Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta was born into a wealthy New York family of Italian origin, and was raised in a strict Catholic education. Her dream was to become an actress, but she got nervous in auditions, and ended up getting a 3-second extra gig in The Sopranos TV series. As a plan-B she decided to invest in her music career, which started with playing classic piano from age four. She adopted the nickname “Lady Gaga” given to her by friends based on the 80’s hit song “Radio Ga Ga”. The stage-name allowed her to reinvent herself as a new and extravagant character with uncompromising confidence in her unique personality, expressed in language and appearance. Her musical talent was complemented, and at times overshadowed by her stylish outfits and stage design. She became “the biggest pop star in the world”, a provocative fashion icon, most wanted paparazzi target and social media magnet with more than 30 million followers. She explains that the idea behind her total persona is to create “shock art cultural commentary pieces” – expressing a critical opinion on contemporary society, like the chase after fame. Lady Gaga spoke out about her personal experience of being sexually assaulted and suffering from a mental health disorder, to raise awareness of what later became the #MeToo campaign. She co-wrote and released 7 albums and won more than 100 international and national awards. She featured in the Guinness World Records book as the Most Searched-For Female on the Internet. After a decade of intense music creation she got a leading role in the film “A Star Is Born”, which she wrote original new hits to, coming full circle with her initial desire to be an actress. Read more...

Abigail Smith was born and raised in Massachusetts. Her father was a liberal minister, her mother was a member of the famous Quincy family mother, and she had two sisters. At a time when women were not allowed to receive a formal education, she was homeschooled and satisfied her appetite for knowledge at the family’s library, forming progressive views. After a two-year courtship, she married John Adams, a country lawyer, and became his closest advisor and partner. They settled in the house John had inherited from his father in Braintree, MA. When his practice expanded, John had to frequently travel while Abigail managed their finances, investments, household, and growing family. For a while, they even moved to Boston next to his practice. Between 1784 and 1788, Abigail joined John in his diplomatic missions in Paris and London. On March 4th, 1797, John became the second president of the United States, and she was the first lady. They lived in the Presidential Mansion in Philadelphia and later in the White House in Washington, DC. She was a politically active first lady, made frequent public appearances, and was involved in the decision-making process, paving the way for future first ladies to be proactive figures. When John lost presidential re-election, the family retired to Peacefield in Quincy in 1800. During his frequent travels before and during the presidency, the couple corresponded in more than 1100 letters, where Abigail demonstrated her talent for writing and opinionated spirit. In one of those letters, she urges her husband to consider women’s rights in the new legislation after independence, warning that if not given equal representation: “women will rebel.” He dismissed her suggestion by writing back that it makes him laugh, but her words “remember the ladies” became an iconic feminist slogan. Before her death, she wrote a will favoring her female relatives. It was an act of protest against the laws prohibiting married women from owning assets. Read more...