“So I am silenced. I do not own my own truth. I do not own my own reality. I've had movies and miniseries made about me. I couldn't participate. I can't even tell you if they're accurate. I may never own my own voice, but I am going to make sure that other people do.”
Gretchen Carlson is a renowned journalist, a bestselling author, and now an internationally recognized advocate for women's rights in the workplace. Gretchen's life has taken so many twists and turns from youth violinist to Miss America, to journalists, to women's empowerment advocate.
I'm really interested in learning more about how she navigated that non-linear journey. What is it inside her that has propelled her forward? Not just from accomplishment to accomplishment, but how has she kept going despite the difficulties she's endured along the way? What obstacles has she faced internally and externally, and how has she had to work to overcome them? What wisdom can she share with all of us about how to find our spark and to protect it?
What you’ll find in this conversation:
An incident in kindergarten which was her first introduction to injustice and standing up for herself.
How she believes her spark has been cultivated.
Her experience with being a Miss America contestant and what threatened to put out her spark.
The stereotypes she experienced in television after being Miss America.
Her experiences with sexual assault.
When she filed a complaint against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes and the retaliation as well as support she received.
She co-founded Lift Our Voices to fight NDA’s in workplace contracts.
What she feels most makes her come alive now.
Regrets that she has and what she wishes she could change.
What she’s planning next.
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01: How Gretchen Carlson Kept Her Spark Alive