#NeverthelessShePersisted
- Sarah Gilliam
- Mar 1
- 17 min read
Updated: Mar 30
Happy Women's History Month! A few years back my friend and former colleague, Jennifer Rennicks began a series of Instagram posts using #NeverthelessShePersisted to highlight fearless women who refused to give up. I enjoyed the series so much that I started collecting names of amazing ladies to one day start my own series. Jen is busy fighting for good clean energy policy in DC as well as training and running in marathons so I am here to keep the tradition alive. It makes sense to talk about Jen first!
Jennifer Rennicks was my supervisor, mentor and first mom friend when I found out I was pregnant with my oldest son. We worked together at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, but it was the after-work chats and text and laughs that strengthened our friendship. She inspired me in many ways from supporting my breastfeeding journey to keeping me motivated to exercise and stay mobile. Jen was one of the first people I told that I wanted to start this business, and she has continued to support me by offering advice and guidance. She is an inspiration to me and I am so thankful to know and love her. To learn about her current work on climate policy, go here. Nevertheless, she persists!
Alexis Nikole Nelson is up next! I came to know her on Instagram under her very engaging profile @blackforager. Alexis educates and advocates for wild, foraged foods while weaving in the important historical context of how these foods came to be eaten or used as medicine. I've learned a ton from her content, especially about the indigenous or African roots to many of the wild foods we enjoy today. In this crazy world of AI-generated content, the importance of actual humans who know what they are talking about is increasingly more important to our health and safety. I love her whimsical approach and if you enjoy nature, food, and history, I highly recommend checking Alexis out here.
I was absolutely captivated by Miep Gies' story which I first heard on the History Chicks podcast. Chances are you've heard of The Diary of Anne Frank but you may not know that the diary pages (and the writer Anne and her family!) had to be hidden and cared for during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. That's where Miep Gies shines bright as the perSISTER she is! For several years, Miep risked her life to hide, feed and cloth the Frank family and others in a secret annex of the building which was once the Frank's family business. This was during food shortages and Nazi raids and bombings and neighbors who were paid Nazi informants - very scary times, y'all. After the war, Miep gathered the writing collection of papers she helped upcycle for Anne to use as a diary. She returned these papers to Anne's father, Otto Frank who was sadly the only one to survive this dark time in history. Miep's kindnesses to the Frank family (and many others) have given the world a priceless and powerful account of what the Nazi occupation was like, through the eyes of a child. Some stories just stick with you and Miep's was that for me.
Liz Cheney might seem out of left feild but I have to highlight her as the first conservative, public official in my memory to raise the red flag against Donald Trump. Because of this opposition, Liz lost her seat in Congress which she held for six years. While I don't agree with many, many of her policies I am thankful for her willingness to speak out against the Trump administration and its reckless policy choices. Many of us are waiting for more women (and men!) to follow her lead.
Arguabley one of the best things to come out of the Covid pandemic, is the lovely and enchanting Ms. Rachel. Known by adults as Rachel Accurasco, Ms. Rachel became a household name during the pandemic when families were stuck at home with little to no social interaction. Her Youtube videos were a lifeline to many parents with young children who needed engaging, age-appropriate content while parks, schools and libraries were closed down to stop the spread of Covid. I had a toddler during this time and can attest to how difficult it was to find ways to engage your little one when the usual "third-spaces" were simply not available.
Ms. Rachel is beloved around the world for her songs, smiles and engaging lessons that build life skills like potty training and support speech and langague development. In the past few years, I have also been blown away by her persistence in advocating for children's health and basic human rights, which are under threat in places like Palestine, Sudan, Ukraine and the Democratic of Congo. She is such a shining example of someone who used their platform and celebrity status for good. Thank you Ms. Rachel!
