The editorial team has a special attachment to our new series, The Trailblazers: Rewriting the Narrative, because so many of us feel that media portrayals of women have been too one dimensional. Today, women are doing incredible things in all fields – from science and technology to finance, law, business, athletics and more. With the Trailblazers series, we hope to highlight and celebrate female role models, encourage more equal and just representation in the media, and help foster a more tight-knit community locally helping women find mentors, business partners, friends and more.
Lindsey Petersen
While most teenagers spent their summers at the pool and riding bikes around the neighborhood, I was sanding and staining my parents’ kitchen cabinets, re-doing my friend’s bedrooms, steaming 80s wallpaper off the dining room walls, drawing and painting. I always knew I wanted to pursue a creative career, but one based on human connection, helping others, and positively impacting society. Because this goal could be achieved through multiple outlets, I found myself overwhelmed when it came to determining a field to study. I seriously explored non-profit work, environmentalism, and school counseling. Read more>>
Dorey Kronick
After years of struggling to find a stable, meaningful, inspiring creative job with cool people, (that also paid well), I realized my dream job didn’t exist. From ages 13 to 28, I went through many different forms of employment, bosses, and industries that all left me feeling depleted, stressed, underpaid, and unfulfilled. In January 2015, I finally decided that it was up to me to create my own dream job and become my own boss doing Graphic Design, Photography, and Mixed Media Art. The leap from a full-time salary job with benefits to self-employment (with minimal experience running a business) was terrifying at the time, but I ultimately felt like I didn’t have any other choice. Read more>>
Anastasia Zielinski
After being reliant on other businesses to teach out of, I was looking for control of the process, from scheduling, pricing, to supplies. My aim was to design a conducive environment that encouraged creativity. Originally, I was just looking for a studio space big enough to teach out of, but after a year plus of running classes and workshops around town I realized people needed more flexibility and something outside of the traditional art workshop model. Not everyone learns the same or has room in their schedules for conventional classes. Giving people open access to materials, information, and a space to make a mess in, encourages them to explore their creativity without hesitation. FREAK’N ART is a place where we create community through art. The studio offers a combination of classes, workshops, and DIY open studio time. Read more>>
Liz Vice
When I was a teenager, I experienced health issues that really changed the way that I see “life”. I received a kidney transplant at the age of 22. This is what I call my “bonus life”. And with this extra time I have on this earth, I have wasted a lot of it with fear and anxiety. When I decide to do something; ie: travel, take a foreign language course, write a new record, I have to sit with myself and make sure that fear is not overpowering my ability to think of more positive outcomes. “Passion over fear” is a phrase that has been engrained in me since my teens years. Read more>>
Samantha Marut and Kelly Tracy-Holly, CE, CAE, CMLT
We saw a HUGE need! The market for a truly clean AND non-toxic, cost-effective line of skincare products is extremely limited. Seeking fertility treatment in 2016, Samantha was told by her doctor about all the ingredients that she needed to stay away from. She found herself analyzing and scrutinizing everything she was applying to her body daily. She was totally overwhelmed. Through her LOVE of all thing’s makeup, skincare, body care and haircare she discovered that so much of what she was putting on her body daily had a huge cumulative toxic load and that not only scared her but disgusted her at the same time because these ingredients are so easily available and common. Samantha thought, there must be a better way. There has to be better products made available for everyone that aren’t outrageously expensive, that are non-toxic, clean and produce results…Together with Kelly, who also happens to be an Advanced Aesthetician, Results by Nature was born. Read more>>
Ashonti Turner
My goal in creating my business was to celebrate the unique beauty in all people and build an empowering community that lifts up marginalized individuals. I strive to make services accessible, comfortable, and safe while upholding my core values of inclusivity and diversity. This meant prioritizing the representation and celebrating BIPOC women and LGBTQ+ people in my work. Maintaining these values has been crucial to building an authentic brand that resonates with my diverse client base! Read more>>
Tiffany Grimes
I’ve wanted to be a writer since elementary school, but over and over I was told, “That will be a good hobby, but you’ll need a real job.” So I did. I fought taking my writing seriously because I was told consistently that I wouldn’t make it. Read more>>
