Dr. Jane Goodall was my childhood hero. Growing up, I wanted to follow in her footsteps and live in the jungle with the apes. Instead, I chose teaching. With Jane as my inspiration, I developed a Humane Education after-school program for grades K-8. Our club became so popular that more than seventy-five students were involved! One day, Dr. Goodall was lecturing at the University of Buffalo. As luck would have it, the associate dean of the university was a very close friend of Jane’s and had children who were members of my club. He arranged for Dr. Goodall to visit our school and see her Roots & Shoots program at work. The entire school serenaded her with the Raffi song, “Jane, Jane the chimpanzees are calling to thank you—Jane, Jane, the chimps are calling!” It brought tears to her eyes. Although I have traveled the world and seen and done things most people only dream of, I can say in all honesty that meeting Jane Goodall—my hero, my inspiration—was one of the best moments of my life. Dr. Goodall continues to inspire me to be kind and compassionate. I recently purchased more than eight acres of land in the Tennessee mountains, where I plan to open an animal sanctuary in 2018. Jane Goodall once said, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
CHELSEA KELLY
Buffalo, New York
Eunice Carter was one of New York’s first female African-American lawyers and one of the first prosecutors of color in the United States. She was hired by Thomas Dewey as assistant district attorney of New York and helped him bring down Lucky Luciano. Thomas Dewey received most of the credit for this, but he always kept Eunice close as a friend and recognized her work. With the roadblocks she must have faced, to make such a breakthrough in the 1920s is commendable.
JOANNE BIELAWSKI
Neptune, New Jersey
Frida Kahlo daily inspires me to live by my own standards. We both grew up children of two cultures. She lived in physical pain every day of her life, but that did not prevent her from loving fiercely, painting fiercely, and living fiercely. Her art was not conventional, and neither was her beauty. When I see images of her, I see myself, or what I could be. ¡Viva Frida!
DANIELL SMITH
Phoenix, Arizona
When I first started homeschooling my children, Marva Collins taught me that, as a parent, I could give my children a timeless educational experience. Marva agreed to be a speaker at one of my conferences, and what a joy it was to have her share her wisdom with me and the families in my homeschool organization. She changed my world during that season of my life and taught me that every child deserves a first-class education. I’m glad to have been a student of this remarkable woman’s timeless teachings.
JOYCE BURGES
Baker, Louisiana
The artwork of Beatrix Potter and Tasha Tudor continues to impress me. Visually, Beatrix Potter’s wonderful illustrations of bunnies, mice, and kittens are so appealing. Her simple but detailed style of ink and watercolor draws one into her work. Tasha Tudor happily and colorfully portrayed a simple life. Her work was so detailed, and she depicted little substories in the margins of her pages. My admiration stems from the fact that these women were motivated purely by their imaginations to create such wonderful art, using the situations of their lives and their surroundings. As a lifelong artist, I continue to be inspired by these women and the details of a simple life that fueled their art.
MARY FREY
Morganton, North Carolina
As a poet, I have been influenced by Marge Piercy in terms of striving to keep my work accessible to everyone. Both she and Edna St. Vincent Millay encourage me to show honest emotion in my writing. And Natalie Goldberg has been a great influence, demonstrating that everyday events can be subjects for poetry.
MARY MCDERMOTT
Orleans, Massachusetts
As a self-taught artist and nature lover, Tasha Tudor comes to mind when I think of those I admire. With flora and fauna all around her in a cozy cottage, she led a quiet life that nurtured her creativity. When the time came for me to create a blog, my friend chimed in, “You are Tasha Tudor meets Ralph Lauren.” I did not argue—a compliment for sure!
ANITA YOUNG
Wilmington, Illinois
