Folks, I love giving a SHOUT OUT to women who own their power and boldest voices of self-expression in the world. It juices me to experience their creativity, wisdom and inspiration. In saying YES to their passions, these women feed the hearts, mind and souls of every woman on the planet.

I've had the opportunity to engage in inspiring conversation with many of these women who "blow my skirt up" with their bold, beautiful and ballsy way of doing life, love and work that resonate with their soul. I invite you to experience the wisdom, passion and talent of these guest Belles with Balls on my "Tuck Talk" podcast and VoiceAmerica™ talk radio show. They are fabulous!

But.....a group of women, a mere 92 years ago on this historic day of November 15, 2009 - deserve a hardy Rebel Belle Yell! These women owned their truth, trusted their power and boldly took a stand for the equality of women, forever changing the lives of every woman in American. 

Here is their story:
The women were innocent and defenseless. And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and the warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of "obstructing sidewalk traffic."

They beat Lucy Burn, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air. They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against the bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the "Night of Terror" on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote. For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. The food -- all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms. When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.

Folks, on this day..92 years later, I shout out with profound gratitude, respect and acknowledgement for these women, and all women, who embrace their passion, suffer boldly and courageously for their beliefs and forever made their mark on our world.