Every July, we profile five “Fierce Females” in an all-women’s issue. This Sunday is International’s Women’s Day. To commemorate the day, let us reintroduce you to these amazing women:
1. As a survivor of addiction and sexual abuse, Stephanie Tomba knows how to relate to the trauma victims she works with daily at Traffick911. The advocate for the Addison-based nonprofit connects youth to shelters, counseling and medical services, while also leading survivor support groups. She’s seen plenty of returnee victims, but she’s also seen girls heal, get a job and save for their future. When the 28-year-old Lakewood neighbor isn’t working, she likes to paint and play with her 6-year-old daughter, who attends Lakewood Elementary. The school is just a few miles down the road from Tomba’s alma mater, Lake Highlands High School, where she served as the Wildcat mascot before going on to earn a bachelor’s in social work from the University of North Texas and a master’s in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington. Read the full story here.
Photo by Danny Fulgencio
2. Julie Ross readily agreed when former U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions asked her to speak at a town hall event in Richardson in 2017. But she wasn’t about to endorse the Republican’s plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with a new health care law that would gut Medicaid and other programs that help her daughter who has Down syndrome. As someone who has a mental illness, Ross rarely turns down opportunities to advocate for people with disabilities. And she’ll work with any candidate from any political party. Politicians including presidential contender Beto O’Rourke, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, state Rep. Morgan Meyer, Dallas mayoral candidate Miguel Solis and Dallas school board trustee Dustin Marshall have all sought her counsel on disability policy. The East Dallas neighbor with a background in human rights advocacy isn’t just fighting for herself and her two daughters. She hopes that her work on statewide organizations like The Arc of Texas and national groups like Americans Disabled for Attendant Programs Today will prevent homelessness, poverty, suicide and underemployment that are often symptoms of inequality in health care. Read the full story here.
Photo by Danny Fulgencio
3. Margaret Windham had nearly eight years’ experience working in the George W. Bush White House, three years’ experience as the vice president and director of marketing at Northern Trust in Dallas and four years’ experience as the senior director of individual giving at United Way. But when she joined the Café Momentum team in 2016, the veteran businesswoman had to forge her own path in a new position — social work restaurateur. So few restaurants have social-impact goals, the East Dallas neighbor had to invent the title after taking the job. Café Momentum revolutionized the food scene in Dallas when it launched in 2011 with the mission of teaching life skills and vocational skills to teenagers who have spent time in juvenile detention. As chief operating and development officer, Windham oversees the board of directors and a staff of about 20 people, who have mentored more than 400 students who have completed the 12-month internship program. She also ensures the dual restaurant-nonprofit can continue to grow by managing fundraising operations and event planning. Read the full story here
Photo by Danny Fulgencio
4. VR Small was in the waiting room at the Veterans Affairs hospital when the receptionist announced the doctor was ready to see “Mr. Small.” The six-year Navy veteran corrected the woman, but after being sick all weekend, her croaky voice never reached the receptionist. She called for Mr. Small two more times. More than 180,000 female veterans in Texas face similar comments and other barriers to services. So when the W.W. Samuell High School graduate moved back to Dallas from New York in 2015, she founded the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center. As executive director, she helps veteran women business owners succeed by providing a co-working space with on-site mentors, enrichment activities and opportunities for advancement. Small, who is the daughter of a Vietnam vet, also testified in support of a bill to make June 12 Women Veterans Day in Texas. She chaired the Dallas planning committee for the holiday’s first official celebration in 2018. Read the full story here.
Photo by Danny Fulgencio
5. Frishta Nasari was only 10 years old when she saw a bombed car with blood on the windshield while driving through her hometown of Ghazni, Afghanistan. Three years later, her family fled to Sri Lanka where they lived as refugees until the United Nations helped them resettle to Dallas in 2016. With help from the East Dallas nonprofit, International Rescue Committee in Dallas, Nasari succeeded in her new home. The 19-year-old helps support her seven-member family by working part time at the Fiesta grocery store while excelling in school. In 2018, she was accepted to the Dallas Mayor’s Intern Fellows Program, which introduces students to future careers while they work at area businesses. Nasari interned at IRC, where she spoke at several workshops informing community members about refugee issues. Through her volunteer efforts, she won the Princeton Prize in Race Relations recognizing high schoolers working to promote racial harmony and integration. Read the full story here.
Photo by Danny Fulgencio
