westchester women
making a difference
by Kazaray Taylor
Joy Rose – Leading Moms who Rock
Local women leaders are helping to change our
Mamapalooza, the corpora-
planet, and they’re inspiring others to do the
tion, was born out of Joy Rose’s
same. We caught up with five such women, to euphoria for life. After recovering
find out what they’re doing and what they have
from SLE–Lupus, that had her
to say about making an impact.
bedridden for years, Joy created
Mamapalooza to use music as
Dr. Susan Rubin – Improving School Food
vehicle for change, amplify the
voices of moms, and create a
and Community Health
large scale platform on which
Dr. Susan Rubin is the founder
women could gather.
of Better School Food (BSF), a
In the beginning, Joy was
coalition of health profession-
focused on philanthropic work
als, educators, and parents
through Mamapoolza. After the
Joy Rose
whose mission is to raise
corporation took off, she added
awareness about the connec-
a publishing arm, filmmaking, and online blogs and com-
tion between food and health.
munities. Joy reports that she is only now thinking about
Also widely known as one of
becoming a business entreprenuer, after her organization has
the mothers in the film, Two
become well-established. Next on Joy’s wish list is building
Angry Moms, Susan is a cru-
a Museum Of Motherhood. Women are invited to contribute
sader for both children’s health
to the inaugural exhibit by writing their story or the story of a
and the health of the planet,
mother they love at museumofmotherhood.org.
noting that the environment
Dr. Susan Rubin Joy herself says she’s never done creating, and believes
benefits as well when local
that everyone has the power to make a difference. “Wake up
food is served in school cafeterias and other institutions.
in the morning and take one courageous action,” she says.
Susan says that shipping Washington grown apples to NY
“For some of us, that means getting out of bed! For others
schools, is like “eating oil,” environmentally speaking.
it means extending a hand to someone who needs help, or
Susan’s rise to food stardom began when, as a practicing
acting on something despite our fear-based thinking to create
dentist, started a PTA nutrition committee called “No Junk
something truly G.R.E.A.T.”
Food January.” Upon finding her passion, Susan used technol-
Joy says that prayer has been important for her. “Basi-
ogy to spread her message—from email newsletters to Face-
cally, my inspiration is God-sourced,” says Joy, “with a sense
book to blogs—building visibility for her cause and growing
of humor and the addition of some pink lipstick.”
the movement. Her appearance on the Rachael Ray show last
New Yorkers can experience Mamaplaooza for them-
year to promote Two Angry Moms allowed Susan to take her
selves on Saturday, May 16 (see page 5) at Kensico Dam
message to national audiences and shed light on the dismal
Plaza in Valhalla (and be sure to visit the Natural Awakenings
state of school lunch programs in our country.
booth in the Sustainable Women area!)
Currently, Susan co-leads the Westchester chapter of
Slow Food USA, a global, grassroots movement that links the
Katie Ginsberg – Educating Kids
pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the
environment. As summer approaches, Susan’s new dream is
about the Environment
to see vegetable gardens popping up in every home, school
Chappaqua resident and mother of three, Katie Ginsberg is
and childcare center. “More community gardens too,” she
also the Founder and Executive Director of the Children’s En-
says. “This would be the most effective way to build our food
vironmental Literacy Foundation (CELF), a non-profit organi-
IQ, along with helping our waistlines, our wallets and the
zation geared towards ensuring that sustainability education
world.”
– an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning that
Susan says that anyone can do what she’s done to im-
helps kids understand how a healthy ecosystem is the foun-
pact the community. “Start small, start local, and follow your
dation for stable economies and equitable societies – is an
passion,” she advises. “Don’t overthink it! Rely on your heart
integral part of every student’s learning. Since sustainability
and your gut and trust that they will lead you in the right
essentially means leaving the planet in better shape for future
direction.”
generations, it makes sense to get children involved, says

May 2009
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