MYRNA HASKELL
(It’s a real pleasure to welcome Myrna as a new board member to NAWA. She is a talented and committed publisher, devoted to insuring women everywhere can speak their minds and hearts through Sanctuary, the women’s magazine she created. She is also one of the liveliest and warmest individuals I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with. She is simply effervescent, so let’s raise a glass to her success! SB)
As the founding publisher and editor of Sanctuary, a magazine devoted to creative and mindful wellbeing for women, you obviously have a passionate interest in communication, a mission of sorts to reach out to others. How did this drive that you obviously possess begin? Was it from early childhood or later?
It was after decades of writing for others as a freelance journalist and columnist that I started to think about managing my own publication. I wanted to be able to drive a publication’s voice, direction, and overall content. I had taken on many volunteer leadership roles for organizations in local public schools and communities while my children were growing up. This is when I realized I could use my leadership and organizational strengths to run something of my own.
I’m a doer – I’ve always been a person who cuts through the noise and gets things done. This has really helped me to lead Sanctuary. Of course, a lot of this also has to do with Sanctuary’s team of women – creative, professional, and giving human beings whom I trust and admire.
Did your parents encourage your creative and humanitarian interests?
My mother is a prolific reader with an incredible vocabulary and insane spelling skills. She used to edit my work early on – things like book reviews and projects in elementary school. She was also a trained dancer throughout her school years, and my love of dance and Broadway was something that she inspired. My dad is a retired IBM executive – a math guy. His business acumen rubbed off on me. He taught me fiscal responsibility – a must when you’re a business owner. My parents were also donors to charities they held close to their hearts – particularly children’s charities.
Who were your muses? Was it a particular person – teacher, friend or another source that inspired you?
I have two mentors who have become lifelong friends and confidantes.
Mary (now Mare) Leonard was my AP English teacher in high school. She encouraged me to write for the school newspaper and to continue my writing pursuits in college. We’ve stayed in touch all these years – regularly getting together for lunch and sharing our journeys. She is now on the Sanctuary Team as section editor for our Poetry Corner. As an award-winning poet and lifelong educator, she was also a featured artist in Sanctuary.
Eugene (Gene) Mirabelli was my creative writing professor when I was an undergrad. He saw something in me and has continued to offer his sage advice and encouragement throughout my career. I have followed his career, too, attending several of his book signings over the years. Most recently, I had the privilege of interviewing him in the June 2020 issue of Sanctuary.
Sanctuary often focuses on the creative process – painting, writing, and other forms of the arts. How do you express that impulse in your own life and work?
I was a fine arts minor as an undergrad. My favorite mediums were charcoal and pastel. I’ve always been interested in dance as well. For years, I was a competitive gymnast who was serious about the artistic elements of the sport. I received training in modern dance and jazz and spent several years as a choreographer for high school and NCAA gymnasts. My favorite pastimes include attending live music events, Broadway shows, and art exhibitions.
As an informed reader, what did you hope to accomplish with your own publication?
There is an inordinate amount of negativity out there, and with the continued proliferation of social media and online publications and blogs, there is also an endless amount of information; ergo, a serious consumer must navigate through the muck to get to the quality stuff.
Sanctuary was conceived as a space for women to explore and discover, to grow and reinvent. The arts and humanitarian pursuits are a big focus. But we also publish a myriad of health and wellness articles, interviews with women who have interesting career journeys, travel journals and financial advice. Also in the mix is our popular GUEST ROOM, an interactive section that enables our readers to literally be part of our community. That was a big part of the founding – creating an active community, not merely a place to find information.
How did you first become involved with NAWA and its focus and support of women in the arts?
I heard about NAWA from a couple of its members and decided to contact Susan Hammond, who was executive director of the association at that time. After speaking with Susan, I decided to feature her and the work that NAWA was doing to support women artists – after all, it was a perfect fit with our missions so well aligned. I’ve since attended several of the annual member shows, the 130th Anniversary Commemorative Reception and several other events.
I heard about NAWA from a couple of its members and decided to contact Susan Hammond, who was executive director of the association at that time. After speaking with Susan, I decided to feature her and the work that NAWA was doing to support women artists – after all, it was a perfect fit with our missions so well aligned. I’ve since attended several of the annual member shows, the 130th Anniversary Commemorative Reception and several other events.
As a board member of NAWA, what do you think we need to continue to do to provide women artists a stronger footing in the world at large?
I am honored to begin work with NAWA. I think NAWA should continue to find ways to garner attention in the social media arena and digital space. I’ve noticed that the association is pursuing a stronger online presence with new virtual programs. It’s the future, and we’ve seen how important it can be when folks are unable to attend events and exhibitions in person. These ‘virtual arms’ that many businesses established or focused on for the first time during this pandemic are here to stay.
I think it’s also important to reach a young audience and to push for member artists who are just beginning their careers – they are the future of the organization.
Has the COVID-19 virus impacted your plans for Sanctuary and its focus? On your own life?
I think it has adversely impacted everyone in one form or another. Our focus and content remained the same, but the shutdowns, social distancing, and inability to attend events were detrimental. Sanctuary is part of several women’s business and community groups, and attendance at in-person events is essential for spreading the word about what we do. Our content is free, and our e-newsletter subscription is free. Our only means of income is through sponsorship, supporters, and events advertising. When businesses are just trying to keep people employed and are seeing their bottom line shrink to next to nothing, they are not considering new advertising expenses.
We’ve had to reimagine and get creative with new material. We started a new virtual interview show titled Sanctuary’s Coffee & Conversation, and we’ve been more active on our YouTube channel and with video creation. Fortunately, we’ve managed to keep going. We kept our chins up and forged forward. We’re hanging on and hanging in.
Personally, I’m a hugger. I miss physical contact with friends and family. I continue to worry about my parents and others who have had to stay almost completely isolated. But I’m hopeful that there are good times ahead now that the vaccine is being distributed.
