#university of missouri school of journalism

[haute-lifestyle-com]

Choosing among 1,371 entries, the 27 judges at the University of Missouri School of Journalism conferred 120 awards on editors, writers, photographers, podcasters, social media experts and videographers in the 2024 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition

[books]

Writer Spotlight: Elise Hu

We recently met with Elise Hu (@elisegoeseast) to discuss her illuminating title, Flawless—Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. Elise is a journalist, podcaster, and media start-up founder. She’s the host of TED Talks Daily and host-at-large at NPR, where she spent nearly a decade as a reporter. As an international correspondent, she has reported stories from more than a dozen countries and opened NPR’s first-ever Seoul bureau in 2015. Previously, Elise helped found The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit digital start-up, after stops at many stations as a television news reporter. Her journalism work has won the national Edward R. Murrow and duPont Columbia awards, among others. An honors graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, she lives in Los Angeles.

Can you begin by telling us a little bit about how Flawless came to be and what made you want to write about K-beauty?

It’s my unfinished business from my time in Seoul. Especially in the last year I spent living in Korea, I was constantly chasing the latest geopolitical headlines (namely, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s big moves that year). It meant I didn’t get to delve into my nagging frustrations of feeling second-class as an Asian woman in Korea and the under-reported experiences of South Korean women at the time. They were staging record-setting women’s rights rallies during my time abroad in response to a stark gender divide in Korea. It is one of the world’s most influential countries (and the 10th largest economy) and ranks shockingly low on gender equality metrics. That imbalance really shows up in what’s expected of how women should look and behave. Flawless explores the intersection of gender politics and beauty standards.

Flawless punctuates reportage with life writing, anchoring the research within your subjective context as someone who lived in the middle of it but also had an outside eye on it. Was this a conscious decision before you began writing? 

I planned to have fewer of my personal stories in the book, actually. Originally, I wanted to be embedded with South Korean women and girls who would illustrate the social issues I was investigating, but I wound up being the narrative thread because of the pandemic. The lockdowns and two years of long, mandatory quarantines in South Korea meant that traveling there and staying for a while to report and build on-the-ground relationships was nearly impossible. I also have three small children in LA, so the embedding plan was scuttled real fast.

One of the central questions the book asks of globalized society at large, corporations, and various communities is, “What is beauty for?” How has your response to this question changed while producing Flawless? 

I think I’ve gotten simultaneously more optimistic and cynical about it. More cynical in that the more I researched beauty, the more I understood physical beauty as a class performance—humans have long used it to get into rooms—more power in relationships, social communities, economically, or all of the above at once. And, as a class performance, those with the most resources usually have the most access to doing the work it takes (spending the money) to look the part, which is marginalizing for everyone else and keeps lower classes in a cycle of wanting and reaching. On the flip side, I’m more optimistic about what beauty is for, in that I have learned to separate beauty from appearance: I think of beauty in the way I think about love or truth, these universal—and largely spiritual—ideas that we all seek, that feed our souls. And that’s a way to frame beauty that isn’t tied in with overt consumerism or having to modify ourselves at all. 

This is your first book—has anything surprised you in the publishing or publicity process for Flawless?

I was most surprised by how much I enjoyed recording my own audiobook! I felt most in flow and joyful doing that more than anything else. Each sentence I read aloud was exactly the way I heard it in my head when I wrote it, which is such a privilege to have been able to do as an author.

Do you have a favorite reaction from a reader? 

I don’t know if it’s the favorite, but recency bias is a factor—I just got a DM this week from a woman writing about how the book helped put into words so much of what she felt and experienced, despite the fact she is not ethnically Korean, or in Korea, which is the setting of most of the book. It means a lot to me that reporting or art can connect us and illuminate shared experiences…in this case, learning to be more embodied and okay with however we look. 

As a writer, journalist, and mother—how did you practice self-care when juggling work commitments, social life, and the creative processes of writing and editing?

I juggled by relying on my loved ones. I don’t think self-care can exist without caring for one another, and that means asking people in our circles for help. A lot of boba dates, long walks, laughter-filled phone calls, and random weekend trips really got me through the arduous project of book writing (more painful than childbirth, emotionally speaking). 

What is your writing routine like, and how did the process differ from your other reporting work? Did you pick up any habits that you’ve held on to? 

My book writing routine was very meandering, whereas my broadcast reporting and writing are quite linear. I have tight deadlines for news, so it’s wham, bam, and the piece is out. With the book, I had two years to turn in a manuscript. I spent the year of lockdowns in “incubation mode,” where I consumed a lot of books, white papers, articles, and some films and podcasts, just taking in a lot of ideas to see where they might collide with each other and raise questions worth reporting on, letting them swim around in the swamp of my brain. When I was ready to write, I had a freelance editor, the indefatigable Carrie Frye, break my book outline into chunks so I could focus on smaller objectives and specific deadlines. Chunking the book so it didn’t seem like such a massive undertaking helped a lot. As for the writing, I never got to do a writer’s retreat or some idyllic cabin getaway to write. I wrote in the in-between moments—a one or two hour window when I had a break from the TED conference (which I attend every year as a TED host) or in those moments after the kids’ bedtime and before my own. One good habit I got into was getting away from my computer at midday. I’m really good about making lunch dates or going for a run to break up the monotony of staring at my screen all day long.

What’s good advice you’ve received about journalism that you would pass on to anyone just starting out?

All good reporting comes from great questions. Start with a clear question you seek to answer in your story, project, or book, and stay true to it and your quest to answer it. Once you are clear on what the thing is about, you won’t risk wandering too far from your focal point.

Thanks to Elise for answering our questions! You can follow her over at @elisegoeseast and check out her book Flawless here!

[lifewithchronicpain]

A large new study has found high rates of fibromyalgia in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), adding to a growing body of evidence linking gut bacteria to chronic pain disorders. IBS patients were also more likely to have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The study, recently published in the journal Biomedicines, looked at more than 1.2 million IBS patients hospitalized in the U.S. over a three-year period. They found that the prevalence rate of fibromyalgia in the IBS patients was 10.7 percent, about five times higher than the fibromyalgia rate (1.4%) in the general adult population.

Fibromyalgia is a poorly understood condition characterized by widespread body pain, headaches, fatigue, insomnia and mood disorders; while IBS causes abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, gas and diarrhea. Gut bacteria has been associated with both IBS and fibromyalgia, but the exact mechanism of action remains unclear. “This is yet another example where ailments in the gut are linked to ailments elsewhere in the body and mind,” said senior author Yezaz Ghouri, MD, an assistant professor of clinical medicine and gastroenterology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. “As we continue to learn more about how gut health effects health elsewhere it is important that clinicians look for and manage somatic comorbidities in IBS patients.” (Read more at link)

[lboogie1906]

Dr. Wilfred Augustus Low — or “Gus” (May 17, 1916 - April 1, 1988) as he was known to friends and colleagues, was born to a sharecropping family in the Delta country of Mississippi. His family relocated to St. Louis, which allowed him to graduate from high school and enroll at Lincoln University in Jefferson City. He helped edit the student newspaper and earned a BA magna cum laude. He matriculated as a graduate student in the Department of History at the University of Iowa, where he earned an MA and a Ph.D.

During WWII, he fought as an infantryman in the Italian campaign. He became a professor of History at Maryland State University. He served as a visiting professor at Florida A & M, Virginia State College, Lincoln University (Missouri), and Fort Valley State College, among others.

