1 Girl Revolution

Jan Langbein, CEO of Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share her inspiring story, how she became aware of the epidemic of domestic violence, and what she is doing - and what we can all do - to bring an end to violence against women in our world. 

Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support provides safety, shelter and support for women and children who have experienced domestic violence, and works to raise awareness regarding its cause, prevalence and impact. Jan has been at the forefront of Genesis and active in efforts to end violence against women for 30 years. As the CEO, she oversees internal and external operations as well as funding and community education. Under her leadership, Genesis has grown from a seven-room emergency shelter to a full-service response for survivors of domestic violence and maintained its unique status as one of the few victim services programs that accomplishes sustainability without government funding. She is also a recognized national expert on domestic violence and conducts training and workshops across the United States. In partnership with the Dallas Police Department and the FBI, she co-founded the annual international Conference on Crimes Against Women.

Jan joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share all about her incredible work. 

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• Jan’’s inspiring life story; 
• The story of how Jan became aware of the epidemic of domestic violence in our world today;
• How she ended up volunteering with Genesis Women’s Shelter;
• About Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support and the International Conference on Crimes Against Women. 
• And so much more. 

For more information about Jan and Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, please visit: www.1girlrevolution.com/janlangbein

Kawser Amine is the founder and CEO of Women in Solidarity for Peace and Leadership (WSPL), a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, CA that is dedicated to advocating for and amplifying the voices of women and girls around the world. 

Kawser was born and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan, and is a former member of the female Afghan national soccer team. Kawser holds a Bachelor's degree in General Management and specialization in International Relations. Kawser broke through many barriers throughout her life, but playing soccer for the women’s Afghan national team and receiving a Bachelor’s degree are two of them. Kawser has worked in numerous aspects of society including leadership, governance, politics, peace processes, and sports - but her dedication to empowering women and girls has been a strong theme throughout her life. 

Kawser founded Women in Solidarity for Peace and Leadership (WSPL) to advocate and amplify women's voices by uniting influential figures worldwide and developing programs that empower women and girls to reach their full potential. Kawser’s goal is to address and abolish discrimination, inequality, and violence against girls and women in their home country of Afghanistan and around the world, and create a place where all women and girls are nurtured and encouraged to achieve their dreams and their highest potential.

Kawser joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share her inspiring life story, how she became interested in soccer and played for the national Afghan women’s team, why she founded Women in Solidarity for Peace and Leadership and she talks about their incredible, and so much more. 

Listen to episode #166 to hear Kawser’s inspiring story!

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• Kawser’s inspiring life story; 
• Her experience of growing up in Kabul. Afghanistan and how she rose against all odds to play for the national Afghan women’s soccer team;
• How she ended up in California and why she decided to start Women in Solidarity for Peace and Leadership;
• Kawser’s perspective on what’s going on how we can support our sisters in Afghanistan, Iran, and around the world. 
• And so much more. 

For more information about Kawser and Women in Solidarity for Peace and Leadership, please visit: www.1girlrevolution.com/kawser

Fawn Sampson is Minnesota born and raised, a citizen of the Leech Lake Nation, and a resident of Grand Rapids, MN. Fawn currently works for the University of Minnesota Extension in the Center for Community Vitality as an Extension Educator. Fawn joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share what it was like growing up on a Reservation, her experiences as an Indigenous woman in America today, and how she’s building community and empowering Indigenous peoples through education and art. 

Fawn is a graduate of Itasca Community College where she received her Associate of Arts, attended Bemidji State University where she received her Bachelor of Arts double majoring in American Indian Studies and Visual Arts, and received her Master of Education from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Fawn also has a Certificate in Organizational Development from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Her passions include the arts, networking, developing new relationships, and supporting communities throughout Minnesota but most importantly Indigenous communities and people across Turtle Island. At home, she is a cat mom (Ducky and Mooz), a mother to 2 boys (Hvrvnwvce and Opanv), and a wife to a talented artist and performer, Samsoche Sampson.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Fawn’s fascinating life story; 
• About Fawn’s experience growing up and living on a Reservation;
• How Fawn became a dancer and an artist, and how she and her family are continuing the culture and art of Indigenous peoples in America;
• About Fawn’s work to empower the Indigenous community through education, art, and creativity;
• And so much more. 

We plan to do much more on 1 Girl Revolution to empower other Native voices. This is only the beginning. If you know of other Indigenous women that we should highlight, please contact us at: [email protected]

For more information about Fawn, her life, and her work, please visit: www.1girlrevolution.com/fawn

Molly Reeser, founder of Camp Casey, joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share her story, the story of a little girl named Casey that changed the trajectory of Molly’s life, and the incredible work Molly and Camp Casey is doing to provide horse adventures and programming to children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. 

While attending Michigan State University, Molly was working at a horse barn and met a little girl named Casey Foote. Casey was battling cancer and would come to the barn to ride horses as a reprieve from her cancer fight. Casey and Molly became fast friends and when Casey unfortunately died just two years after their meeting, Molly decided to do something to honor Casey’s legacy, so she founded Camp Casey. What started as a one-day fun camp for children at one hospital, has turned into an ongoing therapeutic horse program for kids with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. 

