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20th Anniversary Family Reflections Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski reminds us of what it means to have a sense of belonging and the importance of reclaiming our African identity.
In conversation with Christine Pride and Jo Piazza about their new book, We Are Not Like Them Christine Pride is a writer, editor, and longtime publishing veteran. She’s held editorial posts at many different trade imprints, including Doubleday, Broadway, Crown, Hyperion, and Simon & Schuster. As an editor, Christine has published a range of books, with a special emphasis on inspirational stories and memoirs, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. As a freelance editorial consultant, she does select editing and proposal/content development, as well as teaching and coaching, and pens a regular column—“Race Matters”—for Cup of Jo. She lives in New York City. Jo Piazza is a bestselling author, podcast creator and award-winning journalist. Jo is the national and international bestselling author of many critically acclaimed novels and nonfiction books including Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, The Knockoff and How to Be Married. Her work has been published in ten languages in twelve countries and four of her books have been optioned for film and television. A former editor, columnist and travel writer with Yahoo, Current TV and the New York Daily News, her work has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, New York magazine, Glamour, Elle, Time, Marie Claire, the Daily Beast, and Slate. She holds an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s in journalism from Columbia University, and a master’s in religious studies from New York University. She lives in Philly with her husband, Nick Aster and two young children. Her new novel, We Are Not Like Them will be released on Oct. 5.
In Conversation with Kristin van Ogtrop Kristin van Ogtrop is the author of Just Let Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms for the Half-Insane Working Mom and the former longtime editor in chief of Real Simple and “The Amateur” columnist for Time. Her writing has appeared in countless publications and in the New York Times bestselling collection The Bitch in the House. She is a wife and mother of three, but sometimes loves her dogs more than anybody else. DID I SAY THAT OUT LOUD? is a funny, optimistic guide to weathering the midlife storm and accepting the challenges of aging with grace—and appreciating all the unexpected good things still to come. Van Ogtrop will remind you that you have permission to laugh when things go wrong.
In Conversation with Samantha Hart Samantha Hart's career has spanned music, film, and advertising, earning her a reputation as an award-winning Creative Director. Early in her career, Hart worked with top artists at Geffen, including Cher, Aerosmith, Nirvana, and Guns' N Roses, to name a few. Segueing to the role as Creative Director in the film industry, her creative marketing campaigns brought prominence and Academy Awards to films such as "Fargo," "Dead Man Walking," and "Boys Don't Cry," while earning cult status for independent features, "Four Weddings and A Funeral," "Priscilla Queen of the Desert," and "Dazed and Confused," which is enjoying a resurgence in popularity from the book, “Alright, Alright, Alright,” which details Hart's campaign for the Richard Linklater film that is synonymous with the indie due to its iconic ‘stoned happy face’ and irreverent copy. Hart built a multi-million dollar company with her partner in the advertising industry, Foundation, with over forty employees and offices in Chicago and Los Angeles, which earned distinction as an early disrupter of the traditional production and post-production models by combining the two under one roof. Hart owns and operates a creative advertising boutique, Wild Bill, where she continues to produce branded content and advertising materials with her partner, director/editor, James Lipetzky. Hart says, "I've been in indie records, indie film, and indie advertising. Now, I love this indie book world." In the works are an untitled novel and a coffee table book, “The Artist's Muse,” which is a collection of drawings, prose and short stories.
In Conversation with Kasia Urbaniak Kasia Urbaniak is the founder and CEO of The Academy, a school that teaches women the foundations of power and influence. Kasia's perspective on power is unique. Over the course of nearly 20 years, she has worked as professional Dominatrix, practiced Taoist alchemy in one of the oldest female-led monasteries in China and obtained dozens of certifications in different disciplines, including Medical Qi Gong and Systemic Constellations. Since founding The Academy in 2013, Kasia has taught over 4,000 women practical tools to step into leadership positions in their relationships, families, workplaces, and wider communities. She has spoken at corporations and conferences worldwide.
In Conversation with producer and writer Tanya Selvaratnam. Tanya's New Book: A sensitive and nuanced memoir written with the gripping power of a dark psychological thriller, ASSUME NOTHING (Harper/February 23, 2021) details how Tanya Selvaratnam’s relationship with former NY State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman devolved into abuse, how she found the strength to leave—risking her career, reputation, and life—and how she reclaimed her freedom and her voice.
