Accidental Mentors is coming May 24th!

Inspirational stories of women who shaped my life without even trying.

Welcome to Accidental Mentors. It is long past time for women’s stories to be told and for women to be recognized for their contributions to the world. This project, which I conceived when I was wrapping up my 65th year of life, is a small step in that direction. It has allowed me to recognize my “hidden figures”—women who go about living their lives, never expecting to be acknowledged for the influence they have on those they touch.

Only a couple of the women I’ll share stories about could be considered public figures. The others move through life unrecognized for their influence, even if they are indispensable to those who depend on them.

I call them “accidental mentors,” because only a very few of them would qualify as professional mentors in the common understanding of that term. The rest of these women taught me things through their example, without trying, without even knowing they were doing it. Of course, when I was a child, my mother, teachers, and other adults in my life were intentional about trying to teach me things. But it was mostly in watching them live their lives that I learned how to live mine. It was through their example that I learned what I valued and what I wanted to replicate in my own way of being in the world.

Accidental Mentors will take you on a journey of discovery—one which I hope will inspire you to think about the women who have touched your life, who have become your “Accidental Mentors.” Then, I hope you’ll find a way to thank them for how they helped shape who you are today.