Welcome to a series introducing the women who were nominated by professionals and will be honored at "The Rad Women Celebration: Being Rad for Social Change." The event is hosted by the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee and will take place on Thursday, Oct. 20 at the Italian Conference Center. The idea was inspired by the bestselling book "Rad American Women A to Z," by Kate Schatz, who is the keynote speaker at the event. More information at womensfundmke.org.
Molly Snyder is a senior writer here at OnMilwaukee and has been a leader on the editorial team for the past 15 years.
She regaled you with her stories as The Pfister Narrator from 2013 to 2014 and is a Milwaukee Press Club award winner. You also may have seen her on-stage with Ex-Fabula as a Story Slam winner, on her tandem bicycle around Walker's Point or volunteering as a cat socializer at the Wisconsin Humane Society.
OnMilwaukee: What is your personal "mission" with your work?
My mission is to write interesting and inspiring stories about Milwaukee and the people who live there. I am a lifelong writer and Milwaukeean who loves people. I particularly enjoy hearing and documenting their stories. On a deeper level, I want to elevate, inspire and connect people by exposing their talents to the masses via online media to strengthen the greatest city in the world.
How do you define success?
Success for me is doing what I love to do, every day, and somehow still paying the bills. Success for me is when someone writes to me or tells me in person that they liked a story I wrote about them or that it somehow impacted their life. Success for me is seeing my sons and other people in my life putting 110 percent into their work, studies and interests.
Who has taught you the most in your life?
Other writers have taught me so much through their words. There are too many to list, but one of my daily mantras, "just take it bird by bird," comes from a book called "Bird By Bird" by Anne Lamott. This phrase has saved me from feeling overwhelmed in daily life at least a thousand times. My father had a great impact on my life, as well. He was a quirky and brilliant history professor, writer and baseball fanatic with a heart the size of his home state, Kentucky. He taught me the importance of words and staying true to them. He also taught me how to love.
How would you like to see the workplace change for women in the future?
I would like women to support one another more in the workplace. It’s often easier or more lucrative to side with male coworkers – or to be "two faced" with coworkers – but we need to really come together in solidarity so we can enjoy a bigger piece of the pie.
What does a perfect day off from work look like for you?
Spending the day with my partner in crime, Royal. Whether we go to the lake, or futz around in our home office or go out for beers doesn’t matter to me. What matters is that I’m with him.
Carolynn Buser is one of Milwaukee's loudest and most adamant cheerleaders (don't dare try to disagree). She's the primary voice behind much of OnMilwaukee's social media and content direction, and apologizes in advance if she can be too sarcastic at times.
What else? She's a wine lover, closet trashy novel reader, beauty supplies addict and devourer of cheese (shocker for a Wisconsin born and bred girl, right?). She's also a bit of a foodie, which is a word most of you hate, we know. She works as hard as she plays - and that includes in the gym! So, you've probably seen her at one of the area's newest restaurant openings (and yes, she will share her opinions good or bad) or enjoying a cold one at a local pub.
All in all, Carolynn's a believer in positive thinking and will do her best to smack down your negative ones while writing about her city, her loves, quests and more.
