Ann Medlock — 91-year-old writer, social entrepreneur, and founder of the Giraffe Heroes Project — shares her extraordinary life of late blooming, courage, and service. From founding Giraffe Heroes at 50 to writing her first novel at 80 and her memoir at 90, Ann reveals what it means to stick your neck out for the common good, why attitude is everything, how nearly 2,000 giraffes have inspired millions, and why the most meaningful life is made up moment after moment, fully engaged, awake, and alive.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
How the Giraffe Heroes Project honors people who stick their necks out
The power of attitude in shaping your life at any age
How grassroots storytelling changes culture
The curriculum that's reached over 250,000 students
What joining the "muse squad" means
LEARN MORE
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February 13, 2025
Ann Medlock
Courage, Giraffes, and Heroes
"Genes you can't do anything about. Luck, you're lucky or you're not. But attitude, oh man, you can control your attitude."
TIMESTAMPS
00:04:38 – Writing is flow, making it up day after day
00:06:59 – The muse squad and what comes next
00:08:25 – Being here now, fully engaged and alive
00:15:11 – Attitude is everything
00:15:45 – Late bloomer: figuring it out at 50
00:17:10 – From butcher boxes to launching Giraffe Heroes
00:18:31 – Starting with a theft
00:26:30 – Radio stories on 33s
00:29:00 – Creating the K-12 curriculum
00:31:05 – Joseph Campbell and the holy fool
SHOW NOTES
LINKS & RESOURCES
Ann Medlock & Giraffe Heroes Project
Giraffe Heroes Project — giraffe.org (nearly 2,000 heroes honored since 1982)
Free K-12 curriculum — available for teachers at giraffe.org
Breadcrumbs — Ann's memoirish guide to a meaningful life (in progress)
Silence of the Seamade and Outing of the Mermaid — fictional memoir
Arius, Riffs and Whispers — poetry collection
GUEST BIO
Ann Medlock is a writer, editor, activist, publicist, and social entrepreneur who founded the Giraffe Heroes Project in 1982 to inspire people to stick their necks out for the common good. The nonprofit has honored nearly 2,000 giraffes and told their stories across every medium. Ann was named an education innovator by the National Education Association for her pioneering classroom materials, which have reached over 250,000 students. Her books include Silence of the Seamade and Outing of the Mermaid and poetry collection Arius, Riffs and Whispers. She lives with Giraffe Project co-leader John Graham on an island in the Pacific Northwest.
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