His doctoral dissertation was entitled “Virginia in the Critical Period, 1783-1789,” He developed an essay entitled “Merchant and Planter Relations in Post-Revolutionary Virginia, 1783-1789,” which he submitted to the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. The editor and the publications committee thought the article was excellent and deserved publication, but “since Professor Low is a Negro” they sought formal approval from the executive committee of the Virginia Historical Society. The committee members accepted the essay on its merits and broke an academic color line.

He published several others, including an influential study of “The Freedmen’s Bureau in the Border States,” he was the fourth editor of the Journal of Negro History and co-editor of the authoritative Encyclopedia of Black America. He had managed the journal through difficult times, paying its mailing and printing expenses from his pocket. Publication of the Encyclopedia culminated years of tireless effort drew wide acclaim as the first major reference collection of its kind, and fulfilled his greatest scholarly dream.

He left Maryland State to become the founding member of the History Department at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[backtothestart02]

Tripped and Fell into His Bed - 1/? | westallen fanfiction

AU - Six months after a bad break-up, Iris is determined to move on with her life sans-Barry. But when his face is everywhere she turns, it makes his incessant booty calls hard to ignore.

...

Chapter 1 -

It was exactly 36 hours and 12 minutes by train from Massachusetts to Central City, Missouri.

Iris was prepared for the ride though, because in addition to her stellar studying at her school of choice, the prestigious Ivy Leage Harvard University, she also worked at the campus coffee shop and saved up for a more elevated experience on the train back home in a sleeper car with a shower.

Granted it was still a shower on a train, and she wasn’t expecting anything impressive, given how small bathrooms were in general on moving vehicles, but she was still looking forward to it.

It was the only thing keeping her mind off the fact that her best friend since they were babies hadn’t shown to her graduation. Her graduation at the school they’d both attended until six months ago. And the last time she’d heard from him had been two months ago, when he’d informed her he was ‘really busy’ and probably wouldn’t be able to talk much for a while.

This was also after he ditched Harvard’s stellar science and math programs (he’d been double-majoring) to go to New York on a whim and pursue modeling.

Her lanky, skinny boyfriend (did she forget to mention that?) of nearly six years had abandoned what he was truly great at and had gotten a full scholarship for because an ‘agent’ showed up at a job fair they’d been attending one night, taken one look at him in his plaid shirt and dark blue jeans – oh, and the scuffed up brown shoes, can’t forget those – and decided he was model worthy.

Barry of course had laughed it off initially, and Iris thought that would be the end of it. But the ‘agent’ kept finding him on campus and eventually persuaded Barry to indulge him in a ‘Harvard Kids of Tomorrow’ shoot taking place that very night. Iris had a night of studying planned for the both of them, but he’d reminded her that usually they got sidetracked when they studied together and what could one shoot hurt? It would get this guy off his back at any rate, and then he could focus on what really mattered. Math, Science, and Iris.

Only…that wasn’t what happened.

He returned from the shoot beaming and with photos of his handiwork. Turned out he was quite photogenic when the right words were being dropped in his ear. And even though Iris didn’t want to admit it, the make-up, lighting, and wardrobe they’d put him in had turned him into an Abercrombie model overnight. Nothing more than that surely though…right?

“You do look hot with all that gel in your hair,” she’d admitted, playfully, proceeding to mess it up as best as she could until she could see her Barry again.

Her study session had come to an end abruptly as sexy times ensued, and she pushed the thought out of her mind that she hated the most. That this interest as a model had only begun.

Of course, in the morning she could no longer do that, since Barry had talked with enthusiasm about doing another shoot and another, and maybe even hitting the gym to develop some tone to his nonexistent muscles should it prove profitable in future photo shoots.

Iris’ heart sank, and over the next two weeks she watched their relationship deteriorate into almost nothing as he took job after job, reveling in the cash and compliments it got him, and neglecting his studies too. He skipped classes, bought a new wardrobe, and then, after one more meeting with his agent, who she could no longer put in quotes in her head, since he’d been legit all along and on the search for rare talent, Barry announced he was dropping out of school and moving to New York.

And he wanted her to come with him.

She’d exploded.

What was she going to do in New York? She was double-majoring in Journalism and Business, and planning to sink her teeth into her hometown’s newspaper as soon as she got back. With one semester to go, she was what? Going to abandon all that to watch him pursue a dream that left her alone in the cold, hardly talking to him, let alone seeing him?

He apologized for that, said it would be different in New York once he had a regular schedule figured out, but she couldn’t see any of it changing, and she wasn’t about to change schools for one semester when she was going to the Harvard University.

“You’re throwing your life away and trying to drag me down with you!” She finally burst, practically hissing at him as she reminded him of his life-long dreams to be a CSI or maybe work in some sort of scientific research at the facilities back home.

She insulted his modeling stint, saying he’d just ‘gotten lucky’, and that it wouldn’t last. Meanwhile, she’d be moving on without him doing what she’d always dreamed with someone who appreciated her and didn’t let low-grade salesmen get in the way of their relationship.

He’d been stunned but managed to pull the words from the depths of his being, “Are you breaking up with me?”

“Well, I’m not moving to New York,” she’d huffed.

“We could try a long-distance relationship,” he’d tried weakly, already knowing how that would be received.

“We’re already living it,” she’d barked, and he’d known that was the end.

Unless he begged and pleaded for her to stay with him and he’d give up modeling entirely if it meant he could have her. Maybe then things would be different. But they weren’t, because he didn’t.

She boxed up his stuff in her dorm room and sent him packing. Within a week he’d dropped out of school and left for New York. It was a month before they spoke again, and all their messages were short and choppy. There was no heart, nothing reminiscent of their decades’ long relationship.

They’d lost their friendship and their dating relationship in a heartbeat, and neither had the energy or the endurance to fight for it again if it meant letting go of the rest of what they held so dear.

In a way, Iris supposed she should be grateful to be going home. Barry wouldn’t be there, and she could reconnect with her girlfriends she’d left behind in high school, as well as find new friends at CCPN, where she’d already secured a job before graduating. There would be her parents and Wally to keep her distracted too.

Soon it would be like Barry hadn’t even existed.

Three days later, after a mostly comfortable experience on the train, Iris grabbed her carry-on luggage and made her way to the exit door when the train finally came to a stop.

There was a sea of people in front and behind her, but when she finally made it down the steps and the other people dispersed, going every which way in the direction they needed to go, she saw a massive ad plastered on the side of the train station.

JUST IN FROM NEW YORK…

BARRY ALLEN: CENTRAL CITY’S NEWEST STAR!

He was in a suit and tie, crouched and looking devilishly handsome with his hair brushed back, and his tie loosely dangling around his neck.

“Oh, hell no.”

[risinggunviolence]

Deliverable #1

Gun violence

link to my Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/blog/risinggunviolence

A few social concerns come to mind when considering the challenges facing Portland and American society in general. These topics are frequently included in conventional and social media and in talking points politicians use to win over voters. An organization or a community’s social structure, institutions, behaviors, norms, and values can substantially change over time. These changes are referred to as social change. Numerous causes may be the driving force behind this natural and continuous process. What is the leading cause of gun violence? Gun violence is more likely to occur in a setting with high unemployment, poverty, and inequality. A difficult financial situation can cause social instability and a rise in crime. Gage-related violence is often a significant contributor to gun violence in many urban areas. Gun violence can be exacerbated by more general systemic problems like racial injustice, resulting in economic inequality and uneven access to opportunity. 

Gun violence is on the rise across the city of Portland.

