March 11, 2004

Street Talk by Shari Kaplan

March is National Women's History Month. Who is a woman whom you feel had a significant effect or impact on the 20th Century? (Asked at Almaden Oaks shopping center)

"The first person who popped to mind is Hillary Clinton; I'm not even sure why. I guess I admire her in some respects. She's obviously a strong woman to put up with everything her husband's career put her through. She's also intelligent and determined."

Rosanne Nandan , 41
Almaden Valley
Homemaker

"Ayn Rand. Her two most important novels were ‘The Fountainhead' and ‘Atlas Shrugged.' What she really wrote it [‘Atlas Shrugged'] for was to express her philosophy of objectivism: individualism and individual responsibility. She spent her lifetime developing her philosophy and communicating it to others. She influenced many people and still does today."

Doug Keller , 50s
Almaden Valley
Marketing consultant

"I like Oprah Winfrey because she helps people get in touch with their emotions. She's also very compassionate and intelligent. I watch her show sometimes, and one of the things I like is how she helps people get their start in life or their careers."

Caitlin Cosentino-Roush , 13
Almaden Valley
Middle school student and Girl Scout (Troop 48)

"I would say Madame Curie. She showed the world that a woman can be a significant contributor in the field of science. She was really a leader for women in her time. She was also a leader in science, overall."

Rich Uhl , 61
Almaden Valley
Retired engineer

"There are just so many women to pick from! One is Eleanor Roosevelt. I believe she was the first American woman to use the political arena to make not only women's issues a household word, but also issues of the lower classes. She used presidential power to get things done."

Jane Uhl , 55
Almaden Valley
School principal's assistant

"I think I would say Rosa Parks was important to history, because of what she did for black civil rights. By what she did on the bus [refusing to stand up and give her seat to a white passenger], she stood up for what she believed in. She was a strong woman."

Kelly Malloy , 21
Almaden Valley
College student