Amy as a real person is Amy Richards, a feminist activist. "Ask Amy" is one of the many hats that I wear, but the best example of the random facts that I carry around in my head, on little scraps of paper, and in overly organized filing cabinets.
It is also the result of endless meetings—meant in only the best sense, i.e. that the end will never be in sight because it just keeps changing form; constant interactions with inspiring and incredible people who don't yet know they are feminists or those who have been feminists longer than I have been alive; my continual excitement of an organization in the South Bronx that trains women to go from welfare to work or a group of men who are working with other men to stop violence against women—and so much more.
When I'm not on-line at two in the morning attempting to sincerely and thoroughly answer each question, I spend my time writing. For instance, I just finished co-authoring (with Jennifer Baumgardner) Manifesta: Young Women Feminism and the Future (here's an excerpt), working as a consulting editor to Ms. Magazine and as a consultant to Gloria Steinem. That's the part that's paid - or what I refer to as my day job. The other part is my involvement with the Third Wave Foundation. Since Third Wave's inception in 1992, I have watched it grow from an organization struggling to find a place within the feminist movement to being one of only a few organizations for young feminists. Today it serves 5000 members nationally —and a few more internationally —through our members meetings, our newsletter, See It? Tell It. Change It!, and our on-line information (www.thirdwavefoundation.org). Additionally, we connect with over 2,000 more young people across the country through local programs. For instance, we grant money to projects that are by, for and about young women between the ages of 15 and 30, and host public education campaigns like I Spy Sexism, Why Vote? and Why Give?
Five years ago Feminist.com was just an idea—today it is an ever expanding information highway for women and people who care about women's issues. Ask Amy began as something I did unofficially as a way to share some of what I learn on a daily basis - today it is doing that in a more organized and hopefully more effective way. Who knows what tomorrow holds, but I hope more of all of the above. —Amy