‘’In 2019, Portland had 389 shootings, according to data from the Portland Police Bureau. Just one year later, that number more than doubled, skyrocketing to almost 900. The violence has continued in 2021. Through May, police have reported 453 shooting incidents. At the current rate, Portland will have more than 1,000 shootings by the end of this year.’’ 

"It's not just a public safety problem, it's also a public health crisis and you have another public health crisis that's laying on top of all of this. That's caused a lot of trauma to our entire society at this point. But you add to that the availability of guns and the willingness of people to use these guns most horrifically and tragically." permit-to-purchase handgun law was associated with a 25% increase in firearms homicide rates. 

It's critical to remember that there isn’t a single, universally applicable strategy to stop gun violence. The best strategy frequently involves several tactics that are each specifically designed to address the requirements and difficulties of a particular community. Political and cultural considerations may also impact how feasible it is to apply these policies in various places. Government, law enforcement, community organizations, and citizens all have a shared duty to prevent gun violence and build safer communities. Advocacy, public support, and knowledge are important factors promoting progress in this field.

Lawmakers can learn lessons from auto safety. To start, they can impose more rigorous requirements for owning firearms. “For the most part, it is much easier to be a legal gun owner in America than it is to be a legal driver,” says David Hemenway, director of the Injury Control Research Center at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Some measures, like Walmart’s lifting its minimum age for purchasing a gun from 18 to 21, may sound good but likely won’t do much to combat gun violence. According to FBI reports, handguns were responsible for 90% of homicides in 2016

A more effective policy would require every buyer, of any age, to obtain a license that includes a registration of all purchases and at least a modest training program. According to the State Firearms Law project, just seven states require a permit to possess a gun of any kind. A 2014 study in the Journal of Urban Health found that Missouri’s 2007 repeal of its permit-to-purchase handgun law was associated with a 25% increase in firearms homicide rates. 

It’s critical to remember that there isn’t a single, universally applicable strategy to stop gun violence. The best approach frequently involves several tactics, each specifically designed to address the requirements and difficulties of a particular community. Political and cultural considerations may also impact the feasibility of applying these policies in various places. Government, law enforcement, community organizations, and citizens all have a shared duty to prevent gun violence and build safer communities. Advocacy, public support, and knowledge are essential factors promoting progress in this field.

References

Gregory, S., & Wilson, C. (2018, March 22). 6 Real Ways to We Can Reduce Gun Violence in America. Time. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://time.com/5209901/gun-violence-america-reduction/ 

Gun violence is increasing in Portland. Where do we go from here? (2021, June 22). KGW. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://www.kgw.com/article/news/crime/gun-violence/portland-gun-violence-historic-levels-what-are-solutions-the-story/283-18a20c88-8760-4386-979b-dab9d8330700 

[theloniousbach]

RETIREMENT CHRONICLES 2.3

I’ll turn in grades tomorrow and declare that my summer has begun. I still measure time by the school year, so it remains useful to assess how I have used those chunks of time.

And I’m always looking for a WRITING prompt, particularly since my grand fiction writing project amounted to all of two days and 700ish words. Summer should change that. I did write dozens of music performance souvenirs and that won’t change over the summer. But my Going Dutch journal of my Spring Break class in The Netherlands was a unique opportunity. That class and trip took up lots of bandwidth and was completely worthwhile. The fiction writing is still there. So is travel/Europe and TEACHING, but I monitor both and am glad that I’m capable of both.

The Leiden class was a delight, a class full of teacher’s pets with the vast majority of whom are part of the honors college that is in my part time portfolio. They did remarkable work academically (a poem, a film, a magazine of drawings) and socially, caring for one another and the project. I increasingly see my job is to get out of the way and not limit student learning, asking them to demonstrate their learning in ways meaningful to them. I do get perfectly fine papers, but I am excited by what else I get. My good ol’ Science in the News class operates on the same principles and a good chunk of them drank the same Kool-Aid. I used that class to look critically at my experiences with functional medicine as well as complementary treatments and wellness generally.

Ironically, I had two separate colds that dragged out while I was teaching about WELLNESS. But working out three times a week when healthy and expediting recovery times is an advantage of not working full time. I wish I did yoga more frequently and I’m committed to fitting that back into the mix over the summer.

I can tell myself that I am working on my fiction writing with all the READING I do. Yeah, right. Still, I typically have my nose in a book. The main landmark is that I finished Patrick O’Brian’s majestic Aubrey/Maturin Royal Navy in the time of Napoleon saga, 20 books and even a little fragment more. They are both sprawling (and hence life-like with rich character development and plot intricacies) and well-crafted. I call them genre adjacent literary fiction. I have some unfolding mystery series going, though I’m not surprised to notice that I am drawn to historical settings—or at least the early 20th Century. Frank Tallis’ hero is a protege of Sigmund Freud while Kate Khavari places botanist Saffron Everleigh at University College London just after World War I. Finally, I find myself dipping into Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe yarns regularly if not systematically. Wolfe/Goodwin just are, so there’s no series arc, making them comfortable to visit again and again.

If writing about MUSIC was steady, playing it was up and down with travel and feeling poorly to blame. But my fretting and picking callouses are coming back and I’ve even played some piano recently.

So I head into a summer in St Louis until mid-July. Being here is a chance to enjoy our pollinator garden as I didn’t as much last year. Having our gym/spa and the piano at hand are some solace in the face of the heat ahead. It will also be easier to do the limited amount of school tasks that I will take on.

I spent my Friday mornings at the MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN’s Ethnobiology Journal Club which was stimulating and friendly. The new Librarian there is a long time friend from Webster. She is a skilled networker, but it will be fun to contribute to her settling in and beyond.

So, besides the MBG, my added assignments are FICTION WRITING, YOGA, and PIANO/GUITAR. Going to the GYM and MUSIC WRITING are long established habits that won’t go away.

[seodigital7]

Savannah Guthrie Net Worth 2025: Biography, Career, Relationships

Savannah Guthrie is a name synonymous with morning television, a trusted voice in American journalism, and a trailblazer in blending legal expertise with broadcast charisma. As the co-anchor of NBC’s Today show, she’s become a household name, delivering news, conducting high-profile interviews, and charming viewers with her warmth and wit. As of 2025, interest in Savannah Guthrie Net Worth 2025: Biography, Career, Relationships is surging, and at FilmyFire.com, we’re diving into her remarkable journey—from her Australian roots to her multimillion-dollar empire. Join us as we explore her life, career, relationships, and what makes her a standout in the media world.

A Global Start: Savannah’s Early Life

Born on December 27, 1971, in Melbourne, Australia, Savannah Clark Guthrie was named after her great-grandmother, a nod to her family’s deep roots. Her father, Charles Guthrie, an engineer, was stationed in Australia for work, but the family relocated to Tucson, Arizona, when Savannah was two. Raised alongside her siblings, Annie and Camron, Savannah grew up in a tight-knit household shaped by her mother Nancy’s resilience, especially after Charles’ sudden death from a heart attack when Savannah was 16.

Savannah’s childhood in Tucson was filled with curiosity and ambition. She excelled at Amphitheater High School and developed a love for storytelling, which led her to the University of Arizona. Graduating cum laude with a B.A. in journalism in 1993, she was a proud member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. Her drive didn’t stop there—she later earned a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in 2002, graduating magna cum laude and scoring first place on the Arizona Bar Exam. This dual expertise in journalism and law would become her superpower, setting her apart in a competitive industry.

