BAKE SALE POP-UP
It's time for holiday treats and storytelling! ​
Join us at UTC Mall in Sarasota for Lee Miller's Tomato Soup Cake & more
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1-4 pm on Saturday, Dec 14 | Main entrance, 2nd floor
FROM ART TO HEART TO ACTION
Women of Resistance is a stage performance, inspired by the lives of the brave women who helped defeat the Nazis during WWII. We celebrate their lives through music, dance, storytelling and visual art.​
Based in Sarasota, we plan to grow WOR into WOW with your help and take our shows nationally and internationally! Thank you to all our guests and donors.
Save the Date!
Step into history and celebrate the heroines of WWII through an extraordinary blend of music, art, and dance. Join us this April for our first full-length performance—an unforgettable journey of courage, inspiration, and empowerment. Don’t miss this remarkable tribute!
Friday, April 4, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 2 pm and at 7:30 pm
Manatee Performing Arts Center | Stone Hall
502 Third Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205
For more info contact Vicki: 941-928-3426
Support Women of Resistance
To join our journey donate securely online. For information about sponsorship, please contact Vicki Chelf 941-928-3426 or John Lambie 941-323-8800
THE INSPIRATION
THE TEAM
Vicki Chelf
Warren Slim Williams
Brenda Boone
John Lambie
Carolyn Michel
James Jordan
Brentney J
Megha Vaid
Pascal Benichou
Suzanne Caeser
Tania Vergara Perez
Women of Resistance
Women of Resistance (WOR) tells the amazing, little known, stories of seven heroic women who helped the Allies defeat Fascism during WWII. Their roles were diverse, ranging from radio operators and spies, to guerilla fighters and more. Some were leaders in the entertainment industry, and others hairdressers. They came from diverse cultures and backgrounds, but they all saw the horror of Nazism and vowed to do everything in their power to stop it. These are stories that inspire and empower. They are told through music, words, dance and images in short vignettes linked together and ended with a celebratory finale.
WOR began as a series of portraits, inspired by a visit to a museum of the Resistance in a small French village. There, artist, writer and co-producer Vicki Chelf learned about the role of women in WWII and was overcome with a desire to pay homage to these brave women. The paintings became a one-person gallery show. Viewers were intrigued by the paintings but wanted to know the stories behind the images. The idea of a stage production with music, storytelling and dance came to Vicki in a meditation and she called her friend Warren Slim Williams to see if he was interested in creating the music. Slim said he was on board and we haven’t looked back. This was in 2021. Since then, we have created a non-profit, brought on eight accomplished choreographers, workshopped our ideas and built the show from scratch, starting with performances in the art gallery.
On Friday April 4, 2025, at 7:30 pm and April 5 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm, we will have our first 90-minute performance at the Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. West in Bradenton, FL.
THE WOMEN OF RESISTANCE
Help Tell Their Stories
Please support the Women of Resistance & Women of the World project. You can help us showcase inspiring stories and empower women through visual and performance art.
To order prints or inquire about art available for purchase, please contact Paul Sykes at Art Avenue: 440-227-4592
The Inspiration Continues
Marina Ovsyannikova
Senior editor for Channel One in Russia, Marina Ovsyannikova, made international headlines when she walked onto a live news broadcast with a sign that said “No War, Don’t Believe the Lies.” She was fired, arrested and at the time of this writing is in hiding, facing 10 or more years of prison.
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Megan Whitney Howell
Sarasota’s own Megan Whitney Howell is the founder of Second Heart Homes. At 34 years old, she has provided housing for 46 formerly homeless mentally ill individuals in beautiful art-filled homes where they feel safe and loved so they can begin to heal, and if possible, transition to independence.
THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD
Inspire & Empower
941-928-3426 | Contact Us
WOMEN OF RESISTANCE IS A 501(C)(3) CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION. THE FLORIDA CENTER MEETS ALL REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED BY THE FLORIDA SOLICITATION OF CONTRIBUTIONS ACT. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION #CH74160 AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.