Maria Shriver

“The answers you are looking for aren't found in external achievements; look within yourself. Look in, find out — the answers are within."

How She Empowers Others

Maria Shriver is a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend, who proudly serves as the First Lady of California. An award winning journalist and best selling author, Shriver became California's First Lady upon her husband Arnold Schwarzenegger's inauguration as the 38th Governor of California on November 17, 2003.

Shriver has embraced her role as First Lady with a can-do attitude. Describing herself as a "General Assignment First Lady" - evidenced by the numerous challenges she tackles - her calls to action have resounded across the state, addressing critical issues such as the struggles of the working poor, supporting military families, promoting disaster preparedness, fighting obesity, raising awareness for Alzheimer's disease and people living with disabilities, calling all Californians to serve, celebrate remarkable women and be inspired by California's unique culture, art and history.

As Honorary Chair of CaliforniaVolunteers, she believes that all 37 million Californians have the ability to serve and make a positive impact in their communities. By launching the largest statewide volunteer matching network at www.CaliforniaVolunteers.org, the people of California can connect with thousands of volunteer opportunities.

Shriver has transformed the Women's Conference into one of the nation's largest and most successful one-day women's conferences, with past speakers including Oprah Winfrey, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Jane Fonda, Queen Noor of Jordan and Suze Orman. She also created the Minerva Awards (named after the Goddess Minerva on the California State Seal who epitomizes courage, wisdom and strength), given annually at the conference, to highlight the achievements of California women who make extraordinary contributions to their communities and the state.

With a career in journalism spanning more than two decades, Shriver has served as reporter, correspondent and anchor for world news organizations such as CBS and NBC. She has been honored with a Peabody Award and an Emmy Award, and is the author of five New York Times best-selling books. A graduate of Georgetown University, with a degree in American Studies, she and her husband have four children - Katherine, Christina, Patrick and Christopher.

Comments

Causecast.org recently had the opportunity to interview Maria at the '08 Women's Conference. You can watch the video here - http://www.causecast.org/videos/3814-maria-shriver-at-the-womens-conference

Posted by Brandon Deroche, 11 November 2008, (9 days ago)
Dear Maria Schriver,

Words cannot express how touched I was by your speech. I learned of the conference from the Oprah Show last week and was excited to stumble on it on my satellite radio last week. Icouldn't stop listening. Every free moment spent on line or listening to the webcast while working in my office. Friday night on the way home from work I was lucky enough to hear your eloquent and touching speech. I was so overcome with emotion that I had to pull into a parking lot a regain my composure. What a thrill to be able to " cuddle" with your mother and still have her in your life. I lost my mother 25 years ago in a car accident and hearing you speak of your mother was a type of emotional release for me. I think that was the first time I ever felt someone else understood the depth of love I had for my mother and how much I miss her. When you got in bed with your mother and held her hand I burst into tears. It conjured up one of my favorite memories. I am one of six children so any moment I could spend alone with her were precious. She loved to catch a few moments of Merv Griffin in the afternoon and she'd let me lay on the bed with her after school and although she would have liked to have a few moments to herself she'd wrap her arms around me, singing along with Merv or his guest and for those few minutes I was in heaven. She was a warm, soft, humming cocoon of love. She loved to sing from dawn to dusk and you'd be lucky to get through the kitchen without her grabbing you and sharing a tune or two from "Oklahoma" or "West Side Story".
Her best pieces of advice to me and my friends were, "Don't be a sap" and there's a whole world out there..go get it! I often feel her around me and in those moments I tune to the Broadway musicals channel on the radio and I make a pot of sauce, letting it simmer and steam the windows up making the house smell like "home". I invite my brothers and sister over to share the evening. We laugh at our youth and I think she'd be so proud of all of us.

I am now 51 and finally settling into my life. I will work everyday to overcome my fears. It seems easier now that I know so many other women feel the same. I will be my authentic self. How lucky I was to share in your conference. It was such a gift and I have told everyone I know about your speech and explained how to get it online.

As I write this my boyfriend, the love of my life is sitting in his office watching the download on his computer. ( He heard part of it while we were out the other day and wanted to hear all of it.) His eyes welled with tears as he looked over at me and I could see how you touched his soul. He also lost his mother years ago and was moved by you.

So I'm excited and scared now that we've bared our souls to each other. I know now we're going to live this one wild, wonderful together and tackle our fears together and do what we are here on Earth for.. Love Each Other.

Thank You and God Bless You and Yours,
Julie Ulman

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Posted by julie ulman, 27 October 2008, (24 days ago)
Dear Maria Shriver,

Thank you so much for this transforming opportunity to hear these inspiring human beings. This was a stunning example of using universal consciousness to express and serve a kinder humanity, a humanity which longs to flourish through us.

To me, this Conference is a map of authentic journeys which show us the path that connects us to our common ground and purpose, ultimately connecting us to our true selves.

I am enriched.

PLEASE make the recording of this Conference webcast available on DVD for cost,($7.00) as Carnegie Mellon did with Randy Pausch's Last Lecture.

Every young woman, every woman should have the opportunity to see this and then pass it on to their family, friends including the men in their lives as well.

With Gratitude,
Teresa Hothem

Posted by Teresa H, 27 October 2008, (24 days ago)
Maria- thanks for being the Strong, Effective, Career Woman/ Instrument of Change, Impactful-on-Society ...Great Mother, "Babe" as Bono put it, role model that you are... ... as well as the Human, At-Times-Scared, Imperfect-and- Yet--Still-Amazing gives SO MUCH HOPE to the REST OF US who are also "...human, at times scared and imperfect" that WE, TOO, can be AMAZING!
Thank you for reminding us to "Do One Thing Each Day that Scares Us!"

Posted by Jennifer Carter, 25 October 2008, (26 days ago)
I was deeply moved by your talk - you speak what I have always known about fear - but said it so much better than I could ever have articulated. I would love a copy of your talk. Thank you for reminding me that "fear is like quicksand for the spirit." Thank you Maria, for teaching and living your truth.

Posted by Elizabeth Brownfield, 23 October 2008, (28 days ago)
You're an inspiration. You express the feelings, emotions and thoughts that so many of us feel be cannot articulate.

Posted by Karen Simpson-Alisca, 22 October 2008, (29 days ago)