Episode 68: Kate Bryan

Open Door Policy

Kate Bryan, Founder and CEO of 1 Girl Revolution, shares her experience of growing up with chronic illness and how it inspired her to amplify the stories of women across the country.

(2:42) After Fr. Patrick and Emily briefly catch up and discuss spring and the great sunshine, Emily introduces this episode’s guest, Kate Bryan.

(5:11) Kate discusses what it was like growing up with Job Syndrome, her very rare immune deficiency, and the role that played in her faith and her desire to witness to the Lord’s greatness. She also mentions her great-grandfather having been visited by Solanus Casey, and the lessons about faith her grandfather taught her.

(9:54) Kate shares some of the most challenging experiences of growing up being bullied as a result of her Job Syndrome symptoms, as well as one of her most significant breakthroughs in faith.

(14:04) Kate provides some background on 1 Girl Revolution, how it got started, and where it is today. She talks about giving a platform to women across the country of all ages to tell their stories, and how it stemmed from the knowledge and feeling of being uninvited or unwelcome in certain places.

(19:14) She discusses some of the stories 1 Girl Revolution has recently covered and some upcoming documentaries and stories she’s currently working on. Fr. Patrick asks if any people Kate’s talked with in the past have reached out again and shared any impact that 1 Girl has had on them, and Kate shares a story of human trafficking survivors she’s worked with who have, in turn, created ministries to help other women escape dangerous situations.

(23:42) Kate tells the story of her friend Jada, a woman who was in rehab at the time Kate first connected with her, and how upon leaving rehab, Jada went back to school to become an aesthetician and started her own organization to help other women in rehab feel confident about themselves.

(28:45) Kate shares some of her experience of moving away and returning to Detroit, how elements of ministry and of life can come full circle. She reminisces on Sundays in Corktown growing up, the nostalgia she finds in her faith community still, and how great it is to be back in Detroit.

(31:17) Fr. Patrick and Kate discuss the Mass at Most Holy Trinity that is usually followed by healing prayer led by students of Encounter Ministries, and Fr. Patrick shares a bit about what Encounter Ministries is.

(33:06) Kate talks about her dreams for the future of 1 Girl: more podcasts, more documentaries, and more of empowering everyone, not just women and girls, to tell their stories and see their purpose.

Links from this episode:

1 Girl Revolution website

1 Girl Revolution on Instagram

The Girl Inside

New Directions for Women

Gaelic League

Encounter School of Ministry