"It’s ironic, some women worry that taking maternity leave will stall their career. Having a child and taking a leave from my job led me to starting my business and has been the most rewarding and fulfilling part of my career.” - Julia Pimsleur founder of LittlePim and author of "Million Dollar Women”.
Mary Phan
I don’t believe there is a male or female role in terms of taking care of children. I think today there is a call for someone to step up for both parents to share the responsibilities. I am a business woman and a mother and I couldn’t travel and do my business if my husband weren’t caring for the children too.” - Mary Phan is a entrepreneur and founder of The Sketchbook Series.
Karen Loew
"If I had baby lust than at least my decision would be clear. I struggle with indecision about having children. If I were man I wouldn't have the same struggle because women are defined by motherhood in a unique way." Karen Loew is a writer/journalist.
Shelly Bennett
Shelley Bennett was off to a job interview when I photographed her at the Oculus on Equal Pay Day. She stopped back by after the interview and said it went well and she has a second interview for the job on Friday. She said, "I really need this one." So please, let's all wish her well for her second interview tomorrow.
Coreen Callister
"I've asked for a raise 1-2 times per year for the last three years. I've been given most of them. Once I asked for a raise in the beginning of the year but didn't get the increase until towards the end. I know how hard I work, and I know how much money I bring in to the business. I told my supervisor that I was glad I got a raise but if the raise was given earlier in the year I could have contributed to my 401K and accrued more money, I asked them to consider how they could make up this difference to me. I know my co-workers and my supervisors will value me more if I value myself, not asking for a raise is a missed opportunity." Coreen Callister is a business development associate at IDEO in San Francisco.
Nadine Villar
" Yes, I made this hat." Nadine Villar is from Nigeria and has six children, 13 grandchildren and two more on the way. The train was coming in two minutes and I didn't have time for me&EVE interview, but I think her beautiful face says it all.
Lynee Wells
"I loved giving birth. I loved the experience of surrendering to the pain and the rhythm of my body that knows how to give birth. I did natural childbirth both times and both times I went in to the hospital at 8 am and delivered my babies by 3pm. It was all in a day’s work. I look back at those two births as the most incredible experiences, and no one can take that away from me." Lynee is a Principal and Urban Planner at Williams and Works where she is also the youngest and only female Principal.
Lillian Martinez
"Having kids was the best. Things in life can go downhill but with my kids it will never be downhill. I have three children, I wanted to have four but I stopped at three, it was enough. Raising them gives you more responsibilities and more worries but they really keep me going. When they were little my husband could drop them off at school in the morning and then head to work. I had to leave much earlier to commute from Jersey City to my job here in the city. Now I see mothers racing around to get their kids to school and still get to work on time in the morning. Luckily I didn't have to worry about that." Lillian Martinez works for the United States Postal Service and she has three children and six grandchildren.
Shelley Saka
"In High School I had to take a Home Economics class but I wanted to take Shop class. I was learning to drive and would have a car soon and I thought that taking shop would be helpful. But back then, girls weren't allowed to take shop and Home Economics wasn't an elective it was a required course. They told me I had to learn to cook and clean and take care of children."
Alice Droogan
"I was in a convent for fourteen years and that is something I couldn't have done if I weren't a woman." I met Alice just as the St. Patrick's Day Parade had ended and she was racing off to catch a train. "It was a great parade. I've been in the parade seven times but this was my first time as an aide to the Grand Marshall."
Lynn McMahon
"I never felt hindered in any way being a woman. My father wanted me to be educated, he wanted me to be financially independent. It would have been nice if my father, who was a cabinet maker, had taught me how to make cabinets because I like making things with my hands. In fact he said he wrong not to encourage me to go into construction if that is what I wanted because obviously a woman could do that work too. But he didn't graduate from High School and he wanted me and my sister to go to college. I became a nurse."
Melissa Marsh
"When I was in High School I wanted to become the President of the United States - so I applied to the Universities that had the best American Studies and Political Science Programs. When I wrote to Columbia University for an application, they sent both an application for Columbia and for Barnard College. Even though my grandmother had gone to Smith College, I had no intention of going to an all woman's college. I didn't think having a four year break from competing with men would be beneficial for my career. But when I applied and ultimately accepted a spot at Barnard, I had no idea that it was a woman's college. It's amazing that it happened this way, but I am so proud to have gone to a woman's college." Melissa is the founder of PLASTARC and is an expert in workplace strategy. "In the end, I decided that through Architecture and occupant advocacy I could start/make change faster than if I were President. I may or may not be right."
