Daring Women: Santa Barbara Literary Festival

What does it take to transform adversity into momentum—and vision into lasting impact?

The Daring Women Panel brings together an extraordinary group of leaders, entrepreneurs, and writers who have turned criticism, resistance, and even threats into fuel for change.

Moderated by bestselling author and renowned psychological astrologer Dr. Jennifer Freed and featuring Beatrice Dixon, founder of The Honey Pot Company and author of The Soul Instinct; Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action and bestselling author of Fired Up; Justina Blakeney, artist, designer, and New York Times bestselling author and founder of Jungalow; and Katherine Stewart, journalist and author of Money, Lies, and God, this powerful conversation highlights women who are reshaping culture, business, and democracy.

Through candid reflection and hard-earned insight, these trailblazers will share how they’ve navigated setbacks, challenged entrenched systems, and built platforms rooted in purpose.

Together, they reveal what it means not just to endure opposition—but to harness it as a catalyst for creativity, justice, and innovation.

Inspiring, honest, and deeply relevant, this panel invites audiences to rethink obstacles as opportunities—and to embrace the courage, persistence, and vision required to create meaningful change.