Fearless Women (with Cathy Hughes) | Episode 16

07/18/24 • 28 min

1 Listener

When children are raised knowing the stories of the strong, fearless women in their family tree they are more likely to feel empowered to chase their own dreams.
Raised with tales of the trailblazing women in her family, Ms. Cathy Hughes, founder of Urban One and the first African American woman to head a publicly traded corporation, drew strength from her formidable foremothers to overcome daunting obstacles. But it was the untold story of her great-great-grandmother, Charlotta Pyles—an enslaved woman who engineered her family's escape with the help of unexpected allies—that profoundly shifted her perspective and inspired her to reshape her own legacy.
This newfound insight into Charlotta's courage and resourcefulness inspired Ms. Hughes to extend her influence beyond her immediate achievements, mentoring the next generation of women leaders and redefining what it means to be a powerful woman today. Discover how the legacy of bravery and resilience has empowered Ms. Hughes to forge paths for others, just as it did for her.

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Previous Episode

Familial Sudoku (with Josh Harman) | Episode 15

Do you revel in solving a good brain teaser or completing a crossword puzzle? Climbing your family tree can feel a little like piecing together a tricky jigsaw. But what happens when solving the puzzle reveals a blind great-grandfather who built houses single-handedly and inspired generations?

Early in his career, Josh Harman was a young, slightly overconfident, product manager at Ancestry who thoroughly enjoyed solving technical problems but thought genealogy was boring. He didn't understand the obsession. Listen in as he shares some of the transformative moments that helped him evolve from seeing family history as mere "familial Sudoku" to discovering the profound stories that shaped his identity. This journey not only changed his professional outlook but reshaped his understanding of what it truly means to be a Harman.

Join us to explore how piecing together your own family history can deeply connect you with your past and illuminate your place in your family narrative. That process will light up your brain as much as any puzzle – and might just change how you see yourself.

Next Episode

Police Don't Have Nothin' On Me (with Rusty Wright and Lisa Elzey) | Episode 17

What if the secrets to your family's past were hidden in plain sight, waiting to be discovered in the most unexpected places - like a county jail?

When U.S. Marshal Rusty Wright set out to learn about the grandfather he never met, he never imagined discovering that his own ancestor had once faced off with law enforcement. What begins as a simple inquiry unfolds into an epic journey from the Oregon Trail to Prohibition-era Florida, revealing a family's saga of resilience, loss, and eventual reconnection.

Joining us is Lisa Elzey, my podcast producer and Senior Story Producer at Ancestry, whose expertise in transforming historical records into compelling family narratives helps unlock the story of Rusty's grandfather Leland. We follow the clues from a single draft card to unclaimed ashes, revealing how each discovery can open doors to deeper family connections.

Through DNA matches and dusty records, Rusty not only uncovers his grandfather's colorful past but also forges new bonds with relatives he never knew existed. His story reminds us that every family tree contains surprising twists - and that sometimes, our most meaningful discoveries come from the simplest questions.

Stories That Live In Us - Fearless Women (with Cathy Hughes) | Episode 16

Transcript

Cathy Hughes00:00:01.923

When Ancestry . co m first presented my story to me that had I known I probably would have run for public office . I might have been president by now ,

Cathy Hughes00:00:14.086

because the women in my family , they just think it up and do it .

Crista Cowan00:00:19.841

Stories that Live In Us is a podcast that inspires you to fo