Next up we're bringing in a two-for-one hometown powerhouse - Asheville's very own Amy Cantrell and Adrienne Sigmon. These two ladies are behind BeLoved Asheville, a regional nonprofit in western North Carolina. From their website, "In 2009, [BeLoved Asheville] embarked on a journey to create a transformational way of life rooted in community, working to foster Home, Health, Equity, and Opportunity for all in our mountain home." I am constantly impressed by this organization's committment to the homeless population. Amy and Adrienne do it all - they help feed people, they speak up when their voices are needed, they listen when they are not, they build homes for people. When Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville and the surrounding area, BeLoved Asheville were relentess and tireless in their efforts to show up for this community. Amy and Adrienne are perSISTERS to the max, and I am so thankful they live in my community.
The queen of Neo-soul, Erykah Badu, is our next femme-tastic profile. Erykah Badu doesn't need much of an introduction if you grew up watching MTV in the 90s like I did. Her unique blend of soul, funk, rap and jazz blew me away as a youth, and I have been a lifelong fan. She's just not like any other artist I have ever heard to date. I learned later in life when she partnererd with Mark Rebillet that she's from Texas, and that made me love her even more. Yes please to a funky southern woman! Her confidence and self-love are contagious, and I hope the youth find her as inspiring as I did as a young lady growing up in the South.
Betty Reid Soskin persisted for good for 104 years. She lived a life full of service from her early career as a union staffer to her much later employment at the ripe age of 84, as a National Park ranger. She retired from the National Park Service on March 31, 2022, as the oldest serving park ranger.
When reading about her life, this quote struck me, about how oftentimes she "was the only person in the room who had any reason to remember that ... what gets remembered is a function of who's in the room doing the remembering." Betty made an effort to be part of the conversation despite facing racism and sexism. She persisted! She retired from the National Park Service on March 31, 2022, as the oldest serving park ranger. She recently passed away and it wasn't until her death that I learn of her inspiring story. Rest in power, Betty.
I'll admit I wept on a park bench when I heard of the recent passing of Catherine O'Hara. She was an all time top teir actor in my book, having made some of my most beloved movies and TV shows. As a family, we have been on a big Home Along kick ever since the holidays so her passing was extra hard because I had to explain it to my boys (who heard about it at school). Alas, she was a household favorite, and we're so thankful for all the laughs throughout her 50+ years of film.
Our next perSISTER is Sawsan Zaher, a Palestinian feminist and human rights lawyer, based in Haifa, Israel. After studying at Oxford and Harvard, she became the director of Adalah, a human rights organization and legal center. She has litigated several landmark cases before the Israeli Supreme Court challenging discrimination and racism against the Palestinian minority in Israel. After leaving Adalah in 2021, she now manages her own private law firm, focusing on human rights and representing Palestinian victims and families living under Israeli occupation. We honor Sawsan's courage and persistence to speak up for the people of Palestine.
Allison Riggs is our next honoree. Allison won a fiercely contested race for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court after 6-months of legal shenanigans from the sore loser Republican candidate. Her opponent tried several times to change the election rules to toss out thousands of ballots and sway the outcome of the election. If you want in on the drama of this election, go here.
"My situation serves as a warning about how important it is to get good judges who will defend democracy and respect the rule of law," said Allison after she was sworn in as the youngest woman to ever serve on the NC Supreme Court. She also got the memo on cool shirts to wear on International Women's Day. Keep on persisting, Allison!
Claudette Colvin is an unsung hero of the 1950s civil rights movement. On March 2, 1955 at the age of 15, she was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman on a crowded, segregated bus. This act of nonviolent civil disobedience occurred nine months before the similar, more widely known incident in which Rosa Parks. Montgomery's black leaders did not publicize Colvin's pioneering effort because she was young, unmarried and pregnant during the proceedings.
In 1956, about a year after Colvin refused to give up her seat, Fred Gray, one of two African-American lawyers in Montgomery, filed the landmark federal lawsuit Browder v. Gayle. This case ended segregation on public transportation in Alabama. The star witness was Claudette Colvin. We love your story, Claudette, and we are so thankful for your strength and persistence.
Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke is a New Zealand politician, representing Te Pāti Māori as a Member of Parliament since the 2023 New Zealand general election. Elected at the age of 21, Maipi-Clarke is the youngest MP since James Stuart-Wortley She made headlines in 2024 when she tore up her copy of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill during its first reading in Parliament, while leading the haka - a ceremonial dance in Māori culture that has vigorous movements, stamping of the feet and rhythmically shouted accompaniment. I remember seeing the viral video of her ripping up the bill and going into the haka and thinking how badass it was to see an indigenous woman disrupting and taking up space.
Her actions would eventually get her suspended from Parliament for seven days. Her words on the suspension were that it was "grossly unjust, unfair and unwarranted… This was not about process, this became personal." As so many women in leadership positions can attest to, it usually is personal.
Millie Dunn Veasey was an American veteran, who enlisted in the army with the “six-triple-eight” battalion, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion in December 1942. This unit was the only all-female and all-black battalion to serve during World War II overseas.
After returning home from World War II, she worked for her alma mater the St. Augustine’s University, and she was active in the civil rights movement with the Raleigh-Wake Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where she became president in 1965. She lived to be 100 years old.
Edna Lewis was a renowned American chef, teacher, and author who is credited with inspiring the modern farm-to-table movement. Her cookbook The Taste of Country Cooking, written in 1976, championed the use of fresh, seasonal ingredients and characterized Southern food as fried chicken (pan-, not deep-fried), pork, and fresh vegetables – most especially greens. This cookbook also contained as many recipes as it did information about Southern and African-American food – successfully capturing the spirit and stories Lewis had to share – which was Jones's intention with the book.
Padma Lakshmi is an American television host, model, author, entrepreneur, and activist. She rose to prominence by hosting the Bravo cooking competition program Top Chef (2006–2023). Lakshmi has more recently been the creator, host, and executive producer of the docuseries Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, which premiered in 2020 on Hulu. For her work with these two series, as an executive producer and as a host, she has received 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Lakshmi is also known as an advocate for immigrant rights, the independent restaurant industry, and women's rights.
Leah Wong Ashburn became president and CEO of Highland Brewing in 2015, continuing the legacy of her father, Oscar Wong, who founded Asheville’s first craft brewery in 1994. Today, Highland is a 40-acre community hub with live music, sand volleyball, a weekly run club, disc golf, event spaces, and a rooftop bar. Ashburn remains committed to her father’s ethos: quality beer, respect for people, and deep pride in Asheville.
“From the start, [my father] established the product and the people as high quality and treated everyone with respect,” she said. “He worked hard to be a good citizen. We want Asheville to be proud of Highland because Highland's really proud of Asheville.” They were crucial during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, offering up their warehouse as a makeshift distribution hub for Manna, our regions largest food bank which lost their building in the floodwaters. Also after Helene, they helped secure much-needed emergency access to the WNC Nature Center, which lost the entryway and bridge to the floodwaters. The longer I live in Asheville the more I realize what a community asset Highland Brewing is and their beer is delicious...100/10 recommend.
Cyndi Lauper is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Known for her distinctive image, featuring a variety of hair colors and eccentric clothing, and for her powerful four-octave vocal range, she has been dubbed the "Queen of Quirky Pop". Lauper has sold over 50 million records worldwide. She has also been celebrated for her humanitarian work, particularly as an advocate for LGBTQ rights in the United States. Lauper's debut album, She's So Unusual (1983), was the first debut album by a female artist to achieve four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100—"Girls Just Want to Have Fun", "Time After Time", "She Bop", and "All Through the Night"—and earned Best New Artist at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards in 1985. Among many, many well-earned awards and accolades, Lauper was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November 2025. I can honestly say the first time I heard Chappel Roan, I thought she was totally ripping off the one and only Cyndi Lauper. Rock on, Cyndi.