Building a Career: From Local News to National Spotlight

Savannah’s career began humbly but quickly gained momentum. Her first broadcasting gig was at KTVM, an NBC affiliate in Butte, Montana, in 1993, but the station shuttered just 10 days later. Undeterred, she joined ABC affiliate KMIZ in Columbia, Missouri, for two years before returning to Tucson to work at NBC’s KVOA in 1995. Her early roles honed her skills, and a pivotal moment came when she covered the September 11, 2001, attacks while at WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., showcasing her ability to handle breaking news with poise.

Seeking new challenges, Savannah pivoted to law, working as a litigation associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, specializing in white-collar criminal defense. She also taught legal research at Georgetown and earned accolades for aiding domestic violence victims. But journalism called her back, and in 2004, she became a national trial correspondent for CourtTV, covering high-profile cases like Michael Jackson’s trial and Martha Stewart’s legal battles.

In 2007, Savannah joined NBC News as a legal analyst and correspondent, a role that showcased her knack for blending legal insight with storytelling. She covered Sarah Palin’s 2008 vice-presidential campaign and became NBC’s White House correspondent from 2008 to 2011, contributing to an Emmy-winning election night broadcast in 2009. Her star continued to rise as she co-hosted MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown and joined Today as a third-hour co-host in 2011. By 2012, she replaced Ann Curry as Today’s main co-anchor, a role she’s held for over a decade, cementing her as a morning TV icon.

Savannah Guthrie’s Net Worth in 2025

Estimating Savannah Guthrie Net Worth 2025 involves analyzing her diverse income streams. As of 2025, sources like Celebrity Net Worth and Top10GoHere estimate her net worth at $40 million to $45 million, a figure that reflects her long tenure at NBC and savvy financial moves. At FilmyFire.com, we align with a net worth of approximately $42 million, driven by the following:

NBC Salary: Savannah earns $8 million annually as Today’s co-anchor, a figure consistent across reports like Hollywood Life and Celebrity Net Worth. Her role, which includes hosting, interviewing, and covering events like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, is her primary earner.

Real Estate: Savannah and her husband, Michael Feldman, have made strategic property investments. They listed their Tribeca apartment for $7.1 million in 2023 and own a home in Rhinebeck, New York, for family getaways. These assets bolster her wealth.

Book Royalties: Savannah co-authored two bestselling children’s books, Princesses Wear Pants (2017) and Princesses Save the World (2018), with Allison Oppenheim. The books, New York Times bestsellers, add a steady income stream.

Media Appearances: Cameos in shows like 30 Rock, Sharknado 3, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, plus guest-hosting Jeopardy! in 2021, contribute supplemental earnings.

Speaking Engagements: As a sought-after speaker, Savannah commands high fees for events, leveraging her influence and expertise.

Her financial stability is further enhanced by careful wealth management, balancing high earnings with long-term investments. Compared to peers like Hoda Kotb ($30 million net worth), Savannah’s wealth reflects her seniority and diversified portfolio.

Relationships and Family: A Life of Love

Savannah’s personal life is as compelling as her career. Her first marriage was to BBC News presenter Mark Orchard, whom she met while covering the Michael Jackson trial. They wed in 2005 but divorced in 2009, a period Savannah has kept private. That same year, she began dating Michael Feldman, a Democratic political consultant and former aide to Al Gore. Their chemistry was instant, and after four years of dating, Michael proposed during a Caribbean vacation in 2013. They married in Tucson in 2014, announcing Savannah’s pregnancy at the wedding.

The couple welcomed daughter Vale Guthrie Feldman in August 2014 and son Charles “Charley” Max Feldman in December 2016. Savannah’s journey to motherhood wasn’t without challenges—she endured a miscarriage and two rounds of IVF before Charley’s birth, experiences she’s shared to inspire others. Balancing motherhood with her demanding career, Savannah relies on Michael’s support and their upstate New York retreat for family time. Her openness about parenting, including a 2019 eye injury caused by Vale accidentally throwing a toy, has endeared her to fans.

Career Highlights and Impact

Savannah’s career is studded with accolades and milestones:

Emmy Awards: She won two Emmys, including one for Outstanding Live Coverage in 2009 and another for Today’s reporting.

High-Profile Interviews: From Barack Obama to Donald Trump, Savannah’s interviews are incisive and engaging, earning her respect as a journalist.

Macy’s Parade: Co-hosting the Thanksgiving Day Parade since 2012 has made her a holiday staple.

Advocacy: Savannah champions mental health awareness and women in media, inspiring the next generation of broadcasters.

Her transition to Today’s lead co-anchor after Hoda Kotb’s departure in January 2025, alongside new co-anchor Craig Melvin, marks a new chapter. Her emotional tribute to Kotb, a close friend, resonated with viewers, showcasing her authenticity.

The Future: What’s Next for Savannah?

In 2025, Savannah remains a cornerstone of Today, navigating the show’s evolution with Craig Melvin. She’s hinted at new projects, including potential books or producing roles, leveraging her storytelling skills. Her real estate ventures may expand, and her advocacy for mental health and women’s issues is likely to grow, possibly through public speaking or philanthropy.

Financially, her net worth could climb if Today’s ratings soar or her side ventures succeed. At 53, Savannah’s energy and adaptability suggest she’s far from slowing down. Fans on X are abuzz, with one calling her “the heart of morning TV,” a sentiment echoed by Craig Melvin, who dubbed her the “gold standard.”

Why Savannah Guthrie Matters

Savannah’s story is one of resilience, versatility, and heart. From a Tucson teen to a media powerhouse, she’s broken barriers as a woman in journalism while staying grounded as a mom and advocate. Her ability to juggle law, journalism, and motherhood makes her a role model, and her financial success proves that hard work pays off. At FilmyFire.com, we’re inspired by her journey and can’t wait to see what’s next.

Review: Savannah Guthrie’s Legacy

Savannah Guthrie is a master of her craft, blending sharp journalism with relatability. Her Today tenure is a triumph, marked by Emmy-winning coverage and interviews that cut through noise to find truth. Her legal background adds depth, making her a standout in trial reporting, while her children’s books show a playful side. The Hoda Kotb transition was handled with grace, proving her leadership. Off-screen, her advocacy for mental health and openness about motherhood resonate deeply. If there’s a critique, it’s that her packed schedule leaves fans wanting more personal projects. Savannah’s legacy is one of excellence, and she’s only getting started.

Rating: 9/10 – A journalism icon with a heart of gold.

FAQ: Your Questions About Savannah Guthrie Answered

Q: What is Savannah Guthrie’s net worth in 2025? A: Her net worth is estimated at $40 million to $45 million, driven by her $8 million NBC salary, real estate, and book royalties.

Q: How did Savannah Guthrie become famous? A: She rose through local news, covered major stories like 9/11, and became Today’s co-anchor in 2012 after roles as NBC’s White House correspondent and legal analyst.

Q: Who is Savannah Guthrie married to? A: She’s married to Michael Feldman, a political consultant, since 2014. They have two children, Vale and Charley. Her first marriage to Mark Orchard ended in 2009.

Q: What are Savannah Guthrie’s biggest career achievements? A: Two Emmy Awards, co-anchoring Today since 2012, and bestselling children’s books, plus coverage of major events and interviews.

Q: What’s next for Savannah Guthrie in 2025? A: She’ll continue co-anchoring Today with Craig Melvin, may explore new books or producing, and could expand her advocacy work.

