Today, we welcome Gail Straub, author of Home Inside the Globe, her new memoir that reflects on a life of travel, activism, empowerment, and creative exploration.

Gail 's Website

Gail is the author of eight other acclaimed books, including the best-selling Empowerment, co-authored with her husband David Gershon, as well as The Rhythm of Compassion, Returning to My Mother’s House, and The Ashokan Way. She has won multiple Nautilus and Foreword Reviews awards for her writings on feminism, nature, and healing.

Beyond her books, Gail cofounded the Empowerment Institute in 1981 and later IMAGINE: A Global Initiative for the Empowerment of Women, which has impacted millions of lives across Africa, India, and the Middle East. She is considered one of the world’s leading authorities on empowerment and continues to blend personal storytelling with global activism.

Here's an outline of our conversation:

Home and Belonging

• After a lifetime of travel across cultures and causes, what does “home” mean to you now—and how did writing Home Inside the Globe help you integrate your inner and outer journeys?

Empowerment Across Generations

• Since cofounding the Empowerment Institute in 1981, how has your definition of “empowerment” evolved, particularly as you’ve worked with women around the world?

Global Voices, Local Lessons

• Through IMAGINE, you’ve supported women in Africa, India, and the Middle East. What have you learned from their resilience, and what lessons could Western feminism draw from those experiences?

Balancing Activism and Storytelling

• You’ve written nature meditations, feminist memoirs, and now a life-spanning reflection. How do you balance personal storytelling with activism in your work—and what role does compassion play in sustaining that balance?

Legacy and Future Changemakers

• With Home Inside the Globe, what legacy do you hope to leave for readers—and what message do you want to pass on to the next generation of changemakers, especially those searching for purpose later in life?

 Gail, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to listeners about finding both courage and compassion on their own creative and activist journeys?

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