Our next perSISTER is Dr. Margaret Collins who was the first African American woman entomologist in the United States, at a time when the country made higher education difficult, if not impossible, for Black students. Her nickname was the ‘Termite Lady’ as her termites were her main area of focus. As a child, she was extremely intelligent and was always interested in wildlife. When she was only 14 years old, she began studying at West Virginia State University, where she would eventually be the first black woman to receive her phD. After graduation in 1950, she held faculty positions at Howard University, Florida A&M University (FAMU), and Federal City College (now the University of DC), all historically Black institutions. Collins was active not only as a scholar, but as an advocate for civil rights—a role that many African American academics fill. During a pause in her scientific work at FAMU, she acted as a driver for coworkers in the Tallahassee Bus Boycott, which started in 1956. This activism put her at risk of arrest. She also created a symposium that discussed inequality in science. Collins collected numerous materials that now live in the Collins Collection at the National Museum of Natural History.
Cardi B, is an American rapper, born and raised in New York City. She is known for her energetic rap flow and outspoken lyrics. Since launching her music career in 2016 and releasing her two mixtapes, Cardi B has been cited for her part in helping elevate the relevance of female rappers in popular music. Her first studio album, Invasion of Privacy (2018), debuted atop the Billboard 200 with the largest female rap album streaming week of all time and became the best-selling and the highest-certified female rap album of the 21st century. Cardi B's second album, Am I the Drama? (2025), made her the only female rapper in history to have her first two albums debut atop the Billboard 200. It became the female rap album with the highest certification of the 2020s, the most weeks inside the top ten of the Billboard 200 in the 2020s, and the most charting songs (18) in Billboard Hot 100 history.
I love her music but I also love how she uses her platform to educate on policy issues that impact women and immigrants. I appreciates that she brings other black female artists along for the ride with guest appearences on her album, or appearing on their albums. We became mothers at the same time, and I've enjoyed her honest approach to motherhood, even as a super famous celebrity. She can do it all. See you in Atlanta for the Little Miss Drama tour! Keep going, Cardi!
Next up we spotlight Elana Meyers Taylor, in an American American Olympic bobsledder, a
sport dominated by men. In November 2014, Meyers Taylor made history by becoming the first woman to win a medal in a men's event as part of an international competition. Not only was she one of the first women to compete in a mixed-gender four-man race, she did so with her husband Nic Taylor as her brakeman. She went on to win three silver and two bronze medals at Winter Olympic Games, and this year she won her first gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics at the age 41. Throughout her impressive athletic career, she has spoken out against racism and sexism in sports, specifically for black women. On top of all this, she is also a mother to two children with special needs, an Olympic feat all on its own.
Our next perSISTERS are Salt n Pepa and DJ Spinderella - a 3 for 1 bonus pack of awesomeness. Salt n Pepa is an American hip hop group formed in New York City in 1985, made up of Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). Their debut album, Hot, Cool & Vicious (1986), sold more than 1 million copies in the US, making them the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America. The trio were the first female rap group to win a Grammy in 1995 for the single "None of Your Business" - they shared this night of "firsts" with Queen Latifah (#neverthelessshepersisted 2019) who later won at the same ceremony. Fast forward thirty years to 2025 when Salt n Pepa are inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. This well deserved accolade made Spinderella the first female DJ inducted into the Hall. Thanks for all the bangers throughout most of my life, ladies. And thank you for inspiring and paving the way for many more female artists to come.
Next up we honor Diane Keaton, an American actress whose career impressive spanned more than five decades. While her acting career began in the theater, she is most known for her roles in the Godfather movies, as well as her eight-film colloboration with Woody Allen. From Wikipedia - Keaton's accolades include an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, along with nominations for two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award. What has always stuck out to me about Diane Keaton, was her effortless yet classy style. She often wore a suit and tie but somehow made it look feminine and sexy. Growing up, I was never a super feminine dresser, so her willingness to bend the norm in what clothes she wore, was not lost on me.