Q: Where can I follow Savannah Guthrie’s updates? A: Visit FilmyFire.com for news or follow her on Twitter

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Before it was a thing, Liz Forkin Bohannon came up with the idea of making sandals with interchangeable ribbon ties that could be made by women, for women, to raise enough money to send girls in developing nations to university. She launched Sseko Designs in 2009 from her home base in Portland, Oregon. From a handshake deal under a mango tree in Uganda, she’s grown her fair trade business to 65 employees in almost as many time zones, a third of whom at any one time are earning money to go on to higher ed. From that game-changing sandal concept, Sseko now sells more than 300 different items like scarves, jewelry, handbags, clothing and, as of a few weeks ago, coffee. In 2015, Liz brought the business onto Shark Tank and, in 2019, she wrote Beginner’s Pluck: Build Your Life of Purpose and Impact Now. “It’s all been such a fun, wild ride,” she told Bare Necessities. Find out what’s next for this Power Figure on a mission to make the world a more equitable place for womankind. Q: How did you get where you are now?A: I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and went to the University of Missouri’s journalism school for undergrad and graduate school. I always knew I wanted to do more advocacy work around social justice, primarily gender equality on a global level. Because I graduated with zero real life experience, it turned out that the New York Times was very uninterested in hiring me, so I took a job at a corporate communications firm. A few months in, I was asking myself what I was doing there, and I had this aha moment: Of course no one’s going to pay you to do the kind of work you want to do; you don’t know anything about it! Just go learn. So I bought a one-way ticket to Uganda. My goal was to meet people, to make friends, to build my community. I had all this data understanding of the challenges facing women and girls, but no community-based knowledge. I got involved with an organization that was working to create a college preparatory program for the brightest scholars from disadvantaged programs and poor rural areas who were facing a challenge in the nine-month gap between high school and university. Once they return to their villages, the likelihood of going on to college is low. There’s a lack of finances, a loss of social support to continue their education, pressure to marry and have kids…. Surely we can bridge the gap, I thought. I came up with the design for a sandal, though I have no background in fashion or design. I hired Mary, Mercy and Rebecca underneath a tree and told them if they would make sandals for nine months, I promised to sell them so they could go to college. So just as your parents want you to do with a Master’s degree in journalism, I started selling sandals out of the back of my car. Incredibly, there was a lot of interest in the product itself, a leather sandal with interchangeable ribbon ties. At the time, there was nothing like it on the market. I knew we could scale the business and make a difference. [perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Just as your parents want you to do with a Master’s degree in journalism, I started selling sandals out of the back of my car”[/perfectpullquote] The first five years we spent building the manufacturing side from scratch to be the best in class; we’ve become one of the larger exporters in Kampala. We’re not a fair trade organization that happens to sell stuff; we use raw materials to make really beautiful, well-made, high quality, on-trend products women are going to love. Four years ago, we launched a social selling direct sales model. In February, we took our top sellers to Uganda for 10 days to meet the artisans’ families, to take photos… it’s become this really cool long-term relationship. That’s the game-changer: The product is cute and my friend made it. There’s a really deep connection built in. Q: What challenges have you had to deal with running Sseko Designs?A: This has been a very stressful time to lead a company, but what’s amazing is these artisans all over the world are saving the careers of women in the United States right now, enabling our families to continue during hard times. There is no safety net in Uganda, there is no stimulus package, no personal protective equipment. It was really scary for us, but it’s been so good to see our community rising to the occasion. Our mission matters now more than ever. For us in particular, it’s always been the breadth of work. It’s atypical to source materials, design, manufacture and handle logistics, sales and marketing. So my challenge is to maintain a sense of focus within an enormous scope. To know our limits. Especially when you have this social focus, it turns out if you raise your hand to solve one problem, there’s pressure to solve a lot of other problems as well, and they’re all worthwhile problems to solve. So many entrepreneurs get spread too thin. It takes having the focus to say “as an organization, this is the problem we’re dedicated to solving.” Q: How does your work empower female entrepreneurs and further the cause of social justice?A: We have so much work to do, but I feel deeply hopeful about our role in what’s happening because there is this shared vision we can all get behind: Every girl should have the opportunity to learn and to lead. The onus is on us; we’re not going to be a company advocating on behalf of Black women in Africa and not recognize the same root of that inequality in our own neighborhoods. The work of people of color for the last 400 years who have been laying the foundation for doing the work, finally it seems there is a more mainstream awakening. While I will say we’ve been working intentionally on creating a diverse, inclusive community, we have so much learning to do. We’re struggling through and leaning in. It’s so messy, but this is the work of justice. Q: What drives you?A: A very deep belief that all humans deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and the fact that’s where that’s not the case, we can actually do something about it. I’m far enough away now from the idealism of my youth and all the hyperbole about changing the world, but what if I can change it for some? What if I can create a place of dignity and opportunity where it didn’t exist before, and make tomorrow a little more just than it was yesterday? As challenging as this road has been, I try not to take for granted that I believe deeply in change. We can pivot, iterate, get things done. That provides a deep well of motivation. [perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”What if I can create a place of opportunity where it didn’t exist before, and make tomorrow a little more just than it was yesterday?”[/perfectpullquote] Q: How did you learn how to lead?A: Trial and error, and embracing a “yes and” philosophy. There is no magic bullet for most companies; there are just different seasons. I’m working around the clock to lead an international company through a global pandemic and a civil rights movement while raising two young kids, so I’m letting go of the idea of balance this season. Right now, I have no boundaries, and that’s not healthy or sustainable, but sometimes you have to do it. Eventually, I will  need to put up boundaries, but you have to be okay with those ebbs and flows. I’m not about to ask the meta questions about work-life balance; I’m just trying to find out what works for us this week and be okay with that. Outside of work, I’m rooted in community and friendship. It’s important to have people in my life who are willing to say, “Hey, it seems like this is taking a toll on you. What can we do?” Q: What do you want women to know who are coming up like you did?A: How hard it is, and how worth it. We have a lot of really unhelpful narratives in our culture about following your passion and dreaming big that leave a lot of people feeling broken and unfulfilled day to day. Just know that if it’s really hard, it’s probably because you’re doing something right. Keep experimenting, and keeping working on your own ego. By being a part of something bigger than yourself, when those moments of failure do hit, you can tap into that knowledge that it’s not about you; you play a part in that story. THE WORLD ACCORDING TO LIZFavorite bra: Natori Bliss Perfection Wire-Free T-Shirt Bra.Favorite Sseko design: Our canvas travel bag is the ultimate. It’s super chic, versatile and sophisticated.Personal mantra: As Ram Dass said, “We’re here to walk one another home.”Best way to de-stress: A walk to the neighborhood rope swing with my two boys.Greatest extravagance: I drink really good coffee now!Superpower: Optimism. I’m not naive, I just have hope things can be better, and we get to be a part of it.Proudest moment: Seeing my team rise to the challenge this past March. Seeing them flex and go out of our comfort zones. We’ve come too far to only come this far.Biggest risk: Shifting our business model when the stakes weren’t low anymore. We had to ask ourselves if we could come back if it didn’t work.Bad habit: Talking too loudly. I have low volume awareness.Secret talent: Splinter removal.Fear you’re trying to overcome: I wouldn’t consider myself a people-pleaser, but the older I get, the less power others’ opinions have over me.Most useful emoji: The “pluck yeah,” rock on hand.Current obsession: Schitt’s Creek feels like a treat. It’s part of our nightly wind-down routine.In a word, I am: Plucky. Source link

[norajworld]

