The importance of studying women's history | Lorissa Rinehart | TEDxTAMU

Lorissa utilizes the stories of various women in power through time to explain how they inspired her to accomplish her dreams. Through her story, she inspires and empowers other women to do the same.
Lorissa Rinehart writes about women, politics, war, and their points of intersection.
Her writing has recently appeared in Hyperallergic, Perfect Strangers, and Narratively, among other publications. Her biography, First to the Front: The Untold Story of Dickey Chapelle, Trailblazing Female War Correspondent (St. Martin’s Press) has received rave reviews from The Wall Street Journal, The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, among numerous other publications. Her forthcoming book, A Nation Unto Herself, the biography of Jeannette Rankin, the First Woman to Serve in Congress, is due out in 2025 (St. Martin’s Press).
When not writing she can be found photographing the natural world impinging upon the urban landscape or digging in the dirt with her husband and two sons in Santa Barbara, California.
She holds an MA from NYU in Experimental Humanities and a BA in Literature from UC Santa Cruz. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@kustoo]

Thank you for sharing Lorissa! Our stories are often told through the lens off others. There is a power in being Abel to share our own. Thanks for the inspiring talk.

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much! So well said! I am so grateful for your thoughts and support ❤

[@joshshelton4775]

"If a woman was described as pushy, I read her as assertive. If she was promiscuous, I took it to mean she was in control of her own body. If she was a footnote, I figured she threatened the men around her. And if she was difficult I knew she was powerful." Lorissa Rinehart is absolutely brilliant, insightful, personal and empowering. This is one of the best @TedX talks I've heard!

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much Josh! That means a great deal - especially coming from such a talented person like you!

[@ronaldgerber6897]

This talk is such a powerful statement on reframing history, turning trauma on its head to do something positive for yourself and other women, and drawing strength from the stories men have never deemed important enough. Kudos, Lorissa! I'll be sending your incredible words to all the women in my life.

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much Ronald! Your kind words mean a great deal!!!

[@gabrielleshelton7136]

"Unlocking the potential of women and girls." Your @Tedx talk is deeply inspiring. Thank you for sharing your powerful story, advocating for other women, and writing your books!

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you! Your kind words and support mean more than you know!

[@GraceRachow]

Really enjoyed this talk…Lorissa Rinehart is on my list of inspiring women.

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you Grace! Coming from an inspiring woman like you that means a great deal!

[@joshshelton4775]

Lorissa is a constant inspiration. Thanks for watching and commenting @GraceRachow!

[@HannahOGrady-w2e]

Thank you so much for sharing your story, Lorissa! What an important and inspiring message. I have so much admiration for you and your work!

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you!!!! Coming from you especially, that means a great deal! I'm so thankful for your support!

[@lesliezemeckis1822]

brava! Loved everything about this powerful call to remember women, in our lives, in history and ourselves. Women who inspire us to live our passion. Thank you for your personal story. You are fierce, kind and seen.

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much Leslie! Coming from a powerful storyteller like you, it means a great deal ❤

[@DEdgarVideo]

Lorissa, you've done so many things that other women just dream of doing. Your clear vision is an inspiration. Keep sharing your stories!

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank. you so much! I really appreciate your support and encouragement. It means more than you know.

[@joshshelton4775]

I completely agree @DEdgarVideo!

[@sebtoscale]

Couldn’t agree more! I think of my daughter watching this and the world I want her to grow up in.

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much! I cannot express how much that means to me. As a young reader of history, I never got to see women like me making the moves and making their dreams come true. And yet they did - of course. I've made it my mission in life to bring the stories of these incredible women into the light so we can all be inspired by their courage and wisdom. Thank you for watching and for your kind words.

[@joshshelton4775]

100% There is such an incredible world ahead for all when girls grow up hearing/watching perspectives like this!

[@jenndepaula497]

This was INCREDIBLE! One of the best TEDx talks I've seen. Reframing history and bringing to light the incredible women who have done so much throughout history and those - like Lorissa - who are doing so for the future. Brilliant!!!

[@victoriap7215]

Thank you so much for sharing your story - and the stories of these amazing women - with the world. Cannot wait for your next book!

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much! It's in the works!!! I'll be sure to keep you posted. Thank you for your support!