Camp Casey is a nonprofit organization that provides cost-free horseback riding programs, adventures, and other projects to children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Camp Casey has four unique programs: Horsey House Calls, Cowboy Camp Outs, Outlaw Outings, and Lone Star Getaways. Camp Casey is changing lives every single day and we’re so excited to highlight their work at 1 Girl Revolution. Molly joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share her inspiring journey through life and with Camp Casey. 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Molly’s life story; 
• How she and Casey met and became fast friends through their shared love of horses;
• The story of when Casey passed away and how Molly decided at that moment to do something to honor little Casey’s life and legacy;
• How Camp Casey started and how it’s grown and evolved through the years;
• About the incredible work of Camp Casey and the powerful stories of children and families that have been helped through their work;
• And so much more. 

For more information about Molly and Camp Casey, please visit: www.1girlrevolution.com/campcasey

Diane Latiker, founder of Kids Off The Block, joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast this week to talk about her inspiring story and her incredible work to help inner city kids. Kids Off The Block started in 2003, when Diane simply opened her home to youth in her community to help them steer away from the negative influences they saw daily. Kids Off The Block works with at-risk low income youth and young adults, between the ages of 12-24 years old, and provides them with positive alternatives to gangs, drugs, truancy, violence and incarceration. Kids Off The Block provides homework help, mentoring, tutoring, activities, and a "safe place" to hangout. Kids Off The Block also provides food and other resources for kids too. The density and variety of programming invites these young people to come “off the streets” and become engaged in events that are conducted in a safe and caring environment.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Diane’s life story; 
• How she opened her home to her daughter’s friends and how that led to Kids Off The Block;
• About the incredible work of Kids Off The Block;
• Stories about the kids that Kids Off The Block works with and the difficulties they are facing;
• How Kids Off The Block has grown and evolved, and how they’re changing lives every single day;
• And so much more. 

For more information about Diane and Kids Off The Block, please visit: www.1girlrevolution.com/kidsofftheblock

Dr. Pamela Benitez, a surgeon and co-founder of the Shades of Pink Foundation, joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share her inspiring life story, how she decided to get into medicine and become a surgeon, how she’s helping people every single day, and how one conversation with a patient led to the Shades of Pink Foundation. 

The Shades of Pink Foundation was founded in 2005 and has worked with hundreds of breast cancer patients and their families and has helped alleviate the financial burden that many patients and their families face. Many patients diagnosed with breast cancer have extra financial burdens placed on them during treatment and recovery, but that is something not often talked about. Common financial burdens are mortgage payments or rent, insurance payments, transportation costs, childcare, and other essentials of daily life. The Shades of Pink Foundation is dedicated to reducing financial stress for those undergoing breast cancer treatment by providing prompt funding for daily living expenses. Since their founding in 2005, the Shades of Pink Foundation has provided more than $2 million of financial support to help cover the costs of everyday living expenses and by paying the bills directly, the Shades of Pink Foundation helps relieve patients of that burden, and gives them the peace of mind necessary to move forward in their treatment and recovery.

Dr. Benitez joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to talk all about the Shades of Pink Foundation and the incredible work they do. You don’t want to miss this inspiring episode!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Dr. Benitez’s life story and how she decided to get into medicine; 
• Her own journey with cancer through her sister;
• The story of how one patient’s cancer story led to The Shade of Pink Foundation;
• About The Shades of Pink Foundation and the stories of people they’ve helped;
• And so much more. 

For more information on Dr. Benitez and the Shades of Pink Foundation, please visit: www.1GirlRevolution.com/shadesofpink

Hope Scarves is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting people with cancer through scarves, stories, community, and research. Hope Scarves was founded by Lara McGregor, who unfortunately passed away in January 2022 - but her legacy lives on through her family, friends, and the work of Hope Scarves. Anna Laura Edwards, Executive Director of Hope Scarves, joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share her own life story, Lara’s story, how Hope Scarves came to be, and to talk about the incredible work that they do to build community and support cancer patients. 

Hope Scarves collects scarves and stories of cancer survivors from around the world, pairs them together and sends them as a gift to someone going through cancer treatment. These are tangible reminders to every person going through cancer treatment that there is hope and that there are so many others around the world who have fought and beat cancer. In addition to scarves and stories, Hope Scarves established a Metastatic Breast Cancer Research Fund to support cutting edge researchers and clinical trials around the country. Research is the key for change and improved treatment options and outcomes.

Listen to Anna Laura’s inspiring episode of The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Anna Laura’s story, as well as Lara MacGregor’s story;
• The story of how one kind gesture changed Lara’s life and her cancer journey;
• How Hope Scarves was started and how their work has impacted people around the world;
• The stories of people who have been helped by Hope Scarves;
• And so much more.

For more information on Hope Scarves, please visit: www.1GirlRevolution.com/hopescarves

Kimberly Willis is a cancer survivor, a mother, a pastor’s wife, and she’s the founder of Survivor’s Corner and 49Rose. Kimberly joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share her own life experiences with cancer - from her parents both dying of cancer, her shocking diagnosis with stage 3 breast cancer, and her husband’s journey with cancer; she talks about how she found purpose in her pain; how she’s come through the most difficult moments in life; and how she decided to start Survivors Corner and she talks about their incredible work to empower and inspire other survivors.

