She does. More important than “she is..” or “she was…”, She Does podcast speaks directly to the action women are taking in their lives. Documentary makers Elaine Sheldon and Sarah Ginsburg host the show and have interviewed over twenty women working in media to explore how their work and experiences have shaped them. Each episode is under an hour, and their beauty lies in the vulnerability the guests have shown by opening up about their goals, disappointments, and self-exploration.
Whether it’s professional drummers or social impact strategists, Sheldon and Ginsburg have mined the creative world for some of the hardest working and most complex women around. From their first episode with Katja Blichfeld, 30 Rock casting agent turned writer/producer for Vimeo original series High Maintenance, the hosts have created a place that encourages taking that next step, asking that difficult question, or going it alone. When discussing relationships and gratification through work, the founder and CEO of crowd-funding and distribution platform Seed&Spark, Emily Best, bravely points out that sometimes ambition and passion can drive a woman to a solo quest.
“I have a lot of questions around what my independence and drive and ambition might mean for my heart… I have to work very, very hard to be responsive and not reactive because I’m busy and decisive…”
Best’s interview along with many others have revealed the tender tension many women live with as they work to create fulfilling worlds for themselves and bodies of work to share with their communities. The personal often becomes professional, and by sharing these stories, She Does guests have opened new channels for diverse narratives and means for self-sustainability.
The bi-weekly episodes also feature music made by women with mini episodes in between showcasing the artists who compose the show’s soundtrack. This week’s episode features the work of Stag Hare, the musical project by Zara Asha Moonbeam Biggs-Garrick who supplied the music for episode 22 with Andrea Sisson. Sheldon and Ginsberg’s scope of support for the creative world is all-encompassing in that way, and their podcast creates a bigger framework for connections and creation outside each independent medium.
By weaving a web of filmmakers, photographers, musicians, actors, or writers, She Does has constructed a community on and offline that’s hard to ignore. The show and its guests take a swing at the tired excuses for not hiring women in creative and prove you don’t have to wait for permission to do what you love. Being a witness to the work these women create makes it impossible to not engage, reach out, or get started on your own project. The guests of She Does, while inspiring, are not anomalies, and are products of inspiration from other impassioned makers and doers. Action is the only thing required to be a part of this network, and once those first steps are taken, as Emily Best said, “you will find your people.”
Listen to She Does on their site or subscribe to them on iTunes. Don’t forget you can also donate to the show!
