Thank you to Lisa Murphy and @50ForwardClub (Instagram) for this feature on my women’s advocacy work with GLORIOUS IS SHE™. I am grateful to the extraordinary Canadian women I get to feature in my posts and to my GLORIOUS followers.
In today’s 50+ profile, we’re featuring Tina Powell. Tina is an award-winning communicator, bestselling children’s author, journalist & founder of @glorious_is_she — a celebration of Canadian women who inspire, achieve and empower.
The turning point: “The pandemic offered time to ponder the big questions of life. I had been a children’s author, a journalist, earned multiple academic degrees, and raised my family — yet something was missing. There’s a social post that opens with the words: “And when you get where you’re going, turn around and help her too.” At 58, I suddenly felt a compulsion to support and advocate for women. So I sat on the board of a women’s organization, became a mentor for the York University Advancing Women Program, and founded GLORIOUS IS SHE™ (GIS). We’ve all read about cyberbullying and the negative impacts of social media. I decided to create an online movement that would do the opposite. GLORIOUS IS SHE elevates women’s voices, honours their achievements, and encourages them to chase their dreams.”
The process: “I began posting about Canadian women. On GLORIOUS IS SHE™ you see women from all different ethnicities, ages, geographic locations, socioeconomic status, abilities, religions, sexual orientations and gender identities. It’s a welcoming, inclusive, safe and respectful space. No matter how popular GLORIOUS IS SHE™ may become, it will never be monetized. All proceeds from GIS merchandise or my autographed children’s books go to women’s charities and children’s literacy organizations, respectively. When I’m not working on GIS, I’m completing writing projects for clients or meeting with my York University Advancing YU mentees or aspiring authors.”
The payoff: “I have met some amazing women! I am inspired every day. When icons like Clara Hughes, Marci Ien, and Jully Black are thanking ME for featuring them, it blows my mind. The sisterhood is strong.”
The next goal: “If the GIS follower base continues to grow, I’d love to launch a GLORIOUS IS SHE™ Award Program and Scholarships.”
The advice: “You are NEVER too old to reinvent yourself. As Canadian poet Rupi Kaur wrote, ‘Curtains up at fifty. Let’s begin the show.’”
