying to navigate my next career move and pondering the age-old interview question: “Where do you see yourself five years from now?”. I don’t know that I ever settled on an answer but I do know that it wasn’t: having just moved back to the East Coast after spending four years in Chicago with my husband playing the title role in Hamilton: An American Musical, trying to figure out what this next iteration of my life will look like after I abandoned my career to care for my medically complex daughter who passed away five days shy of her fourth birthday - and there’s currently a global pandemic. Yeah, that wasn’t what I envisioned. But it’s what happened. There is not a day, an hour, a moment that passes that I don’t wish my baby girl, Adelaide, was still with us. I hate how she suffered, from epileptic seizures, mast-cell attacks, respiratory issues, frequent hospitalizations, and pharmaceutical side effects. I try to find some solace in knowing that she is finally at peace. The last four years of my life were dedicated to hunting out the best care and most promising treatments for Adelaide. To this day we still don’t know the root cause of her epilepsy and numerous other complications. Unfortunately, this is the case for a majority of individuals living with uncontrolled epilepsy. Without a true diagnosis we were left treating her symptoms and became very talented at the medically complex dance: one step forward, two steps back, two steps forward, one step back. The last year of her life we had stopped making any steps forward and refocused on keeping her comfortable. We were always on alert for seizures, her breathing to grow faint, her color to change. We spent about one week every month in the hospital. I knew this wasn’t “typical” but it had become our normal. The schedule, the people, the community - it was bizarrely routine for us as it is for too many families. Then, with one last breath, everything changed. Our society has long used careers and financial earnings to qualify our perceived value. Leaving my bread-winning position in our family to be a stay-at-home mother/nurse/pharmacist/therapist left me depressed and resentful of my husband’s thriving career. Clearly I love my children, and I never would have let anyone else manage my daughter’s care, but having to face the question, “what do you do?” whenever we met someone new, sent me spiraling. It was time to re-negotiate my own self-value with the world. Through therapy I was able to find my own purpose and fulfillment in this life that I didn’t choose. I connected with Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE) and joined their board, I started my blog “Inchstones”, and currently host CURE’s podcast, “Seizing Life”. So, no, there is no way I could have envisioned that this is where I would be five years later. And, no, I’m not going to say that I wouldn’t change a thing. But I am proud of who I am and what I accomplished alongside Adelaide. Today, when someone asks what I do I say that I am a writer and special needs advocate with pride. Remaining ingrained in this community brings me incredible comfort and fighting for those still on the medically complex journey gives me purpose and hope. I cannot allow Adelaide’s struggles to have been in vain. So, I will squeeze all the lemonade I can from these lemons. You can also be sure that I will never be making a five year plan again." *** Please follow along on instagram as well and learn more about Kelly. 52 Phenomenal Women is now in its second year! This is week 51 of 52.2. Participants in this project will be supporting the efforts of Dress for Success Worldwide – Central. We are all stronger together and it is my sincere hope that we will be inspired by each other’s stories. Now is the time to celebrate as well as encourage one another. Tell your story!

Meet Erika: In her own words - "Diagnosis: Stage IV lung cancer. I was a 42 year old mom, former airline pilot, with a 9 year old daughter and a 7 year old son. I was physically in the best shape of my life and a non-smoker with no risk factors. The diagnosis was devastating. After the shock had worn off, I needed to figure out how I was going to approach my future as a survivor. One of the best things that I read shortly after my diagnosis was, “Don’t waste your cancer.” It became my goal to make every day count. When you have a terminal disease you realize that time is everything. I dedicated myself to living my best life. Doing the things that I may have put off before my diagnosis. Live your life. Live it the BEST way you can! Say YES more often. Go outside of your comfort zone. Take the trip. Learn the dance. Eat the donut. Love hard. Like most people, when I was diagnosed I thought that only smokers got lung cancer. It turns out that you only need lungs to get lung cancer. It is the #1 cancer killer of both men and woman, but because of the stigma around smoking, lung cancer gets significantly less federal research funding than other cancers. The medications that were extending my life were created through research and I saw a way to turn my frustration into action as an advocate helping to raise these funds to find the next treatment. On a girl’s weekend, my friends surprised me with Best Life t-shirts in honor of my mantra. That shirt became my inspiration for my own BEST LIFE team shirt for an event. We were so happy with the design, that we decided to sell them as a fundraiser. The response was very positive so we have turned this idea of living your best life into its own nonprofit, called yEAHbestlife, the EAH in yEAH, being my own initials. The nonprofit is dedicated to raising funds for lung cancer research and raising lung cancer awareness, while encouraging everyone, both survivors and others, to live their Best Life. Taking ownership of my fundraising has been very powerful for me. It gives me hope and strength, it lets me guide where the resources are spent, and it allows me to guarantee that I will leave a legacy of giving to improve the outcome of patients living with lung cancer. I’m proud to leave this legacy for my family, who can carry on this important work of funding research toward finding a cure for lung cancer. These are the cards I was dealt. Focusing on what I can control allows me to be able to breath through the rest. Even through the darkness there is positivity, laughter, meaningful memories, and always hope…" *** Please follow along on instagram as well and learn more about Erika. 52 Phenomenal Women is now in its second year! This is week 50 of 52.2. Participants in this project will be supporting the efforts of Dress for Success Worldwide – Central. We are all stronger together and it is my sincere hope that we will be inspired by each other’s stories. Now is the time to celebrate as well as encourage one another. Tell your story!