Before it was a thing, Liz Forkin Bohannon came up with the idea of making sandals with interchangeable ribbon ties that could be made by women, for women, to raise enough money to send girls in developing nations to university. She launched Sseko Designs in 2009 from her home base in Portland, Oregon. From a handshake deal under a mango tree in Uganda, she’s grown her fair trade business to 65 employees in almost as many time zones, a third of whom at any one time are earning money to go on to higher ed. From that game-changing sandal concept, Sseko now sells more than 300 different items like scarves, jewelry, handbags, clothing and, as of a few weeks ago, coffee. In 2015, Liz brought the business onto Shark Tank and, in 2019, she wrote Beginner’s Pluck: Build Your Life of Purpose and Impact Now. “It’s all been such a fun, wild ride,” she told Bare Necessities. Find out what’s next for this Power Figure on a mission to make the world a more equitable place for womankind. Q: How did you get where you are now?A: I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and went to the University of Missouri’s journalism school for undergrad and graduate school. I always knew I wanted to do more advocacy work around social justice, primarily gender equality on a global level. Because I graduated with zero real life experience, it turned out that the New York Times was very uninterested in hiring me, so I took a job at a corporate communications firm. A few months in, I was asking myself what I was doing there, and I had this aha moment: Of course no one’s going to pay you to do the kind of work you want to do; you don’t know anything about it! Just go learn. So I bought a one-way ticket to Uganda. My goal was to meet people, to make friends, to build my community. I had all this data understanding of the challenges facing women and girls, but no community-based knowledge. I got involved with an organization that was working to create a college preparatory program for the brightest scholars from disadvantaged programs and poor rural areas who were facing a challenge in the nine-month gap between high school and university. Once they return to their villages, the likelihood of going on to college is low. There’s a lack of finances, a loss of social support to continue their education, pressure to marry and have kids…. Surely we can bridge the gap, I thought. I came up with the design for a sandal, though I have no background in fashion or design. I hired Mary, Mercy and Rebecca underneath a tree and told them if they would make sandals for nine months, I promised to sell them so they could go to college. So just as your parents want you to do with a Master’s degree in journalism, I started selling sandals out of the back of my car. Incredibly, there was a lot of interest in the product itself, a leather sandal with interchangeable ribbon ties. At the time, there was nothing like it on the market. I knew we could scale the business and make a difference. [perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Just as your parents want you to do with a Master’s degree in journalism, I started selling sandals out of the back of my car”[/perfectpullquote] The first five years we spent building the manufacturing side from scratch to be the best in class; we’ve become one of the larger exporters in Kampala. We’re not a fair trade organization that happens to sell stuff; we use raw materials to make really beautiful, well-made, high quality, on-trend products women are going to love. Four years ago, we launched a social selling direct sales model. In February, we took our top sellers to Uganda for 10 days to meet the artisans’ families, to take photos… it’s become this really cool long-term relationship. That’s the game-changer: The product is cute and my friend made it. There’s a really deep connection built in. Q: What challenges have you had to deal with running Sseko Designs?A: This has been a very stressful time to lead a company, but what’s amazing is these artisans all over the world are saving the careers of women in the United States right now, enabling our families to continue during hard times. There is no safety net in Uganda, there is no stimulus package, no personal protective equipment. It was really scary for us, but it’s been so good to see our community rising to the occasion. Our mission matters now more than ever. For us in particular, it’s always been the breadth of work. It’s atypical to source materials, design, manufacture and handle logistics, sales and marketing. So my challenge is to maintain a sense of focus within an enormous scope. To know our limits. Especially when you have this social focus, it turns out if you raise your hand to solve one problem, there’s pressure to solve a lot of other problems as well, and they’re all worthwhile problems to solve. So many entrepreneurs get spread too thin. It takes having the focus to say “as an organization, this is the problem we’re dedicated to solving.” Q: How does your work empower female entrepreneurs and further the cause of social justice?A: We have so much work to do, but I feel deeply hopeful about our role in what’s happening because there is this shared vision we can all get behind: Every girl should have the opportunity to learn and to lead. The onus is on us; we’re not going to be a company advocating on behalf of Black women in Africa and not recognize the same root of that inequality in our own neighborhoods. The work of people of color for the last 400 years who have been laying the foundation for doing the work, finally it seems there is a more mainstream awakening. While I will say we’ve been working intentionally on creating a diverse, inclusive community, we have so much learning to do. We’re struggling through and leaning in. It’s so messy, but this is the work of justice. Q: What drives you?A: A very deep belief that all humans deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and the fact that’s where that’s not the case, we can actually do something about it. I’m far enough away now from the idealism of my youth and all the hyperbole about changing the world, but what if I can change it for some? What if I can create a place of dignity and opportunity where it didn’t exist before, and make tomorrow a little more just than it was yesterday? As challenging as this road has been, I try not to take for granted that I believe deeply in change. We can pivot, iterate, get things done. That provides a deep well of motivation. [perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”What if I can create a place of opportunity where it didn’t exist before, and make tomorrow a little more just than it was yesterday?”[/perfectpullquote] Q: How did you learn how to lead?A: Trial and error, and embracing a “yes and” philosophy. There is no magic bullet for most companies; there are just different seasons. I’m working around the clock to lead an international company through a global pandemic and a civil rights movement while raising two young kids, so I’m letting go of the idea of balance this season. Right now, I have no boundaries, and that’s not healthy or sustainable, but sometimes you have to do it. Eventually, I will  need to put up boundaries, but you have to be okay with those ebbs and flows. I’m not about to ask the meta questions about work-life balance; I’m just trying to find out what works for us this week and be okay with that. Outside of work, I’m rooted in community and friendship. It’s important to have people in my life who are willing to say, “Hey, it seems like this is taking a toll on you. What can we do?” Q: What do you want women to know who are coming up like you did?A: How hard it is, and how worth it. We have a lot of really unhelpful narratives in our culture about following your passion and dreaming big that leave a lot of people feeling broken and unfulfilled day to day. Just know that if it’s really hard, it’s probably because you’re doing something right. Keep experimenting, and keeping working on your own ego. By being a part of something bigger than yourself, when those moments of failure do hit, you can tap into that knowledge that it’s not about you; you play a part in that story. THE WORLD ACCORDING TO LIZFavorite bra: Natori Bliss Perfection Wire-Free T-Shirt Bra.Favorite Sseko design: Our canvas travel bag is the ultimate. It’s super chic, versatile and sophisticated.Personal mantra: As Ram Dass said, “We’re here to walk one another home.”Best way to de-stress: A walk to the neighborhood rope swing with my two boys.Greatest extravagance: I drink really good coffee now!Superpower: Optimism. I’m not naive, I just have hope things can be better, and we get to be a part of it.Proudest moment: Seeing my team rise to the challenge this past March. Seeing them flex and go out of our comfort zones. We’ve come too far to only come this far.Biggest risk: Shifting our business model when the stakes weren’t low anymore. We had to ask ourselves if we could come back if it didn’t work.Bad habit: Talking too loudly. I have low volume awareness.Secret talent: Splinter removal.Fear you’re trying to overcome: I wouldn’t consider myself a people-pleaser, but the older I get, the less power others’ opinions have over me.Most useful emoji: The “pluck yeah,” rock on hand.Current obsession: Schitt’s Creek feels like a treat. It’s part of our nightly wind-down routine.In a word, I am: Plucky. Source link

[lboogie1906]

Ernie Suggs (March 18, 1967) is a journalist with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution who writes about race and culture. He writes about the Carter Center and former President Jimmy Carter. He oversees AJC Sepia, the newspaper’s Black news curation site, and the Unapologetically ATL newsletter.

