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Silda’s moxie comes from a lifetime of engagement, a willingness to evolve, creativity, and a deep trust in the power of people to catalyze change when they are seen, supported, and brought together. She has a strategic approach to moxie that is purpose and service-driven.

Silda Wall Spitzer has spent her life working at the intersection of civic responsibility, community, and conscience. Trained as a lawyer and shaped by decades of public service, she has long been driven by a commitment to environmental stewardship, social justice, and the belief that strong communities are built through shared responsibility and mutual care.

As First Lady of New York State, Silda championed initiatives that elevated dignity in work, expanded opportunity, and highlighted the essential role of public institutions in supporting people and places. Her advocacy has always centered on listening closely, amplifying voices that are too often overlooked, and creating spaces where meaningful change can take root.

That same impulse led her to found New York Makers, the first digital magazine dedicated to celebrating the artisans, growers, and entrepreneurs shaping the state’s creative economy. The magazine was born from a simple realization. Extraordinary makers were doing inspiring work across New York, yet had no shared forum to learn about one another or to be seen as part of a larger ecosystem.

Silda’s Jam grew naturally from that mission. For years, Silda had a family tradition of making jam for friends and loved ones each holiday season. What began as a personal ritual became a way to support the magazine and the communities it uplifted. She turned that tradition into a small business rooted in care, craftsmanship, and connection.

Made in small batches in the Hudson Valley and sweetened with local maple syrup, Silda’s Jam reflects her values. It honors local sourcing, thoughtful production, and the joy of sharing food as an act of generosity. More than a product, it is an extension of her belief that building community can start with something as simple and human as gathering around the table.

Resources

Silda's Jam

Silda Wall Spitzer/Tim Jones Art

Social Media

Instagram @SildasJam

Facebook Silda's Jam

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Tracy whips up moxie every time she steps into her kitchen. A Ballymaloe-educated chef, organic farmer, and food educator, she is passionate about mixing those ingredients to create meaningful experiences for people through her new adventure, Undermountain Pantry Cooking School and Microbakery.

Tracy is a creative local food systems entrepreneur evolving her work by owning and managing CSAs for Chubby Bunny and Husky Meadows Farms, coordinating education and outreach for Plantin’ Seeds, and serving as culinary director at Seed and Spoon. All those endeavors fed into her mission to design seasonal, fun, and educational culinary workshops and meals at Undermountain Pantry.

Tracy’s jam is helping people become attached to local and seasonal food, building community through sharing delicious, nutritious food, and helping her students develop culinary skills to take back into their home kitchens and make some moxie of their own.

Through her farming and culinary pursuits, she has learned to listen to her gut, letting her intuition guide her to places that feel authentic and true. She has gained the gift of patience, cultivating relationships and skills that may bear fruit in the future. This way of leaning into her life is integral to her moxie.

Resources

Undermountain Pantry Cooking School and Microbakery

Ballymaloe Cookery School

Social Media

Undermountain Pantry Instagram

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What do you get when you combine two moxie-fueled individuals? Moxie synergy that’s off the charts! Mimi Madden and Susan Wheeler are the driving forces behind Good News Girls, a social collective for women over 50 in northwest Connecticut.

The Good News Girls started as a musing in an English pub after a long ramble in the countryside. It has evolved into a dynamic and active organization, providing enrichment and social opportunities during a phase of a woman’s life that is marked by significant change. Menopause, changes in relationship status, retirement, grown children, and aging parents can add to isolation, loneliness, and a need for connection. Enter the Good News Girls with hikes, book groups, retreats, and learning-centered dinners, creating opportunities for friendship and positivity. They prove that it’s never too late to make changes in your life!

Separately, Susan and Mimi have a wealth of experience and have weathered setbacks in their own lives. Susan overcame a devastating back injury to become a marathoner, author of The Lemonade Diet, mindset speaker and coach, and successful entrepreneur. Mimi has served arts non-profit organizations for decades. She is currently a program consultant for the American Mural Project (AMP) in Winsted, CT. She is a Kinder Life Planner and a Keirsey Temperament Consultant, helping clients align their lives with their natural gifts, motivations, and dreams.

Listen to their stories and draw inspiration from their wisdom. Mimi and Susan understand that in life, things happen, and obstacles and difficulties are an inevitable part of being human. However, they firmly believe that these events are easier to bear in the good company of others who can lift you up and help you get back on track.

Resources

The Good News Girls

Susan V. Wheeler

When Life Hands You Lemons…The Lemonade Diet

Madden Consulting

American Mural Project

Social Media

Good News Girls Instagram @_thegoodnewsgirls

Facebook The Good News Girls

Women 50+ Get Active Meetup Group

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