Category: Social Causes

Meet Michelle Materre, who during her 30+ year career, has amassed the following credits: producer, writer, arts administrator, distribution and marketing specialist and professor. For more than 20 years, her critically acclaimed film series, "Creatively Speaking," has been a respected forum for presenting works by and about women and people of color. Michelle is also a Associate Professor of Media Studies and Film at The New School. This creative woman has plenty to share, so sit back and enjoy this conversation.

Talya Tibbon is an award-winning documentary film and television director, producer and writer whose projects have focused on contemporary social and political issues. Talya has documented street gangs, drug dealers and users, former Guantanamo detainees setting out on a new path and now, perhaps the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time - the plight of refugees leaving war-ravaged Syria to seek asylum in other countries. Her riveting documentary "SKY AND GROUND" chronicles the journey of one such family as they make their way from Aleppo, Syria, to a refugee camp on the border of Greece and Macedonia, to their eventual goal - Berlin. You can't afford to miss this honest, compelling conversation with one helluva creative, committed woman.

Meet Australian-born film editor, writer, director, producer Jessica Thompson, who moved to New York City in 2010 and where she co-founded Stedfast Productions, a collective of visual storytellers who use imagery to entertain, provoke thought and explore the human condition. Jessica, who has several short films under her belt, recently made her feature writing and directing debut with "Light of The Moon." It premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival and won the audience award for Best Narrative Feature. It tells the story of Bonnie, a young, successful Latina architect who is sexually assault walking home after spending the evening with friends at a bar in Brooklyn. There's plenty to talk about with yet another, creative, accomplished, engaging woman.

How many licensed female auctioneers can you name? It's probably fair to say none. Well, that's about to change. Meet Kathleen Guzman, the second licensed woman auctioneer in the U.S. and possibly the world. Kathleen is the Managing Director of Manhattan's Heritage Auctions (the 3rd largest auction house in the world). With more than 40 yeas experience in the art and antiques industry, Kathleen's expertise is much in demand. She's appeared on the PBS series, "Antiques Roadshow," a host on QVC, as well as Oprah, Good Morning America Today and CNN. This is one truly interesting and enlightening conversation.

Alison Desir is a force to be reckoned with. Passionate about community, mental health and fitness she got into distance running in 2012 as a way to cope with depression. It turned her life around. She founded Harlem Run and Run 4 All Women, and has been named by Women's Running as one of twenty women who are changing the sport of running, Alison takes a breather to sit down with us and share her inspirational story.