He was born in Brooklyn and raised in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He graduated from Rocky Mount Senior High School. He is a graduate of North Carolina Central University, with an English Literature degree. He was editor and sports editor of The Campus Echo and a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He was a Harvard University Nieman Fellow.

He joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 1997 and writes about race and culture, as well as a variety of breaking national news and investigative stories. He has been the paper’s primary civil rights reporter, covering activists including Coretta Scott King, Joseph E. Lowery, C. T. Vivian, Hosea Williams, and Andrew Young. He wrote about the protests in Ferguson, Missouri after the shooting of Michael Brown. He reported for Gannett Newspapers in New York City and The Herald-Sun in Durham. He was awarded a fellowship through the Education Writers Association. He published “Fighting to Survive: Historically Black Colleges and Universities Face the 21st Century”,” an in-depth examination of HBCUs. He wrote The Many Lives of Andrew Young.

His 1997 “Fighting to Survive” series won him the Journalist of the Year Award from the American Association of University Professors; First Place, Salute to Excellence Journalism Award for Investigative Reporting from the National Association of Black Journalists; Journalist of the Year from the North Carolina Black Publishers Association; and Journalist of the Year from the North Carolina Press Association.

He is a member of the Nieman Foundation’s Board of Trustees and the former national vice president of the National Association of Black Journalists. He received a Pioneer Black Journalist Award from the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists. He has been a judge for the National Headliner Awards. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #alphaphialpha

[chilimili212]

Before it was a thing, Liz Forkin Bohannon came up with the idea of making sandals with interchangeable ribbon ties that could be made by women, for women, to raise enough money to send girls in developing nations to university. She launched Sseko Designs in 2009 from her home base in Portland, Oregon. From a handshake deal under a mango tree in Uganda, she’s grown her fair trade business to 65 employees in almost as many time zones, a third of whom at any one time are earning money to go on to higher ed. From that game-changing sandal concept, Sseko now sells more than 300 different items like scarves, jewelry, handbags, clothing and, as of a few weeks ago, coffee. In 2015, Liz brought the business onto Shark Tank and, in 2019, she wrote Beginner’s Pluck: Build Your Life of Purpose and Impact Now. “It’s all been such a fun, wild ride,” she told Bare Necessities. Find out what’s next for this Power Figure on a mission to make the world a more equitable place for womankind. Q: How did you get where you are now?A: I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and went to the University of Missouri’s journalism school for undergrad and graduate school. I always knew I wanted to do more advocacy work around social justice, primarily gender equality on a global level. Because I graduated with zero real life experience, it turned out that the New York Times was very uninterested in hiring me, so I took a job at a corporate communications firm. A few months in, I was asking myself what I was doing there, and I had this aha moment: Of course no one’s going to pay you to do the kind of work you want to do; you don’t know anything about it! Just go learn. So I bought a one-way ticket to Uganda. My goal was to meet people, to make friends, to build my community. I had all this data understanding of the challenges facing women and girls, but no community-based knowledge. I got involved with an organization that was working to create a college preparatory program for the brightest scholars from disadvantaged programs and poor rural areas who were facing a challenge in the nine-month gap between high school and university. Once they return to their villages, the likelihood of going on to college is low. There’s a lack of finances, a loss of social support to continue their education, pressure to marry and have kids…. Surely we can bridge the gap, I thought. I came up with the design for a sandal, though I have no background in fashion or design. I hired Mary, Mercy and Rebecca underneath a tree and told them if they would make sandals for nine months, I promised to sell them so they could go to college. So just as your parents want you to do with a Master’s degree in journalism, I started selling sandals out of the back of my car. Incredibly, there was a lot of interest in the product itself, a leather sandal with interchangeable ribbon ties. At the time, there was nothing like it on the market. I knew we could scale the business and make a difference. [perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Just as your parents want you to do with a Master’s degree in journalism, I started selling sandals out of the back of my car”[/perfectpullquote] The first five years we spent building the manufacturing side from scratch to be the best in class; we’ve become one of the larger exporters in Kampala. We’re not a fair trade organization that happens to sell stuff; we use raw materials to make really beautiful, well-made, high quality, on-trend products women are going to love. Four years ago, we launched a social selling direct sales model. In February, we took our top sellers to Uganda for 10 days to meet the artisans’ families, to take photos… it’s become this really cool long-term relationship. That’s the game-changer: The product is cute and my friend made it. There’s a really deep connection built in. Q: What challenges have you had to deal with running Sseko Designs?A: This has been a very stressful time to lead a company, but what’s amazing is these artisans all over the world are saving the careers of women in the United States right now, enabling our families to continue during hard times. There is no safety net in Uganda, there is no stimulus package, no personal protective equipment. It was really scary for us, but it’s been so good to see our community rising to the occasion. Our mission matters now more than ever. For us in particular, it’s always been the breadth of work. It’s atypical to source materials, design, manufacture and handle logistics, sales and marketing. So my challenge is to maintain a sense of focus within an enormous scope. To know our limits. Especially when you have this social focus, it turns out if you raise your hand to solve one problem, there’s pressure to solve a lot of other problems as well, and they’re all worthwhile problems to solve. So many entrepreneurs get spread too thin. It takes having the focus to say “as an organization, this is the problem we’re dedicated to solving.” Q: How does your work empower female entrepreneurs and further the cause of social justice?A: We have so much work to do, but I feel deeply hopeful about our role in what’s happening because there is this shared vision we can all get behind: Every girl should have the opportunity to learn and to lead. The onus is on us; we’re not going to be a company advocating on behalf of Black women in Africa and not recognize the same root of that inequality in our own neighborhoods. The work of people of color for the last 400 years who have been laying the foundation for doing the work, finally it seems there is a more mainstream awakening. While I will say we’ve been working intentionally on creating a diverse, inclusive community, we have so much learning to do. We’re struggling through and leaning in. It’s so messy, but this is the work of justice. Q: What drives you?A: A very deep belief that all humans deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and the fact that’s where that’s not the case, we can actually do something about it. I’m far enough away now from the idealism of my youth and all the hyperbole about changing the world, but what if I can change it for some? What if I can create a place of dignity and opportunity where it didn’t exist before, and make tomorrow a little more just than it was yesterday? As challenging as this road has been, I try not to take for granted that I believe deeply in change. We can pivot, iterate, get things done. That provides a deep well of motivation. [perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”What if I can create a place of opportunity where it didn’t exist before, and make tomorrow a little more just than it was yesterday?”[/perfectpullquote] Q: How did you learn how to lead?A: Trial and error, and embracing a “yes and” philosophy. There is no magic bullet for most companies; there are just different seasons. I’m working around the clock to lead an international company through a global pandemic and a civil rights movement while raising two young kids, so I’m letting go of the idea of balance this season. Right now, I have no boundaries, and that’s not healthy or sustainable, but sometimes you have to do it. Eventually, I will  need to put up boundaries, but you have to be okay with those ebbs and flows. I’m not about to ask the meta questions about work-life balance; I’m just trying to find out what works for us this week and be okay with that. Outside of work, I’m rooted in community and friendship. It’s important to have people in my life who are willing to say, “Hey, it seems like this is taking a toll on you. What can we do?” Q: What do you want women to know who are coming up like you did?A: How hard it is, and how worth it. We have a lot of really unhelpful narratives in our culture about following your passion and dreaming big that leave a lot of people feeling broken and unfulfilled day to day. Just know that if it’s really hard, it’s probably because you’re doing something right. Keep experimenting, and keeping working on your own ego. By being a part of something bigger than yourself, when those moments of failure do hit, you can tap into that knowledge that it’s not about you; you play a part in that story. THE WORLD ACCORDING TO LIZFavorite bra: Natori Bliss Perfection Wire-Free T-Shirt Bra.Favorite Sseko design: Our canvas travel bag is the ultimate. It’s super chic, versatile and sophisticated.Personal mantra: As Ram Dass said, “We’re here to walk one another home.”Best way to de-stress: A walk to the neighborhood rope swing with my two boys.Greatest extravagance: I drink really good coffee now!Superpower: Optimism. I’m not naive, I just have hope things can be better, and we get to be a part of it.Proudest moment: Seeing my team rise to the challenge this past March. Seeing them flex and go out of our comfort zones. We’ve come too far to only come this far.Biggest risk: Shifting our business model when the stakes weren’t low anymore. We had to ask ourselves if we could come back if it didn’t work.Bad habit: Talking too loudly. I have low volume awareness.Secret talent: Splinter removal.Fear you’re trying to overcome: I wouldn’t consider myself a people-pleaser, but the older I get, the less power others’ opinions have over me.Most useful emoji: The “pluck yeah,” rock on hand.Current obsession: Schitt’s Creek feels like a treat. It’s part of our nightly wind-down routine.In a word, I am: Plucky. Source link

