Rivka Solomon has used her skills as a writer and activist to bring attention to women’s stories of courage. Passionate about diversity and other cultures, Solomon earned a masters degree in international affairs but had to abandon her career when she was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a form of myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.). Confined to her bed, she became a writer, using social criticism as her activist medium. At one party, she remarked “That takes ovaries” to describe another woman’s bravery, and she was surprised by the impact the phrase had on the crowd. Though she and her close friends used the phrase frequently, she realized its power and potential subversiveness through its use with a more general group, and she developed the idea for a book with that title to celebrate stories of courageous women. She was inundated with submissions and edited and published the book despite her illness. She also developed open mic events based on the same principles as the book, organizing these events in the United States and India to encourage women and girls to share their stories and become leaders and activists and eventually adapting the contents of both the book and the open mics into a play. Solomon has also raised awareness about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and advocated for research and clinical trials for the disease. Her work has become even more urgent since the pandemic, as around half of all patients with Long COVID will eventually develop M.E. She has become even more public with her education and advocacy about both M.E. and other post-infectious chronic illnesses, working with many universities and politicians to extend the research into Long COVID towards similar but less common illnesses. She has also advocated for continued access to virtual participation, especially in regards to Jewish communities, pointing out how the pandemic provided greater accessibility for many who struggle to attend gatherings and services in person because of disability.

Rivka Solomon was honored at the 2003 Women Who Dared event in Boston.