Grandma Magic: A podcast from the Grandmother Collective

Christine Crosby’s grandmother left a lasting impression on her as a role model for purposeful living and community service, which she continued well into her 90s. Now, as a proud grandmother of five, great-grandmother of one, and CEO of GRAND Media, Christine is paying that “grandma magic” forward. She shares the beauty of grand-parenting with optimism, describing it as an experience defined by empathy, the absence of ego, and the privilege of sharing wisdom with “little people hungry to learn about life.” In this episode, Christine also reflects on her aspirations for her 80s, including supporting her local government and guiding the transition of GRAND Media, all in the spirit of a true grandmother changemaker.

Philomena Anyanwu is a gerontologist and social worker who has dedicated over 14 years to bringing about systemic change in the physiological, social, spiritual, and economic well-being of the ever-growing demographic of older persons in Nigeria. Her work has involved navigating and rethinking cultural stigmas, inadequate healthcare information and access, and limited financial support, all of which ultimately isolate the elderly in rural communities. By fostering organic, mutual support networks, her NGO, El-Aged Care, and healthcare coalition, ACSPOPIN, are changing the narrative in rural communities to one where the elderly, particularly grandmothers, are valued as focal points. On a personal front, Philomena also prioritizes her own self-care, for instance, by returning to the city to take long walks, or even by graciously letting us interview her here on the Grandma Magic Podcast.

The gesture of love rooted in community is the foundational practice that Mary Balikungeri, founder of the Rwanda Women’s Network, seeks to pass on to younger generations. Having moved from community to community as a refugee fleeing the Rwandan Genocide in her youth, Mary carved a path to create feminist spaces where women can heal, empower themselves, and work toward social transformation. As a grandmother and changemaker, Mary emphasizes the importance of balancing her activism with moments of rest, reflection, and quality time with her two grandchildren, ensuring the sustainable continuation of her life’s work.

With her rich repertoire of personal and professional anecdotes, Hendrica Okondo truly embodies change-making through social and humanitarian activism. From illustrating the incredible history of women unpacking their power in Western Kenya through the Green Belt Movement, to experience as a young agricultural officer empowering women in farming communities, Hendrica brings us along how the powerful, headstrong women from her upbringing to this very day inspire her to to strive for gender equality, tapping into the knowledge of women, especially grandmothers, and so much more.

Meenakshi Gupta is one of the co-founders of Goonj, an organization focused on bridging critical gaps in urban and rural development across India. In this episode, she takes us on her now 25-year-long journey from a corporate job with the BBC to starting and growing Goonj, where her work focuses on social entrepreneurship by enabling local communities rather than prescribing solutions as an outsider. In fostering compassion and being attuned to the dignity of the communities she works with, Meenakshi is nothing short of an inspirational, pioneering change-maker (and cat-grandma) in the social development space.

Diane Scaletta and Phyllis Webster are two members of Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN), a Canadian institution that emerged from the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign driven by the Stephen Lewis Foundation. In this episode, we learn how these two grandmother change-makers honed their adventurous spirits and a deep sense of equality and justice through experiences living abroad. Moreover, Diane and Phyllis convey how achieving their vision of a world where the human rights of older women, children, youth, and gender-diverse persons are recognized and protected, benefits from balancing equal measures of patience and tenacity, and the many other skills and talents of a grandmother super-team.

Dr. Deborah Roebuck, the Menopause Whisperer and founder of Going Through the Change, is on a mission to bring women together across all generations, from her four nearby nieces to the community of auntie change-makers she has fostered domestically and during missions abroad. In this episode we delve into the many hats she wears as an auntie, from empowering women with knowledge and confidence during all stages of menopause, the value of connections across all generations, and leveraging spiritual and social connections in an increasingly isolated society.

Gwen Johnson defines the role of female elders as being a source of wisdom and comfort to younger generations by guiding rather than prescribing advice. As the Executive Director of Hemphill Community Center, located at the site of a former coal camp in central Appalachia, and an BSc. and MSc. in Psychology, Gwen has been an important anchor within her community throughout a number of difficult challenges experienced in the past decade. Listen to hear more about Gwen’s mamaw magic as we discuss the importance of passing down folklore and traditions, the proactivity of grandmothers during devastating flash floods of 2022, and the value of an inclusive and tolerant community for raising younger generations.

Rustica Tembele shares her journey from growing up in Tanzania, immersed in a culture of cohesion and collective responsibility fostered by the adults and elders in her community, to her enduring career as a civil servant in the country. Throughout her trajectory, she witnessed the erosion of social connection in a modernizing society which laid the foundation of her current social change work. Following her retirement from government service, she embarked on a mission to bridge intergenerational and mental health gaps, culminating in the co-founding of the TAP Elderly Women’s Wisdom for Youth (TEWWY). This organization acknowledges the challenges faced by today’s youth and aims to address them by offering mental healthcare services, nurturing supportive and diverse communities, and advocating for policy changes to enhance mental healthcare accessibility.

Mary Pipher, a seasoned clinical psychologist with a background in cultural anthropology, has dedicated her career to unraveling the intricate connections between culture and personality, particularly within the context of women in American society. From her seminal work, “Reviving Ophelia,” scrutinizing the challenges faced by adolescent girls, to the insightful exploration of women navigating the complexities of aging in “Women Rowing North,” Pipher’s writings resonate with a broad audience. Drawing on her extensive interviews with hundreds of women, she imparts a wealth of wisdom that reflects the diverse experiences of the female journey. Pipher’s influence extends beyond her books, as highlighted in her New York Times article, “Grandmothers of the World Unite!” where she passionately advocates for older women to wield their societal roles as catalysts for systemic change, a call to action rooted in her own environmental activism. Join us for the final episode of Season One of Grandma Magic to learn from Mary Pipher’s life and work.

To learn more about Mary's work visit https://marypipher.com/. Her memoir, a Life in Light, will be out in paperback on December 12th. You can pre-order at https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/life-in-light-9781639731633/