[sexyandtalentedmen]

Sex symbols through the decades - 1990's:

Brad Pitt (1963 - )

William Bradley Pitts, professionally known as Brad Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Known as one of the most attractive men alive.

Brad Pitt was born on December 18th 1963, in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He attended Kickapoo High School, where he was a member of the golf, swimming, and tennis teams. He participated in the school's Key and Forensics clubs, in school debates, and in musicals.

Following his graduation from high school, Brad enrolled in the University of Missouri in 1982, majoring in journalism with a focus on advertising. He loved films and, two weeks short of completing the coursework for a degree, Brad left university and moved to Los Angeles, where he took acting lessons and worked odd jobs.

He became famous during the mid-1990s after starring in several major Hollywood films. He has since been called one of the greatest American actors and has won an Academy Award, Golden Globes, and a BAFTA.

[thatrandomsarahchick]

@nuget138 This would work if the Kent's home schooled Clark to start off with, or for a few years, because he kept getting new powers that he couldn't control. So Clark doesn't realise that hearing that well isn't a common thing with children because his parents tried to normalise it for him to give him a stable childhood, and he thinks that Danny knew he was listening - why else would he keep talking any his day like that?

Danny, on the other hand, had overheard Jazz saying that writing down everything in her journal helped her process things. Unfortunately, Danny isn't the best at writing yet, so he got into the habit of spreading his thoughts into the universe.

Imagine this with a younger Clark Kent, a few years younger than Danny. He developed superior hearing when he first bathed in the yellow sun, but over the years, it got more and more potent. Dad had been teaching him a trick to focus his hearing, but it was so boring! All the sounds dad was wanting him to focus on were things like the corn in the wind - things he would hear every day anyway! Instead, he tried to spread his hearing out as far away as it could go to the right.

After about 10 minutes of getting to sort through all the different sounds he was hearing, he heard another young boy speaking: "I don't know if anyone is listening, but if you are can we be friends?"

A friend! The only friends he had were the animals around the farm! How long had this boy been speaking before Clark finally listened it for them? Well, no more! Clark made that his focus sound and started listening out for the boys' day to dad words sheet things for too much. A few days later, he finds out that the boys name is Danny.

Clark was 5 when he developed flight for the first time. He had been listening to his friend grumble about his parents' machine not working when suddenly he let out the most horrible, prolonged scream that Clark had heard in his life! He was so focused on getting there that he was passing over Missouri before he even realised that he was flying instead of running.

He knew he'd be in so much trouble with mum later, but he had to hurry! Danny's scream was starting to die out, and he couldn't hear his heartbeat anymore.

DPXDC Prompt #24

10 year old Danny Fenton doesn’t have any friends and he wishes with all his heart that he did, his parents didn’t pay much attention to him paying more attention to the ghost portal they’ve almost completed. His sister was too overbearing and acted more like a mother than a friend. So one night he speaks out into the sky with his window open,

“I don’t know if anyone is listening but if you are can we be friends?”

little does he know Superman who recently got his super-hearing hears him.

“Yes I will” Superman replies to himself.

Superman listens to Danny every night as he talks about his life. A month goes by and the portal is complete but it doesn’t work. Danny goes inside after his parents aren’t home… He’s electrocuted and screams the pain’s unbearable. Superman flies straight to him hearing the screams of his friend.

When Danny comes to he’s looking straight at Superman.

“Danny!! Are you OK?”

“How do you know my name??”

[currentmediasstuff]

Jack Dorsey – Life Journey

Early Life and Education

Jack Dorsey was born on November 19, 1976, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Marcia Smith and Tim Dorsey. Growing up in a dynamic environment due to his father’s job, Dorsey developed a fascination for maps, sparking his early interest in technology. Despite grappling with stuttering during his childhood, he overcame this obstacle through participation in oratory competitions, honing his communication skills.

Dorsey’s affinity for computers blossomed during his high school years at Bishop du Bourg High School in St. Louis, where he actively engaged in the school’s computer club. His voracious appetite for knowledge led him to immerse himself in studying the available model of IBM computers, laying the foundation for his future endeavors in technology.

After completing high school, Jack Dorsey pursued higher education at the Missouri University of Science and Technology before transferring to New York University. It was during his time at NYU that he conceived the groundbreaking idea for Twitter — a platform for sharing short messages with friends in real-time. Despite not completing his degree, Dorsey’s entrepreneurial spirit propelled him to pursue his vision for revolutionizing communication in the digital age.

Entrepreneurial Ventures

Embarking on his career as a programmer, Dorsey ventured to Oakland, California, in 2000, where he established a company aimed at dispatching taxis, couriers, and emergency services. Despite encountering initial setbacks, including the failure of his company, Dorsey remained undeterred in his quest to create innovative solutions to real-world challenges.

Dorsey’s perseverance bore fruit in 2006 when he, alongside co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams, launched Twitter — an online social networking service that would redefine the way people connect and communicate globally. Within a remarkably short span, Twitter skyrocketed to prominence, becoming one of the most influential platforms in the digital landscape.

In addition to his groundbreaking work with Twitter, Dorsey co-founded Square Inc. in 2009, a mobile payments company aimed at revolutionizing financial transactions. Under Dorsey’s leadership as CEO, Square expanded its offerings to include a diverse range of financial and merchant services, solidifying its position as a leader in the fintech industry.

Recognition and Legacy

Dorsey’s visionary leadership and entrepreneurial prowess have garnered widespread acclaim, earning him accolades such as being named one of the top 35 innovators under the age of 35 by the MIT Technology Review in 2008. His contributions to technology and business were further underscored when he received the “Innovator of the Year Award” for technology from The Wall Street Journal in 2012.

Beyond his professional achievements, Dorsey’s personal life has also attracted attention, with his relationships with British model Lily Cole and yoga instructor Kate Greer making headlines.

As of June 2015, Jack Dorsey boasts a net worth of US $2.4 billion, solidifying his legacy as a visionary entrepreneur and influential figure in the world of technology and business. His pioneering efforts with Twitter and Square continue to shape the digital landscape, inspiring future generations of innovators to push the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of technology and entrepreneurship.