Back in broadcasting in my 8th decade—now that’s rewiring for sure!
When Fintech.TV cofounder, Kavita Gupta, called to invite me to host a weekly series on her tech platform for thought leadership and investment news with a combined global reach of 850 million households through its broadcasting partnerships with Times Now India, CNBC Arabia, CNBC Africa and Bloomberg USA and UK editions, I was surprised and flattered.
Of course, like nearly everyone during the pandemic, as our work moved to virtual, I had been ‘appearing’ regularly on the ZOOM platform, moderating forums and giving virtual keynotes. It had felt a little like being back on television with my ring light and teleprompter set up. But the proposal of a weekly interview show that would be distributed globally on television and digitally, well, why not? Especially if I had an opportunity to elevate the ideas, innovations and impact of women leaders I had the privilege of knowing around the world.
So I’m back on TV with a series, DANGEROUS WOMEN: LEADING ONWARD, as part of Fintech.TV’s commitment to IMPACT, elevating opportunity for the financial markets, private investors and philanthropists to get engaged in initiatives, organizations, and movements led by women for social change and impact.
In the first series already produced and in distribution, I talk to women leaders from around the world who are the very definition of dangerous.
They are taking risks, speaking out against injustice, standing up for greater representation of women and communities of color, showing up for each other and leading movements, organizations, and innovations that are creating change.
Each of them, in one way or another, share their personal ‘learning by doing’ philosophy — being willing to take up leadership or pursue an opportunity without first 'ticking all the boxes.' Each talked about the most essential factors for success in any position... especially one with intention to lead for change, purpose and passion. If leaders have that and are willing to take necessary risks, the outcome will be positive social impact —and their stories and accomplishments are inspiring examples.
The series, which began streaming in March (and continues to post new episodes each week), includes interviews so far with these dangerous women: activist, playwright, creator of the VDAY movement to end violence against women and One Billion Rising, V, formerly known as Eve Ensler; Cheryl Dorsey, president of Echoing Green; author and feminist leader, Gloria Steinem; Emmy winning actress and activist, Thandie Newton; Christiane Amanpour, chief international correspondent for CNN and host of Amanpour & Company; Yang Lan, journalist, co-founder and chairperson of Sun Media Group in China; Jacki Zehner, president of The Jacquelyn and Gregory Zehner Foundation, founder of Women Moving Millions and ShePlace; author and activist Mia Birdsong; Acumen CEO Jacqueline Novogratz; Catalina Escobar, founder and CEO of the Juanfe Foundation, Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw, lawyer and founder of the African American Policy Institute; and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
I also had the opportunity to talk with four extraordinary women that are making a difference on the African continent: Christine Schuler Deschryver, co-founder of City of Joy in the DRC (pictured, above); Soiya Gecaga, founder of We The Change Foundation in Kenya; Dr. Lucy King, leader at Elephants and Bees Project in Kenya; and Juliet Asante, CEO of the National Film Authority in Ghana.
Earlier this month, we also launched my interview with Yang Lan, who is widely described as the 'Oprah of China,' because of her groundbreaking work on television and as a media entrepreneur. She is a co-founder of Sun Media Group and founder of Her Village Academy, one of the largest global movements to empower women in China for economic access and opportunity.
Like most of these dangerous women, Lan shared with me an early failure in her career and how she found persistence to continue in the Chinese belief about bamboo and water:
"Bamboo represents perseverance, and also resilience. In the face of a strong wind, it may bend a little, but it bounces back. So that's character and perseverance, to believe and trust in yourself. But then, in the way we do things, we can always learn. The water has the wisdom to flow where it leads to and it becomes the shape of whatever holds it. So it has the agility and the flexibility to learn how to do things better."
Likewise, Cheryl Dorsey, president of Echoing Green, talked about how she gradually figured out her path simply by doing.
She told me, "Everything I do comes through the lessons of social movement leaders, and they’re a continuum. They all needed to be there together, but they had to figure out where their skills, gifts, and talents fit along the movement architecture. You’re most dangerous where your head and heart are aligned, where your skills and gifts are uniquely placed to drive change.”
I am grateful for all the inspiration that each half-hour conversation has yielded. You can see the shows that are in distribution now here and we have started a second season of these interviews because the list of Dangerous Women: Leading Onward is long and impressive, and I am so fortunate to share them with the world through my partners at Fintech.TV.
There is so much we can learn from each other's stories and I'm so grateful to have the chance to share these remarkable women's stories with you.
Onward!
-Pat