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In Conversation with Heather Burgett The CEO & Founder, The Burgett Group, Inc. & PR Stars joins Tulani Bridgewater to discuss entrepreneurship, creating, amplifying and growing your brand. (www.theburgettgroup.com & www.prstars.net)
In Conversation with Dr. Gina Paige In 2003, Dr. Gina Paige co-founded African Ancestry, Inc. (AfricanAncestry.com) and in doing so, pioneered a new way of tracing African lineages using genetics, and a new marketplace for people of African descent looking to more accurately and reliably trace their roots. Paige travels the world helping people demystify their roots and inform on identities.
In Conversation with Lisa Papademetriou Lisa is the author of A Tale of Highly Unusual Magic (a South Asia Book Award Highly Commended Title), the New York Times-bestselling novel Middle School: My Brother is a Big, Fat Liar and Homeroom Diaries (both with James Patterson), the Confectionately Yours series (over 800,000 books in print), and many other novels for middle grade and young adult readers. Her books have appeared on many prestigious lists, including Bank Street Best Books of the Year, the NYPL Books for the Teen Age, and the Texas Lone Star Reading List and have been translated into French, German, Spanish, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, and Japanese. She is the founder of the cloud-based writing tool, Bookflow.pub, and of the humorous grammar website, IvanaCorrectya.com. Lisa evinces her passion for community and education by serving on the board of the Northampton Education Foundation and Click Workspace, and by giving workshops locally and across the United States on the subjects of writing, grammar, and creative courage.
In Conversation with Dr. Regina Edmond, MD Dr. Regina L. Edmond, MD is an exemplary Obstetrician/Gynecologist in the community. As a native to Los Angeles, Dr. Edmond graduated from Washington Preparatory HS. Her undergraduate education was completed at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia where she received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology. She then attended Michigan State University College of Human Medicine to obtain her Medical Degree. She returned home to Los Angeles to study Obstetrics and Gynecology at Martin Luther King/Drew Medical Center and Cedars Sinai Medical Center. She is currently on staff at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and has maintains a private practice in West Hollywood. 8737 Beverly Blvd., Suite 201 West Hollywood, CA 90048 310.659.4564
In conversation with Macy Gray Nina Collins and Tulani Bridgewater talk with Grammy-winning vocalist Macy Gray about quarantine, parenting, activism, and Macy's new foundation, My Good, a nonprofit organization that supports families who have lost loved ones to police brutality.
Welcome to The Woolfer The Woolfer is more than a social network... it's a "Girlfriend in Your Pocket" ••• Welcome to The Woolfer, a girlfriend in your pocket. The Woolfer is a highly-engaged community with thousands of wise, fiercely intelligent women over 40, who offer each other support, resources, inspiration, and humor in a realm private from everyday life. By joining, you gain access to our members-only forum which houses over 40 groups spanning diverse interests and locations across the globe, as well as our recently announced private Facebook group, the Woolfer Annex. You’ll also have access to our workshops and events, which cover interests ranging from gardening to sex. Perhaps, you’d appreciate our "Unlearning Racism" program or you'd like to joining our daily virtual writers room, our weekly reflective writing workshop or our newly announced visual artists lab. You can enjoy virtual cocktails, game nights, social events, and so much more. We also have the "Raging Gracefully" podcast and our "Woolfer Live" streaming channel, where we talk with experts, authors, artists, celebrities, politicians and others about culture, health, wellness, current events and literature. We have a weekly newsletter with articles, curated content, resources, as well as Woolfer vetted and approved products. We also have an online library of over 350 articles and an ever growing collection of titles in our Woolfer bookstore. We’re so much more than a social network. We’re literally a girlfriend in your pocket.
In Conversation with Lora di Carlo and Kit Richardson Lora H DiCarlo founded her namesake brand in 2017 with a mission to create a more sexually equitable world. She changed career tracks after experiencing a “life-changing orgasm”, a blended orgasm that ignited her journey as a pleasure products entrepreneur with the ultimate goal of introducing the world to sex tech inspired by human movement. Prior to launching, the brand broke ground at CES in 2019 with its flagship product Osé, which was developed in partnership with Oregon State University’s Robotics & Engineering Lab and won a coveted innovation award in robotics. Quickly rescinded, the CTA cited the product as “obscene”. Lora then became a vocal advocate for sexual wellness brands, and stressed the importance for these products to be included and recognized within the broader wellness category. This ultimately led to the award being reinstated and sex tech being allowed on the show floor for the first time.
