"I had never felt such a redneck in my life."
After years as a Social Worker it was quite a surprise when Angela Wallis found her self with a one-time shot at her dream...
“I have faith… I have faith that this will all end one day. Who knows what the future will bring?”
I can imagine these are the words of one of my ancestors. Watch the accent - Grandad was part of the Windrush movement - and don’t get twisted, his stay in this country is legit.
But listen - I’m done with waging wars on territories I didn’t even pay rent on…
I’m a bit of a me connoisseur. I know what I mean when I say certain things…
To celebrate a year of 100 Voices, Women's Prize longlistee Yvonne Battle-Felton shares a sneak peak of her fantastic piece that will be part of the 100 voices book if we get enough support from you! If you like what you hear please consider pledging on Unbound https://unbound.com/books/100-voices/
"I knew I had to do it. Even if it felt like I had nothing to contribute, I would have to think of something."
Writer and editor of the 100 Voices for 100 Years project, Miranda Roszkowski realises how hard it is to talk about achievements, and pays tribute to the 99 contributors who have gone before her.
"Life continues to throw challenges and obstacles at me. But I know I can deal with them."
For Louise Houghton her path was very clear from the age of four - she was destined to be in front of the camera. Her ambition, drive and a bit of luck have got her a long way. In this uplifting piece about being true to yourself despite the bumps in the road, Louise shares her story and inspires us along the way.
"If you just teach one person something positive, then it's worth it."
When costume coordinators Amy Trend, Hannah Monkley and Amy Towle dressed as Suffragettes for the Women's March in 2017 they didn't expect the fantastic response they got, or how it would lead to a whole new mindset. In an exclusive for 100 Voices for 100 Years the team behind the popular podcast Same Shit Different Century talk about the birth of the podcast, how they are inspired by the generations of women who have gone before them and how some problems are really still the same.
"I don't think this is the course for you, he said. Unfortunately I believed him."
Writer Gaynor Jones talks about how she overcame the grip of an oppressive anxiety condition to return to writing after she thought she had given up. In a vulnerable and effecting piece, Gaynor encourages others to pick up the pen, even when it feels like it takes herculean strength to do so.
"Immediately after our wedding, I joined my husband on a six month long voyage in an oil tanker - the perfect opportunity for me to begin my lessons..."
Susmita Bhattacharya's epic journey opened her eyes to the world. Still, it was learning the language of her new family that made her realise she was home.
"I think 12 year old Sarah Kosar would think my life was pretty cool, besides not spending as much time with the Spice Girls as she anticipated I would.”
Sarah Kosar knows how hard it is to acknowledge your own achievements, but in her rollicking, uplifting piece she encourages us all to stand hand-on-hip with a slight smile on our lips and say "I'm proud of what I've achieved."
"Everyone else on the course was a man..."
Alice had always dreamed of having her own motorbike, but it was only in her late twenties that she got her first, Ruby Red. Despite nearly driving it into her neighbours fence on their first journey, it was only a matter of time before Alice felt the urge to upgrade...
A charming tale of how you have to fall off a few times to really master your steed.
"I don't usually think about my achievements..."
Occupational therapist and mentor Anne Roszkowski takes us on a journey back in time to her first ventures into public life and how the joy of organising a great party set her up for the next big step, and the next...
A beautiful story about how each challenge can empower us to take on those that follow.
"I found myself on a stage at the age of 25 with a piece of paper in my hand, shaking like I was connected to the core of the earth..."
Renowned writer and playwright Sabrina Mahfouz offers her warm and funny contribution to the 100 voices for 100 years project. In her warts-and-all piece Sabrina explains how she used to think that the only people who could pick up the mic were men. Until she did it herself.
"I learned that as well as scary, people could be riveting."
Her mother thought she might be a late developer, but Stella's early fascination with words and characters was perfect training for the challenges of being a writer.
In her enchanting piece, writer Stella Klein examines how she came to find her voice as an artist.
"Nothing else gives you the sense of powering your own life forward."
Isabelle's discovery of the power of wheels was a slow one. It was only at university when she "came out" as a disabled person. She talks about her journey, inspired by several inspiring women, both from history and in her own life, to take up her hand cycle.
"As a woman, as a writer, you can pick those underwritten stories from history, and give them new life."
Jane Roberts always loved the classics, but the more she learned the less she saw the lives of women in the epics. So she set about writing their stories herself. In this beautiful poem, Jane breathes life into the silent washer women of Troy.