Gina Baxter is my friend, and our next perSISTER to be included in this long blog :) Gina has served on the City Council for Hendersonville, North Carolina since 2024. From her Substack, Gina shares, "On December 5, 2024, when I was sworn in, the council became, for the first time, a council made entirely of women...The truth of it is that as a council of all women we carry an understanding of the greater goal of our work. We, as women, carry a legacy of organizing, of leaning in where we are underestimated, of coordinating where we disagree. Strategy is relegated so often in popular culture to men- discounting the generations of women who have leveraged political, interpersonal, and relational skills for the greater good, and who remain on the front lines of mutual aid and organizing work to this day." Gina is running for re-election this November and I hope she wins. Learn more about Gina here. Persist on, my friend!
Say hello to Alysa Liu - our next sHERO and second Olympian to be highlighted in this series. Alysa is an American figure skater, taking home gold in the 2026 Winter Olympics in both women's singles and in the team event. From Wikipedia, "Liu was the first woman to complete a quadruple jump and a triple Axel in the same program, and the first to land a triple Axel-triple toe loop combination in the short program. She was the first American woman to land a quadruple jump and the first American junior woman to complete a triple Axel in international competition."
In addition to her very celebrated career in figure skating, she has been an outspoken advocate for immigrant rights and mental health. In her words, "I hope that with all this attention I can at least raise awareness about mental health in sports." She was brave to step away from the sport in 2022 due to intense PTSD that kept her from stepping on the ice. Her comeback was completely on her terms - she picked her music, she picked her outfits, she was not going on a diet, and she would not miss out on time with friends. I just love that she set these bounderies, still worked very hard and WON gold. What an incredible example for young women everywhere.
Born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in San Pedro, California, Misty Copeland began her ballet studies at the late age of thirteen. At fifteen, she won first place in the Music Center Spotlight Awards. She studied at the San Francisco Ballet School and American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive on full scholarship and was declared ABT’s National Coca-Cola Scholar in 2000. Misty joined ABT’s Studio Company in September 2000, joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in April 2001, and in August 2007 became the company’s second African American female Soloist and the first in two decades. In June 2015, Misty was promoted to principal dancer, making her the first African American woman to ever be promoted to the position in the company’s 75-year history.
My final two SHEroes are meant to be a celebration of trans visibility and queerness. I am a proud ally and will always lift up the voices of LGBTQ+ community members. Love overpowers hate. This series ends on Trans Visibility Day, March 31, so it felt appropriate to save these especially brave perSISTERS for last.
Pattie Gonia is our next perSISTER and she does it in heels, honey. From her web bio, Pattie Gonia is a critically acclaimed drag queen, environmentalist and advocate for inclusivity and diversity in the outdoors. She is absolutely fierce in her commitment to inclusion and the environment, having raised $4.7 million dollars for charities focused on LQBTQIA, BIPOC and environmental issues.
In 2025, Pattie brought her 'SAVE HER' show to Asheville and helped raise funds for local LGBTQ+ and environmental initiatives. Her visit coincided with Blue Ridge Pride Festival and the one-year milestone of Hurricane Helene. That weekend, Pattie Gonia also lead a community hike, honoring the regional outdoor scene’s reopening as a cornerstone of the region’s recovery. I've been a longtime fan of Pattie Gonia but after her visit to by hometown of Asheville, I truly admire her willingness to help others. Like she really walks the walk, y'all. Thanks Pattie. You look good, girl.
Happy Trans Visibility Day and thank you so much if you've made this far in the blog series. Woot! Our final perSISTER is Sarah McBride, who is the first trans person to be elected to Congress. She is currently serving as the U.S. representative for Delaware's at-large congressional district. In July 2016, she was a speaker at the Democratic National Convention, becoming the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention in American history. Before being elected to Congress, McBride won her election in November 2020, becoming the first transgender state senator in United States history. Public service is incredibly hard but for a transwoman, it's damn near impossible. Sarah did the impossible and continues to persist as a leader for a better, more inclusive future. Go Sarah!
That's a wrap, y'all. Thanks for reading. Thanks to the amazing woman who took risks and never gave up. If I inspire one person with this blog, it'll be worth it. Be well and know that I've already started my list for next year's #Neverthelessshepersisted blog series.