In Conversation with Drew Dixon Woolfer mod and music industry pro Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski interviews legendary producer, writer and activist Drew Dixon! They discuss their careers, the music business, and Drew's experience going On the Record in a recent HBO documentary. Directors: Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering. Released 2020.
In conversation with Lacy Crawford Lacy Crawford's memoir Notes on a Silencing (Little Brown) was featured in the NY Times Book Review and shortlisted for the 2022 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. An author of fiction and nonfiction, including the satire Early Decision (Morrow 2013) and the memoir Notes on a Silencing (Little Brown 2020), her work has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Narrative, LitHub, and Vanity Fair.
In conversation with Jenny Lee Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski interviews author Jenny Lee after the release of her latest book, Anna K, an imaginative take on Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. This first novel in Lee's best selling series is "about the dizzying, glorious, heart-stopping experience of first love and first heartbreak." Jenny Lee is a television writer and producer who has worked on BET’s Boomerang, IFC’s Brockmire, Freeform’s Young & Hungry, and the Disney Channel’s number-one-rated kids’ show, Shake It Up. Jenny is the author of four humor essay collections, two middle grade and two YA novels. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and 135-pound Newfoundland, Gemma
In conversation with China Moses A global artist and citizen, China has performed in more than 800 shows across six continents in the past 12 years. She has appeared at Ronnie Scott’s, Jazz Café, Barbican Centre and Royal Albert Hall in London, Olympia, UNESCO International Jazz Day and La Cigale in Paris, Vienna Konzerthaus, Berlin Opernhaus, Elbphilharmonie and Dresdner Philharmonie in Germany and Birdland and Nublu in New York City. One of her hidden skills is that of a powerhouse researcher — as a performing and recording artist, a broadcast professional and an international educator. China’s commitment to authentic representation and inclusive perspectives has garnered critical acclaim and peer acknowledgement. She’s a member of the 2013 Young Leader graduating class of the French American Foundation, holds the title Chevalier of St Emilion & Bergerac and has lent her expertise as a panellist at the 2020 Montreux Jazz Academy.
In conversation with Dee Dee Bridgewater Music producer, label head, activist, non-profit co-founder of The Woodshed Network. The multi-Grammy award winner is also a Tony and AUDELCO award winning (The Wiz, Lady Day) and Laurence Olivier nominated (Lady Day) actress. Bridgewater is a legacy UN Goodwill Ambassador to the UN FAO, NEA Jazz Master, ASCAP Champion, Memphis Music Hall of Fame inductee and more.
The Today Show with Maria Shriver - Third Hour Today Nearly a billion women worldwide will go through menopause by the year 2025, yet many doctors aren’t trained in the topic, leaving many female patients feeling isolated. To separate fact and fiction, special anchor Maria Shriver sits down with one of the nation’s top experts on menopause along with three women going through it.
WBGO's Lezlie Harrison interviews The Woodshed Network co-founders Over the last four decades, Dee Dee Bridgewater has forged a remarkable career as a vocalist, bandleader and actress. A multi-Grammy award winner, Bridgewater brings not only formidable chops but also a unique charisma to every performance, no matter what the setting. Almost entirely self-taught, she’s had a few mentors along the way, although mostly older and accomplished jazz men, rather than her fellow women in jazz. Bridgewater herself has paid it forward as a mentor of many young jazz women, as well as a frequent participant in the Jazz Ahead program started by Betty Carter and now hosted and produced by the Kennedy Center. However, she came to feel that there was a need for a different mentoring program, entirely focused on women in jazz. Seeking a solution to this void in the jazz community, Bridgewater conferred with her daughter Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski, who is also her manager, and in 2019 the two created The Woodshed Network, an organization that not only hosts an intensive 10-day program to mentor young jazz women, but also offers support and guidance throughout the year, and in some cases, for years. Amongst the “graduates” of the program are Lakecia Benjamin, Sarah Hanahan, Akua Allrich, Candice Hoyes, and many other emerging artists who have gone on to successful careers in the often challenging jazz community. Now in its fourth year, the organization has extended its deadline to November 23 for admission into the program being held virtually February 27 – March 20, 2023, under the auspices of 651 Arts in Brooklyn. More information, including informative videos answering various questions about the program, can be found at The Woodshed Network’s website. This powerful duo of Bridgewater women spoke with WBGO’s Lezlie Harrison about the creation and evolution of this unique mentoring program.
