I met Gloria Steinem in March 2012 when she came to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to give a keynote address at our women’s conference. As the Dean of the School of Continuing Education, I insisted on inviting her. I was a long-time “fan” and believed Gloria Steinem’s voice of activism and women’s empowerment would inspire all of us—and we were not disappointed.

The title of Gloria’s talk was The Longest Revolution, addressing women’s progress in the workplace and modern feminism. She did not sugarcoat the need to persevere for women’s equity in the workplace and society, and how this was an act of empowerment. One of her quotes illustrates her belief: “Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It’s about making life more fair for women everywhere. It’s not about a piece of the existing pie; there are too many of us for that. It’s about baking a new pie.”

About Sharing Our Stories

The evening before the conference, I hosted a small dinner to welcome Gloria and to engage other conference speakers; there were about six of us. What will always stand out for me was her personal interest in who we were. She leaned in and faced each person, making direct eye contact, genuinely curious about who we were, our backgrounds, and what brought us to higher education.

We had a celebrity in our midst who prioritized relationships and stories. She cared about the other. In short, she was a great interviewer and listener. She wanted to hear our stories, and as she has said to many others—Tell your story.

Gloria Steinem’s Lengthy Legacy is About Being Action-Oriented

I was a beneficiary of the steadfast encouragement and example of Gloria Steinem and other 1960-1970 feminists. One quote that stands out is about legacy we can also emulate: “I’ve been using my torch to light other people’s torches. Because the whole idea that there’s only one torch is part of the reason why we’re so f***** up. Everybody needs a torch.”

Another favorite quote of Gloria’s is: “The art of life is not controlling what happens to us, but using what happens to us.” This is a quote that requires reflection followed by action.

This final quote from her is about being practical, humble, and about collective mentorship: “We need to remember across generations that there is as much to learn as there is to teach.” Please share your favorite Gloria Steinem quote with the readers of this blog.