Kimberly experienced the devastating blow of being diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at the age of 34. Her parents both passed away from different cancers, and her husband has also had his own journey with cancer. Kimberly’s life has been touched by cancer in so many different ways, but she is here to share her story, to show that you can come through anything in this life, and that we can find purpose in our darkest, most difficult moments in life. 

Having cancer can create several hardships. One of them can be depression. Trying to peel herself out of bed, keep her career going, and raise a family was incredibly difficult for Kimberly, especially as she tried to keep up with her treatment - 16 rounds of chemo, 6 weeks of radiation and 4 surgeries. Kimberly also was dealing with her parents each being diagnosed with cancer at the same time as her and their unfortunate passing from cancer. Kimberly had so much going on in her life, but she knew that she had to stay positive and fight her cancer, if she was going to beat it. Kimberly understood that it was just as much of a mental battle, as it was physical - so she relied on positive affirmations, support from her family and friends, and her faith in God to get her through.

Through her own journey with cancer, Kimberly was inspired to create a survivors clothing line, as well as Survivors Corner - a place for cancer survivors to share their stories, restore confidence and empower survivors, and to build a community of support - so survivors don’t feel alone in their journey. Kimberly is incredible and what she’s created is changing the world.

Listen to Kimberly’s inspiring episode of The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Kimberly’s powerful life story;
• Kimberly’s own cancer diagnosis and journey, as well as her cancer journey with her parents and her husband;
• The story of how she decided to start Survivors Corner and she shares about the incredible work they do; 
• The stories of other survivors who have been empowered through Kimberly’s own story and her work;
• Kimberly’s wise words, passionate support for all survivors, and inspiring for every person (with cancer or not) to keep going and to make a difference in the world;
• And so much more.

For more information on Kimberly, please visit: www.1girlrevolution.com/KimberlyWillis

Debbie Sardone is owner of Buckets & Bows Maid Service and numerous other successful businesses and she is the founder of Cleaning for a Reason, a non-profit organization that provides professional house cleaning services to cancer patients. Debbie joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share her inspiring life story, how she founded Cleaning for a Reason and the incredible work they do, and so much more.

Debbie had the idea to start Cleaning for a Reason after a life-changing conversation she had with a prospective house cleaning client, who could not afford house cleaning services because she was undergoing treatment for cancer. At that moment, Debbie recognized that no person going through cancer treatment should ever be turned away from her company and instead they would receive free house cleaning services. And that was also the beginning of Cleaning for a Reason.

Cleaning for a Reason is a nonprofit organization that partners with cleaning companies across the United States and Canada, to provide free house cleaning services to cancer patients. Cleaning for a Reason’s goal is to remove the burden of house cleaning and allow those recovering from surgery, in active treatment, or in hospice to focus on their health and spending valuable time with their loved ones. Incredible. 

Listen to Debbie’s inspiring episode of The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Debbie’s inspiring life story;
• Debbie’s business journey, how she started Buckets & Bows, and her struggles and successes in business;
• The story of how one conversation changed Debbie’s life and led her to start Cleaning for a Reason; 
• How Cleaning for a Reason has grown and more about the incredible work they do;
• Debbie’s wisdom for women and business owners and entrepreneurs;
• And so much more.

For more on Debbie and Cleaning for a Reason, please visit: www.1girlrevolution.com/debbiesardone

Tyra Moore is the founder of A Girl Like Me, a nonprofit organization that supports and mentors at-risk, low income teenage girls and young moms. Tyra herself was a teen mom and founded the organization to help other girls like her. Tyra joins The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast to share her inspiring story and the incredible work of A Girl Like Me.

Tyra found out she was pregnant at the age of 14 and kept it a secret until a few days before she actually gave birth, when she finally told her mom. Tyra didn’t have anything for her baby, but her mom called family and friends to share the news, and very quickly, Tyra had everything she and her baby would need for the first few years. From that moment, after being showered by love and support from her own community, Tyra promised herself that she would pay it forward and one day help other girls, teens, and young moms. 

A Girl Like Me provides free diapers, wipes, baby formula, food, new and gently used baby items, clothing and shoes, personal hygiene kits, and other basic necessities to the girls they serve. A Girl Like Me also provides education, resources, mentoring, and any other support they may need. Additionally, the organization provides a community for the girls and a safe place for them to learn, grow, and be inspired to be the person they were created to be. A Girl Like Me is transforming the lives of young girls in so many ways.

Listen to Tyra’s inspiring story on the new episode of The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Tyra’s life story;
• The story of 14-year-old Tyra’s pregnancy, how she hid her pregnancy, and then how she finally told her mom;
• How Tyra’s mom, friends and family jumped in to support her and their beautiful response to the news of her pregnancy; 
• About Tyra’s life now and where she went from those days of being a teen mom;
• How Tyra decided to start A Girl Like Me and about the incredible work that they do to support and mentor teens and young moms;
• And so much more.

For more information, please visit: www.1girlrevolution.com/tyramoore