RISE UP FIREBIRD, stories of women who transformed their lives‪.‬ Grace O'Carolan

Sisters are doing it for themselves, but should they?  As a special edition for International Women's Day, this episode explores what it means to be an independent woman.


Resources

More than a woman, Caitlin Moran  

Challenger: Lady Brenda Hale grew up in a small village in North Yorkshire and became the highest ranking judge in the UK.  Her life is a series of "firsts", even though she was not always everyone else's first choice.  She kept her resolve to progress and never took any of her success for granted. Despite her achievements at being first, she knows it's her moral duty not to be the last.  She has always encouraged others to succeed and in both her career and in life she has acted with fairness and integrity in words and deed.


Sources:


Spider Woman, A Life by Lady Hale

Desert Island Discs (podcast)

Women in the Law UK (podcast)

"There is wisdom in your winter..." (Katherine May).

Check out what I found out in my winter, and an important reminder of the firebird's journey.



Credits: Wintering by Katherine May

Believer: Since being 3 years old, Cilla wanted to be a star.  She followed her dreams to become a singer, and then became the most successful and highest paid female tv presenter with a 50 year career in show business. Her story shows the tremendous power of self belief, but also as her Liverpudlian contemporaries sang, that we get by with a little help from our friends. 

"I can't say I was surprised I was successful, I was determined and I got it."

Resources:

What's it All About? - Cilla Black

Cilla Black, Bobby's Girl - Douglas Thompson

Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs

BBC drama - Cilla

Piers Morgan Life Stories: Cilla Black

Cilla Black - the one and only (Channel 5)

Survivor: A firebird, a bumblebee, a tortoise or a pack horse?  Joan Rivers joked that she embodied a number of different characteristics throughout her life.  For me, she is a definite firebird because she shows us that if you can do it once, you can do it again. 

“You probably know much more than you give yourself credit for and your ability to learn is greater than you think.”

Resources:

Enter Talking - Joan Rivers

How I survived everything and so can you - Joan Rivers

The Book of Joan - Melissa Rivers

Joan Rivers interviewed on the Southbank Show. 

Challenger: When sixteen year old Malala Yousafzai spoke at the UN, she said, "One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world."  Malala's incredible example shows that this is true.  Whilst schools were being blown up by the Taliban, she advocated the importance of education for all, at great personal risk.  She became a worldwide leader from her campaign work and charitable efforts.  She is the youngest ever recipient of the Noble Peace Prize.  Prepared to be astonished...

"This was my calling. Some powerful force had come to dwell inside me, something better and stronger than me and it had made me fearless."

Resources:

He Named Me Malala, documentary film by Davis Guggenheim.

I am Malala, book by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb.

I am Malala (teenager edition), book by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick

Details of the Malala Fund are available here: https://malala.org