Every Thursday I profile a new incredible woman, each from a different walk of life. Different professions, causes, backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, and anything/everything else!

So without further delay, let me introduce the brilliantly bytchy Carolina Smart…

Photo credit: Viki Ackland www.2-mile.com

Carolina Smart admits herself that she never sleeps. When would she possibly have time? The creator and Editor-in-chief of Shebytches.com, she also runs Lipstik Indie Reviews, AND is in the midst of writing her first novel, a screenplay, and a book of short stories. Determined to give women an honest, uncensored voice in the male-dominated world of writing, Carolina took time out to answer our questions and tell us why being a bytch is brilliant!

What drives you to do what you do?

It’s always been my dream and desire to be a writer, and when I started writing, I was looking for venues that would be supportive of women, allow them to write without censorship and give them the complete freedom to express themselves via the written word, art or other types of creative media. I came across many sites that boasted such, but in the end found they didn’t have the edge I was looking for and in fact did censor. I was also finding there wasn’t a lot of 100% women run or women focused websites out there for female writers. I knew this needed to change and that is where Shebytches.com was born and knowing that I’m able to run a venue for women to express themselves without censorship is what drives me to continue doing what I am doing.

Over the years this has changed and I am seeing more and more women run sites popping up, unfortunately not all stick around long enough to make a mark, but the ones that have are finally becoming popular in the mainstream. One of my favourites is Bust.com

How does being a woman empower / challenge you?

In the year 2008 we still tend to live in a man run world and every day I am reading or hearing about the atrocities of women around the world including Canada and our own city (Toronto). It both saddens and frustrates me, then I realize that in order to make things change, we as women have to step up to the plate. Things aren’t just going to change on their own. Women like Nellie McClung, Susan B. Anthony, Mother Theresa and Benazir Bhutto have done so and are my daily inspiration to keep my voice strong.

What advice would you give to young women who want to follow in your footsteps?

Never back down from your beliefs. No matter what kind of peer pressure you are under, stand strong and forge ahead. It may take time to get to where you want to be, but with determination anything can be yours.

Name one person, place, or thing every young woman should know about?

Every Canadian should know about Nellie McClung. She was born in 1873 and was an outspoken feminist, social activist, and politician. She was a Suffragette and it was largely through her efforts that in 1916 Manitoba became the first province to give women the right to vote and to run for public office. The rest of Canada followed suit about a year later and there was no turning back. I think it is important that young women of today know about women such as Nellie and other Suffragettes, these are the women who paved the path for us. It is important to read about the history of strong women rather than just accepting those we see in the media now. There was a strong foundation built by those women and every young woman needs to know it.

What is the most important thing we can do in order to change the world?

Being a Vegan and environmentalist, what is important in order to change the world, first we need to start taking care of it. I am not a preachy Vegan by any means but I am when it comes to the environment. Start taking a stand for Mother Nature, then you can fix the rest of the world’s issues. As women we have the power to make these things happen and make a statement.

Visit Carolina and other awesome indie-press literati the Toronto Small Press Fair, Nov.1st, 6pm-11pm @ The Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick (south of Bloor).