
Welcome to #ThePowerOfStories Podcast – a podcast BY women, ABOUT women, and FOR women! Stories connect us and inspire us, and in this podcast, women from around the world, will talk about their experiences on their personal path to empowerment. Their stories of resilience, of overcoming fears, and of pursuing their dreams will remind you that you are not alone in facing life’s challenges.
The idea for a SayItForward.org podcast was Yodit Kifle Smith’s. Yodit is a dear friend and has worked with me on this website for nearly four years. She describes herself as “a creative dedicated to making sure the voices and stories of women are heard” and I am deeply grateful to her.
We are grateful to Lisa DiGiovine, Editor/Co-Producer of The Power of Stories Podcast for agreeing to share her advice and expertise. Lisa is an Emmy nominated non-fiction producer, writer and director. Her many credits include writing and producing for CNN, E!, Dr. Phil, Discovery, The Outdoor Channel, Lifetime and NBC.
Many thanks to Cali Wang for composing the Intro and Outro music for this podcast.
And, thank YOU very much for listening!
Sharon Kathryn D’Agostino
Founder, SayItForward.org

The Power of Stories is a new podcast BY women, ABOUT women, and FOR women. In this podcast, we are inviting courageous women from around the world to share the experiences that are shaping their path to empowerment. In each episode, you will hear stories that remind YOU that you are not alone…stories about resilience, overcoming fears, pursuing your dreams.. AND believing in yourself. This podcast is hosted by… Sharon Kathryn D’Agostino, a passionate advocate for the empowerment of women and girls everywhere, and founder of the storytelling platform, SayItForward.org and…. Yodit Kifle Smith, a creative dedicated to making sure the voices and stories of women are heard. We are grateful to Lisa DiGiovine, Editor/Co-Producer of The Power of Stories Podcast for agreeing to share her advice and expertise. Lisa is an Emmy nominated non-fiction producer, writer and director. Her many credits include writing and producing for CNN, E!, Dr. Phil, Discovery, The Outdoor Channel, Lifetime and NBC. And many thanks to Cali Wang for composing the Intro / Outro Music for this podcast. Listeners can connect with us at SayItForward.org and on our social media pages:Instagram and Twitter: @SayItForwardNow Facebook: facebook.com/sayitforwardnow
Jamila Hammad was born in Colombia from a Colombian mother and a Palestinian father. At age 12, her family migrated to the US, and Jamila set out to learn English, get a college degree and pursue a corporate career in Marketing Communications. She accomplished all of those goals…and then walked away from it all to become an artist. Today she lives on St. Croix, in the Caribbean Virgin Islands, and creates art quilts and mixed media works that celebrate the spirit of the sea.
In this episode, Jamila discusses how, as a 12-year-old, she acclimated to a new country, culture, and language… her view that “not belonging” offers an opportunity to find common ground… the courageous choice to leave a successful corporate career to pursue her passion for art… forging her own path through acts of independence… searching for ways to connect with her soul… discovering quilting as a path to artistic expression… discovering a lifetime of inspiration in the majesty of the sea… the importance of overcoming the distractions of the world to go within and connect with our truth. IG: @jamilahammadart (St. Croix, V.I. and Colombia)