[@leawilliams4781]

Powerful and vulnerable, Lorissa. Well done. I dig into these women-in-history stories like they're a lifeline. Like they're more than inspiration -- they're sanity and honesty. Thank you for being a brave, learned voice.

[@thomascole1352]

incredibly powerful. Thank you Lorissa for speaking to the reclamation of your own story and agency through the power of those women who have come before you. So important for all of us to hear, acknowledge and take action on.

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much Tom! You're support and kind words mean so much!

[@LifeSculptors]

Thank you for adding your voice to the many who are shifting perspectives about women and their roles in our world. You are providing a generation of girls and women hope that their contributions will not go unnoticed. ❤ it!!!!

[@HeatherKeaney-n3p]

Thank you Lorissa for this timely talk. And thank you for sharing your story in such a candid way. We do need to know more about women in the past in order to be encouraged and strengthened in the present. I especially appreciated your call to take the practical step of writing down the all the influential and inspiring women we can think of.

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much for watching, for your kind words, and your encouragement! I'm so glad you liked my "call to action" - it's such a great way to visualize the powerful traditions of female leadership that we are all a part of.

[@PatriciaNoormand]

Brilliant! Even those of us who feel modern, enlightened, etc., sometimes catch ourselves falling into the trap of placing ourselves in the box that history has prescribed for us. We simply forget that the male-dominated culture has told us what we should look like; how we should act; and who we should be. A 55 year old single man is a bachelor, while a 55 year old single woman is a spinster or old maid.

[@ChrisRoa]

Her book First to the Front is really quite interesting. I cant wait for the next one to come out.

[@shericaplan7732]

What inspirational and eloquent words! Your personal story is powerful and your professional journey empowers others. Bravo!

[@KimCrail]

This is an incredibly moving talk and gives me hope! It's inspiring to me that you found your voice and are using it in this way. Can't wait for your second book and hopefully more TED Talks to come. Thank you, Lorissa

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much Kim! I really appreciate your kind words and support ❤

[@bruceluyendyk6053]

Lorissa relates her path to the discovery of her mission: to tell stories of inspiring women in our history who have been brushed aside in the usual business of nonfiction and historical literature. The fight now is to bring these women to our current consciousness through stories told by Lorissa. These can show today’s women what came before and was not said and what lies in the future for our society. Be sure to watch until the end of her talk, where she explains how derogatory adjectives used against women now and in the past can be reframed for a better understanding of women over time and in our contemporary culture. A brilliant talk!

[@korbinlynatserendipiteahea6853]

I adore this inclusive idea 💡! And bringing all the voices into the convo to see the whole picture, Bravo! I am imagining the world through this powerful perspective and am so sooo excited for all generations, but namely Gen Alpha and who comes next. As they take this idea and implement it into our societal fabric, more female leadership here we cooooome✊

[@donnaglenn674]

Very impressive, thank you Lorissa!

[@lorissarinehart5933]

My pleasure! I'm so glad you enjoyed the talk. Thank you for your comment and support!

[@TroyHarris-dr5sk]

So sorry to learn of your treatment in the surfing years. :/ I bought your book and look forward to reading it. I'm anticipating inspiration, just as conveyed/cultivated in your TEDx talk. Respect to you...

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much Troy. That is really very kind of you to say. It happens to far too many women and girls and I hope by speaking up I can help take some of that shame away that we all feel - unjustly so. I really hope you enjoy First to the Front. It was so fun to write and and an honor to bring Dickey Chapelle's incredible story to light after all these years. Thank you again. I really appreciate your words and support.

[@KelelaSB]

@@lorissarinehart5933 I’m glad RJ cued me in to your talk. I’ve been learning about that topic lately and looking for ways to be on the healing side. If we could discuss over ☕️ next time you're in SB, RJ can give you my contact info.

[@SandiPrather-j5w]

I look forward to reading a new perspective of the history I thought I knew.

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much for your kind words and I'm so very glad you enjoyed the talk!

[@KL-lr6nr]

Thank you for sharing this incredible perspective with the world and for being such an inspiration. I’m sharing this with all of the women in my life. I will forever take “pushy” as a compliment!

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you for your kind words! And yes, absolutely! Stand in your power! ❤

[@jameelsaleem]

I enjoyed this so much, what an excellent talk!

[@lorissarinehart5933]

Thank you so much for your kind words!!!

[@AnneHeaton]

Write down all the inspiring women you can think of! Will do!