Cynthia Good is an author, activist, entrepreneur, mother and wife. Oh, and she’s also the founder of Little PINK Book, a digital magazine and events company dedicated to empowering and inspiring career women. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing and writing poetry, and in the new year, she will pursue her Master’s of Fine Arts in poetry while she and her husband build a new home in Mexico. “We’ve been building a home in Cabo San Lucas and look forward to spending some time there as well as in Atlanta starting this holiday and in the new year,” she shares. But for today, we’re excited to have her right here on StyleBlueprint Atlanta as our newest FACE. Meet Cynthia Good!
Cynthia Good, founder of Little PINK Book and today’s FACE of Atlanta
Why did you start Little PINK Book, and why is it important for Atlanta women?
Little PINK Book began as PINK magazine. At the time, in 2004, there were no national publications for women in business or women who were passionate about their careers. The traditional business magazines had few articles that included women and virtually no stories directed at woman — so we saw there was a clear niche in the marketplace and in fact, we garnered support from many Fortune 500 companies. They placed ads in the magazine and continue to support PINK with sponsorships today. This includes such companies as The Home Depot, The Coca-Cola Company, Southern Company, Randstad US, Emory University and many others.
We would classify you as a renaissance woman — journalist, speaker, entrepreneur, author, dancer, activist, mother, wife and more. How do you manage all these different roles?
Interestingly, rarely are men asked this question. Of course, for all of us, it is about tradeoffs and setting priorities. Perhaps we’re more mindful about what we’re giving up. Now that my two sons are grown, one in college and one working in Los Angeles, I have been freed up to focus more on the things I love. Lately, this has given me the chance to dance more frequently and also to pursue a Master’s degree. In January, I will begin a two-year program to receive my Masters of Fine Arts in Poetry from NYU’s Writers Workshop in Paris. It seems to me that so much more needs to be said today, beyond what we have access to in the mainstream media and through our culture and traditional language. There is a deeper, more complex story that needs to be told, and regular words no longer suffice. So, poetry for me is a way to transcend that.
What was your inspiration for writing your book, Vaccinating Your Child? What is your response to anti-vaxxers?
I wrote Vaccinating Your Child after a decade of moderating the CDC’s live “Immunization Update” broadcasts from Atlanta to public health professionals globally. I teamed up with a CDC doctor in order to bring this valuable information to parents in the general public who I thought would benefit from the information the professionals received. In the book, I interview lots of parents on both sides of the vaccine issue. If parents are educated, they can do a better job making informed decisions and can protect their children. For instance, it’s important to avoid things like Thimerosal in vaccines if you can, as this preservative has been linked in some studies to health problems.
You have two sons and a husband. Has your domestic, testosterone-dominated background played some sort of role in your professional endeavor to raise up local women?
I grew up with two brothers. My sons were always proud of me as a working woman. They inspired me and still do every day. They are compassionate and humble and strong. They respect strong women.
Tell us about your miniature horse and the other little creatures living in your backyard.
The animals in my life make me certain there is something greater in the universe. Twenty-six years ago when we moved into our house, before we were married, we adopted Holly, a miniature horse. She had her daughter outside of the barn in our backyard here in Buckhead. While Holly passed away last summer, her daughter LittleHorse still grazes and gallops in the grass. She is magical, like a unicorn. Our Havanese puppy, named Zuni, chases the horse and gets her back into the corral at the end of the day. Lucy, the cat, watches from the sidelines. We have raised chickens as well. These creatures are so filled with love and personality, and they get you to look at the world differently, which is so healthy.
Cynthia finds great joy in her pet menagerie, which includes a miniature horse, appropriately named LittleHorse, and her Havanese puppy, Zuni.
How did you get involved with your dance group, Ingrid y Fuega? What’s the best, and worst, part about performing on stage?
Ofelia de La Valette, owner of Dance 101, is a friend who recommended me to the group created by Ingrid Buxbaum. This is a group of mostly working women who are deeply passionate about dance. We enjoy the process of developing different dance routines, choreographed by Marci Lefkoff, and rehearsing and performing in order to share our deep love of movement. That’s the best part. The worst part is getting nervous because this defeats the purpose of being in the moment and enjoying the whole thing — it’s a great reminder to do just that.
How did you end up in Atlanta? What’s your favorite part about living in the South?
I came to Atlanta ages ago for a TV anchor job at FOX 5/WAGA-TV and stayed ever since. I love the fireflies and change of seasons that I didn’t have growing up in Los Angeles. Also, this community is filled with so many powerful, passionate, beautiful women. Most of all, I love and adore the many dear friends I’ve made.
What’s your proudest moment/memory connected to Little PINK Book?
You mean aside from being on the “Today” show, when we allegedly spraypainted “WO” in front of those awful and unapproved “Men Working” signs? The best moments are when we hear from women who close a fantastic piece of business because of a contact she made at a PINK event, women who get the job they’ve dreamed up because of something they read in PINK. Also we are proud of the awareness and the more than $100,000 we’ve raised over the years for nonprofits that support women and/or girls. At our most recent event, raffle and promotions benefitted the Alma G. Davis Foundation, which offers resources to victims of domestic violence. Only 5% of these cases are reported. To help our community understand the issue at deeper level, we had the chance to interview Fulton County Assistant DA April Ross, who was shot and paralyzed by her estranged husband.
What do you want attendees to get out of your PINK empowerment events? What makes these signature events stand out from the pack?
These events are a lot of fun. The last event, on Halloween, kicked off with a Thriller flash mob. Although we’ve been holding these for 12 years now, we are still covering new ground by focusing on things like authentic leadership. The women on our panels have accomplished what so few women have been able to do even today. The numbers are kind of stuck. Think — still fewer than 5 percent of Fortune 500 companies are headed up by a woman, and the pay gap remains around 80 cents on the dollar. So we need to continue the conversation in order to empower women to get clarity around what they want most in life and how to get it.
Atlanta has a bustling, active music scene. Where do you go to hear live music in the city and enjoy Atlanta artists/performers?
Chastain Park and their concert series is one of my favorite parts of the city — to hear wonderful music under the sky. Also, Serenbe’s live theater just a few miles from town is spectacular. In town, we are season ticket holders to the Atlanta Ballet and try to support talented artists who are friends. Don’t miss my friend Bubba Carr’s photography exhibition on January 6th.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Follow your heart. Be true to yourself — that’s the best gift you can give to those around you and the world!
What three things can you not live without, excluding friends, family and faith?
Love, curiosity and the chance to express it. On second thought, I’d go with: pen, paper and my small white dog.
Thank you to Catrina Maxwell of CatMax Photography for today’s gorgeous photos of Cynthia.
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Read about even more inspiring Atlanta women in our FACES archives. Click here.
