Rita Pike

Fifty-six-years ago today, a woman from Ohio became the first woman to fly solo around the world.
No, you are not doing the maths wrong. I am not talking about that other, much more famous, female American aviator. I am talking about Jerrie Mock, private pilot, housewife - and my grandmother.
When she left for her round-the-world adventure, she was dubbed The Flying Housewife by the media.
She was a 38-year-old mother of three who had wanted to fly around the world since she was a little girl...

“Does the name Vincent Van Gogh ring a bell?”
“Don’t mention that man to me…he’s drunk, he’s mad, and he never pays his bills.”
When this episode of Doctor Who begins, we laugh at the absurdity that this restaurateur would reject one of the most famous paintings in the world because the man trying to hawk it was a bit of a drunk. Any of us would accept this piece, even if we’re not personally fond of the man’s work. We know its value, which is: practically priceless.
[Content Warning: this es...

Whether you’ve heard of Australian singer Helen Reddy or not, you might have heard the words to her 1971 smash hit “I Am Woman.” The song became an anthem during the women’s liberation movement for good reason and not simply because of the lyrics, but because of Reddy herself.
In a recent interview, Unjoo Moon, director, producer, and visionary behind this incredible film shared her journey with me. Her personal connection...

When I returned this winter to Tallahassee, Florida, where I grew up, I was met with hugs and welcoming words, but as I sat in church circles and restaurants, the reality of the racist South hit hard. In these communal places, people openly make comments like, “But there’s a Black church across the street from that BBQ joint, so, you know what kind of neighborhood it is…”
The bigotry prevented me from making a second Sunday visit to the church that once I loved and served in faithfully for se...

American founding father, Benjamin Franklin, once told us that only two things in life are certain: death and tax-es. In the late 1960s, my grandmother, Geraldine ‘Jerrie’ Mock, discovered the second to be true. You see, in 1964, she was dubbed the ‘flying housewife’ by the media as she set out to claim the title of first woman to fly around the world. Twenty-nine days later – after surviving sand-storms, iced-over wings and engine troubles – she landed back in Ohio on April 17 and claimed that title...

In October 2019, I met Billy White of Zanesville, Ohio at the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame ceremony. He wasn’t being inducted into the Hall of Fame – though many folks are hoping he will someday. – but we heard the story of what he’s been doing to help fight racism in his small town.
What Billy White And Red Rose Tattoo Artists Are Doing
Image Courtesy of the Ohio State Highway Patrol – Billy White giving a brief speech at the ceremony on October 10, 2019
After everyone at the ceremony watc...

When I’ve heard folks call someone a supermom, I’ve instantly envisioned someone who runs all the errands, takes care of the home, and cares for the kids with great tenderness and wisdom. Earlier this year, I had the awesome privilege of meeting someone who expands my definition of supermom: Kiesha Preston.
She introduced herself to me as “an activist, community t...

This year was supposed to be a special, dream-fulfilling year for me. I’m 38 years old–the same age my grandmother, Jerrie Mock was, the year she became the first woman to fly around the world.
I’ve followed in her footsteps in some ways, adventuring my way through multiple countries on singing tours, concert tours, hiking and biking and more. 2020 was supposed to be the year of an achievement of her dream. She wanted me to make it to more countries than she did. That means travel; and that m...

You switch to decaffeinated coffee when you have specific health concerns. Pregnant women, for example, switch over to reduce their caffeine intake while pregnant. Many women maintain that decaf habit for years afterward for the continued health benefits of reduced caffeine while still getting their favorite coffee fix.
Other folks in higher age brackets or those with heart health concerns also switch over to decaf for similar reasons. The Clean Label Project, however, has revealed some infor...

This past July, we celebrated the Americans with Disabilities Act’s thirtieth year of existence. Nearly 40 million people in America have a disability of some kind (one in eight people, approximately) and this important Act has changed the lives of Americans with various forms of disability, both visible and invisible.
What Is The Americans with Disabilities Act?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was the first comprehensive statement of equality for people with disabilities. The colla...

After serving as the first Taiwanese American and first Asian American woman on the Boston City Council, Michelle Wu is pursuing another first: the first woman and the first person of color as Mayor of Boston.
This morning, Wu announced her bid for the office of Boston Mayor via twitter video.
It’s official: I’m running for Mayor because Boston should be a city for everyone. Now’s the time for bold, urgent leadership.
Help fuel our movement: https://t.co/GhPHzn...

We all need to be involved in voting in the presidential elections.
In 2016, less than 60% of eligible voters participated in the presidential election. The end result of the election was incredibly close. 48% of the popular vote went to Hillary Clinton, while 46% of the popular vote (but more of the electoral college votes) went to Donald Trump.
In 2020, growing groups of demographics are rising in their political awakenings, as seen with South Asian Americans and Gen Z. ...

A tiny silver lining in 2020.
You’ve probably seen the videos and heard stories about the wildlife running throughout major cities in the United States since the Coronavirus lockdowns began back in March. With coyotes roaming Chicago’s Loop to raccoons chilling in downtown New York, our country has kind of gone “wild” once again with fewer people out and about.
Even now with fewer restrictions, raging wildfires on the West Coast, and more people out and about once again, ...

There are 101 women in the current U.S. House of Representatives or about 24% of the total number of representatives.
One of those women, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, known by her initials AOC, is the youngest to serve in the United States Congress. Earlier this week, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez came forward publicly to denounce the sexist remarks she claims were directed to her by Representative Ted Yoho of Minnesota.
Her powerful speech on the House floor, which aired on C-Span, went vir...

Sometimes, we can’t plan our honeymoons immediately after the wedding ceremony. Anything could delay – be it college schedules, children’s schedules, lack of downtime at work, or anything else. But that doesn’t mean you can’t plan the absolutely perfect, dream stay-at-home honeymoon.