Living Out Loud and Having My Say
Explore powerful stories about food, travel, culture, womanhood, and the systems shaping how we live.
As Seen In
Welcome, Friends!
Stories That Make the World Feel More Connected
DG Speaks is a cultural storytelling platform where I explore food, travel, womanhood, film, and the systems shaping how we live. Through personal essays, reported stories, practical guides, and cultural reflection, I invite curious women to see the world more deeply and live out loud on their own terms.
Work With Mercedes
Ideas, Strategy, and Stories That Move People
Drawing on more than two decades of work across cultures, communities, and industries, I help audiences and organizations think more deeply, communicate more clearly, and act with greater purpose.
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Speaking & Workshops
Engaging talks and interactive workshops on women’s leadership, cultural intelligence, food systems, travel, entrepreneurship, storytelling, and living out loud.
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Consulting & Strategy
Strategic guidance for mission-driven organizations working in food systems, public health, international development, gender equity, communications, and inclusive growth.
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Brand Storytelling
Thoughtful sponsored storytelling, destination coverage, reviews, interviews, and multimedia campaigns that connect brands with curious, culturally engaged audiences.
From the Blog
The Latest Stories
Travel deeply. Watch thoughtfully. Listen closely. Explore recent stories about film, food, travel, culture, womanhood, place, and the systems connecting them.
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At O Palco in Coimbra, Dinner Was a Beautiful Performance and Ana Had a Story to Tell
I knew I was in for something special when Ana began explaining the first little dishes at O Palco. There were beautiful, carefully arranged bites, each with a story behind it, and a tiny heart that she warned me to eat all at once.…
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Finding Home Through Food: Família Restaurant Brings Ukrainian Traditions to Coimbra
I have never been a fan of beets. To me, they usually taste like dirt, so you can imagine how quickly I used to dismiss the idea of borscht. Then I sat down at Família in Coimbra, tasted the soup, and had one of those wonderfully…
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Ed Bennett’s Razor Blade Art: A Lifelong Dream in Bucks County
A 150-pound collection of discarded razor blades started an extraordinary artistic journey. During my visit to Bucks County, Ed Bennett shared how he developed his unusual medium and finally opened his dream gallery.
Stories Can Change What We Notice
The Personal Is Always Connected to Something Larger
I tell stories that connect the personal to the political, the intimate to the cultural, and the meal or journey in front of us to the larger systems shaping our lives. Better stories help us ask better questions.
Meet Mercedes
Championing Women, Transforming Food Systems, and Telling Stories That Move People to Action
Mercedes Diane Griffin Forbes is a cultural storyteller, travel journalist, speaker, and food systems expert with more than 20 years of experience working across international development, public health, gender equity, communications, and entrepreneurship.
Through DG Speaks, she brings together lived experience, global perspective, and thoughtful analysis to explore the connections between food, culture, travel, identity, and power.
Let’s Create Something Meaningful
Bring a Global, Human-Centered Perspective to Your Next Project
Whether you are planning an event, building a campaign, developing a strategy, or looking for a compelling story partner, I would love to hear what you are creating.
What People Say
Thoughtful Work. Meaningful Impact.
A Journey in Haiku