We’re excited to have you here. Stick around and come back often. We plan to influence how you see the world and yourself in it. We’re here to inspire you to make some TroubleForGood.
Our mission is simple: We believe that women who cause Trouble change the world.
The goal of TroubleMakers is to spread awareness of gender inequity and contribute 100% of the money we earn to combat it. We’re a community that shares the stories and relishes the successes of TroubleMakers – close to home and all around the country!
You know the cliches; rock the boat, open doors, smash ceilings. TroubleMakers drive change! We need them in our lives, in our schools, in our workplaces and in government. Supporting equity for everyone is important, especially for women and girls. Equity is a big deal. Equity is about fairness.
There is a difference between giving everyone the same size box to stand on and giving them each as many boxes as they need to see over the fence. We support the kind of Trouble that encourages access to the same opportunities for all. We believe that each of us can make a difference and that together we can use our voices to impact lives in a wicked powerful way.
Our community has fun throwing in a healthy dose of celebration, too. TroubleMakers sometimes don’t like to toot their own horn. We’re all about amplifying the outspoken AND championing the restrained. We love to do it for ALL those making Trouble for Good.
To catch you up with everything we’ve got going on here, let’s start by introducing our fearless leaders Bari and Meredith. We asked these two badass women to tell us how their partnership began; how they met and ultimately teamed up to form TroubleMakers.
Here’s the story: Years ago, Bari was seeing a doctor named Gary Frishman. During her casual conversations with him she learned that she and her husband Alan shared a bunch of interests with him and his wife, Meredith. There were some interesting coincidences in their lives; ties to Rhode Island and shared histories at both undergrad and graduate universities.
So, being the TroubleMaker at heart that she’s always been, Bari was BOLD enough to invite her Doctor and his wife to have dinner with her and her husband. (Who does that, right?) Gary and Meredith thought it was oddly forward of her to ask – it was “kind of weird.” Standard protocol wouldn’t allow socializing with a patient, let alone dining with them at their home. They didn’t accept – at least not right away.
But later, when Bari wasn’t under Dr. Gary’s direct care anymore, she pressed on with her usual endearing tenacity. Eventually, they all settled on a compromise; to meet-up at a restaurant somewhere between their homes. (Only Rhode Islanders would consider the need to meet in the middle of a 5-mile distance!)
Of course, they hit it off right away! And, they discovered another thing they had in common. Meredith was pregnant with her first child, just a few months ahead of Bari in her pregnancy. So began their nearly 30-year friendship.
Over the years since, while raising kids and navigating careers, they’ve shared their ups and downs, observations and strategies with each other. As working moms there were those “are you kidding me” moments many of us can relate to. They called on one another for a ‘reality check’ when ridiculous, gender-based events happened.
· Like the time Meredith was dissed by the other ‘lunch-mom’ volunteers for showing up at her kids’ school in her work clothes.
· Or, when a company owner questioned her impeccable credentials, clearly because she was a woman in an important role.
· And, Bari recounts a hostile and bullying attack from a peer in a meeting where she was the only female…and no one spoke up.
Causing their share of Trouble along the way, they’ve powered through. Each has become a successful leader in her own right. But, throughout those personal and professional journeys there’s been that persistent, systemic gender inequity. It has such staying power. They couldn’t help but notice it in their childrens’ lives and their work lives. So, in 2020 they decided to make some noise about it.
Our heroes assembled an awesome and diverse advisory board. They gathered an impressive squad of talented supporters and built a lean, mean Trouble Team to launch Trouble.
Trouble Team’s ambition is to make a tangible difference in the real world by supporting organizations who do the work on the ground – promoting equity for women and girls.
Organizations like:
Girls on the Run They inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. “We envision a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.”
Gift Card Bank, whose mission is to improve well-being and financial security by supporting people through their time of greatest need. “We collect gift cards for essentials like groceries and clothing and match them to people who are on the brink of financial duress.” They’re doing crucial work supporting those affected by COVID-19, which is disproportionately impacting women.
If you know of, or are part of a group in service of the cause please tell us about it.
info@troublemakers.org
Our super powers grow with every person we influence!
We hope you’ll be part of the Trouble Team. Join our ranks! Be part of the growing alliance of TroubleMakers for Good. Together we are strong and influential.
Check out the TroubleMaker profiles on our website – www.troublemakers.org. Catch us on social media. Wear some Trouble gear to display your TroubleMaker spirit. Or gift some gear to your favorite TroubleMaker to honor them and support the mission. Know that 100% of profits from the sale of TroubleMaker Gear goes directly to our Trouble partners.
We now pronounce you honorary TroubleMaker for Good!
Stay tuned for more insights and inspiration. Share the cool stuff you learn here with the TroubleMakers you know and love.
SPEAK UP. SPEAK OUT. THIS REALLY MATTERS.