I’m stunned by the death of Gloria Steinem. Yes, I know she was 92, but for me, it’s still a shock. She was a force in my life for what seems like forever.
For the past few days I’ve been reading about her and watching videos. I just listened to Gloria Steinem’s keynote conversation from Cherry Bombe’s Jubilee in April 2025. I learned that Steinem’s intellect, vision and wisdom applies to us in this industry of mostly women. We need each other.
For decades, Steinem was my role model and mentor. Long distance, of course, and in print. In high school, I read the first issue of Ms. magazine, which Steinem co-founded. Ms. magazine inspired me. I devoured it every month. Something burned in me after that. I didn’t know then that I would have a 50-year career in journalism. It was Steinem’s field as well.
Once, while a college student, I was in the same small room as Steinem at one of her cross-country university lectures. After she spoke, she asked journalists to come backstage for a press conference. We all hung out in a circle of comfy chairs, shyly asking questions. But I was too terrified to say a word.
After listening to the Radio Cherry Bombe podcast, I continued to the second part, a panel called Meet the Moment: The Power of Food and Storytelling in Creating Change. As Cherry Bombe Founder Kerry Diamond states,