Meet Five Women Changing The World One Patch At A Time

What defines a woman?

Is it the way she conducts herself? Is it her education? Is it her dress code?

Women’s history is American history, a stream of milestones rippling through time, from the rise of women's suffrage to the landmark case of Roe v. Wade. What these events have proved is that big change starts small, through local voices and visionaries, pioneers and innovators, advocates for social, environmental and economic prosperity.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re sharing the stories of five women from communities just like yours who are paving the way for future generations.

Kris Porter: Owner of Owl's Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife Owner — Tampa Bay, Florida

Odessa’s Kris Porter is a woman of many hats; from animal rehabilitation extraordinaire to conservation entrepreneur, Porter has made her mark on Florida wildlife communities through her non-profit, volunteer-run organization, the Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife.

Not everyone gets the chance to live out their wildest dreams — no pun intended. For Porter, her dreams have become a reality. The University of Florida alumna has decades worth of experience in working with animals under her belt, a commitment that first culminated in a senior keeper position at Busch Gardens Florida’s animal nursery. Ask and she’ll tell: Porter has worked with more than 350 different species of animals — virtually any creature imaginable — since launching her career.

But life, like nature, can be unpredictable.

Porter chose to step away from her work after a high-risk pregnancy resulted in the premature birth of her daughter, Rachel, who weighed a delicate 4 pounds. The 12-year hiatus afforded Porter the opportunity to be a full-time mother to two girls. But the call of the wild was ever near, and in time, Porter saw a return to the field as a rescue and rehabilitation specialist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Her mission is clear: protect and conserve native Florida wildlife while inspiring others to care and appreciate it. Porter is a visionary, but more than that, she is a force of nature.

Susan N. Herman: President of American Civil Liberties Union — New York, New York

The American Civil Liberties Union has emerged as a more prominent civic entity since the 2016 presidential election, and at the helm of this formidable vessel is Susan Herman, who was elected president of the organization in 2008 after serving on the ACLU National Board of Directors for 16 years and, prior to that, as general counsel for 10 years.

Leading the ACLU is no mean feat, as is par for the course in terms of an organization with national appeal and presence. It was the ACLU who commanded the legal fight against the creation of the Japanese internment camps under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, handling two principal cases — Hirabayashi v. United States (1943) and Korematsu v. United States (1944) — before the U.S. Supreme Court. The organization also raised more than $24 million in online donations — six times its annual average — following the first full day of the immigration ban in January of this year.

Herman’s reputation as a trailblazer speaks for itself; from holding a chair as centennial professor of law at Brooklyn Law School — where she teaches courses on constitutional law and criminal procedure and hosts seminars on law and literature and terrorism and civil liberties — to publishing works on constitutional law and criminal law. Her most recent book, “Taking Liberties: The War on Terror and the Erosion of American Democracy,” casts a critical eye on the social and human costs of the War on Terror.

Sally Hernandez: Travis County Sheriff — Austin, Texas

There’s a new sheriff in town — and all of Travis County.

Sworn into office in January after beating rival Joe Martinez by a wide margin in a November election, Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez is a force with which to be reckoned, first demonstrated in a Texas showdown of sorts that pitted the lawwoman against Gov. Greg Abbott over the handling of undocumented immigrants.

Hernandez is, first and foremost, a community leader, building partnerships, working to prevent crime and keeping Travis County neighborhoods safe, and in recognizing the needs of her community, the community has recognized Hernandez right back. The Austin native received the Service Above Self Award in 2006, presented by the Rotary Clubs of Austin; she was deemed the C. L. “Chuck” Dennis Memorial Award Investigator of the Year by the Texas District and County Attorney’s Association in 2005; and in 2014, Hernandez received FBI LEEDA Trilogy Award Membership, heralding successful completion of FBI-LEEDA’s Supervisor Leadership Institute, Command Leadership Institute and Executive Leadership Institute.

Hernandez’s law enforcement experience is wide-ranging. She took office as constable for Travis County Constable Precinct Three in 2013, the 25th woman to fill the role in a history of 750 constables, and prior to this, Hernandez had served as chief of investigations for then-Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle.

She employs one invariable motto: Bridge the gap. Her quest for positive change in the Travis County area is more than a job. It’s her way of life.

Michaela Mendelsohn: Businesswoman and Activist — Los Angeles, California

The fight for women’s rights is, at its core, a fight for equality — for dignity, for humanity, for all. Michaela Ivri Mendelsohn is an activist, public speaker and businesswoman with more than 40 years of entrepreneurial leadership experience.

Currently the CEO of Pollo West Corp., one of the largest franchisees for El Pollo Loco restaurant in the western region of the United States, Mendelsohn upholds a singular mission to help trans women find employment and social acceptance and encourage them toward the path to raise families. Indeed, Mendelsohn is a family woman, the proud parent of three adult children.

Mendelsohn’s journey is a shared one, transcending the boundary of her own metamorphosis. She founded the California Transgender Workplace Program to promote trans-friendly working conditions and advocates for trans women in the workplace through her work with the California Restaurant Association. She’s worked with “Orange Is The New Black” creator Jenji Kohan as a consultant in the development of Laverne Cox’s character, Sophia.

She was the keynote speaker at the Transgender Employment Empowerment Conference and has presented at the Museum of Tolerance, the University of California, Los Angeles, Keck USC Medical Center, Pepperdine University and Santa Monica College. Moreover, her autobiographical play, “Making Michaela,” was produced by the Celebration Theater as a staged reading in 2014.

Mendelsohn’s path to progress is ongoing, but she uses her odyssey to further the fight for acceptance.

Kimberly M. Foxx: Cook County State's Attorney — Chicago

Cook County’s history runs deep, but the future of Illinois’ most populated county — also the second-most populous county in the United States — lies in State’s Attorney Kimberly M. Foxx.

Foxx served as chief of staff for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle before her election to state’s attorney. She oversaw an annual $4 billion budget, working on issues that ranged from public safety to juvenile detention and helmed Cook County’s criminal justice reform agenda to address racial disparities. Her contribution to and support of sexual education and health care is demonstrated in her status as former board chair of the Planned Parenthood of Illinois, and she is a member of civic leadership development organization Leadership Greater Chicago.

Foxx’s acceptance speech, following her December 2016 victory over challenger Christopher Pfannkuche, relayed a singular message: It was time to begin fixing a broken system. She’s addressed a Chicagoan sentiment that “hopelessness reigns,” vowing to address the issue with a shift toward “transparency and justice.”

But Foxx’s accomplishments transcend affiliation. She is the first black woman to lead the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office at a critical time for the criminal justice system in the Chicago Metropolitan area. What’s more, the county’s top prosecutor, a native of The Windy City, is a survivor, risen from a Cabrini-Green childhood — a phoenix from the ashes. A victim of sexual abuse, Foxx is a defender of the people, a harbinger of hope and honor.

Cover photo: Annie Biggs via Flickr