Enslow Kable
"The ability to be a leader has little to do with how many hours you are in the office and more to do with your innate leadership qualities. When I had my second child I chose to work a four day week. I'm in advertising and taking that one day off held me back, my career stagnated. The silver lining is that my career has progressed and I just started at a new firm so that I can have more flexibility. My work week is different and I never have a full day off, but I can sit here and have a cup of coffee because I work from home and work all over the city. Today I can pick up my daughter and take her dance class. Next week I am going on a school field trip, I haven't done that in years. If I were a man I wouldn't have wanted to have a four day work week, I have never come across a man who wants or requests a shortened work work."
Ngozi Okoro
"I know what it's like to always walk into a classroom and be the only woman and the only woman of color." Ngozi is a civil engineer and started her company Fitwork.co to empower networking among women. "I have a unique perspective. I know if I hadn't been the only woman, the only black woman walking into those rooms wouldn't have impacted me the same way. I'm glad I had that experience - it gave me direction and inspired me to create my own company."
Shelly Ratigan
“It is much harder to be a man, they are under much more pressure to perform. Not having all that pressure makes it easier for women to believe in themselves. Women aren’t expected to have accomplishments – it somehow seems to come as a surprise when a woman does have accomplishments, but that is expected of a man.” Shelly is an entrepreneur and the owner of Taos Northside Health and Fitness in Taos, New Mexico. “Women are born with leadership qualities. Some people say that is because women are often mothers. I don’t think that is true. I didn’t become a mother for a long time and I had these skills. It would be wonderful if women could recognize their leadership skills from the beginning.”
Jeana Bentley
“I had a seasonal job selling firearms and I just fell in love with them. After a while I wanted to be more hands-on with firearms so I joined the Airforce.” Jeana is an Airman in the United States Airforce and thinks the hardest part of being a woman is that people underestimate her. She is the youngest child in her family and also the only female. “Being a woman in a home full of men had its challenges but it taught me to be strong. My father served in the Navy during Vietnam. When I first enlisted he thought that the military was not a good place for women. But now that he sees me in the Airforce, he has changed his mind.”
Ruth Lemansky
“Nursing has been so natural for me because it incorporates so many female characteristics and I get to bring my womanly nature into my work. It makes caring for my patients fun, like I am spending time with a friend and not at work.” Ruth is a single mother and a nurse practitioner at El Centro Family Health in Embudo, New Mexico. "I’m allowed to bring my emotions to work, its acceptable. I can coo over my patients but because I am a woman it isn’t seen as creepy.”
Claire Rowell
"There were socially accepted topics of conversation in my home and money wasn't one of them. I never learned the vocabulary for asking for more, asking for a raise, using my connection to network and advance my career. I don't think men question money or networking the same way. My grandmother taught me to never overstay your welcome and to not be an imposition." Claire Rowell is a workplace anthropologist with PLASTARC, where she says her boss, Melissa Marsh, is a true role model. "It is inspiring to see Melissa's command over a meeting. She is confident and capable and often she is the only woman in the room. A lot of my friend's mothers are like this too and I admire them. They are strong women and their example is trickling down to their daughters. I am not yet equipped with all of these traits and skills but I hope to be in the very near future."
Catherine Lennon
"I was raised in the 1950's when women could become nurses, teachers or social workers," laughed Catherine Lennon, " I was lucky I had very good parents and they sent me to college at St.Rose in Albany. We were called the "Golden Rose Buds" and this year is our 50th reunion." Catherine became a social worker and worked for Catholic Charity who then gave her a full scholarship to Fordham to earn her MSW. "I worked in the government for the Health Department and I retired and now I get a huge pension," she said smiling. At that time there weren't many women working with her and her male bosses would say things like "Well, you might not be here in a few years," implying that young women would get married and leave their jobs to become housewives. Catherine never did get married and never had children. "Single men are called swinging singles but a unmarried women is an old maid or it is assumed that you have some sort of defect that makes you unwanted," she explained. "One of my best supervisors was gay and when she got in a fight with her partner, she moved in with me. There was a lot of sniggering at work. People make a lot of assumptions when you aren't married," she explained. "It really kills me to see Hillary using the woman card, because it's phoney. You have to vote for who you want to vote for, not vote for someone because they are a woman," she said.
Alya Almuzaini
"An empowered woman empowers society. It is a big responsibility being a woman and being a mother. Women need to be supported with their children, with their family and with their work. Before all the diplomats were men. Then there were female diplomats but until 2002 female diplomats from Kuwait were not places in international roles. A woman may face injustice at any stage of life. And we need to promote our rights more than men have too. I am proud that I am a woman and even prouder that I have reached my goals despite gender challenges." Alya is the 8th female diplomat from Kuwait that has been sent to another country and has been working at the United Nations headquarters since 2011 and will return to Kuwait this summer. She is also the mother of four children.