When my marriage ended, I turned to the spiritualism of Victoria Woodhull, a spiritualist who claimed to commune with the dead, as inspiration. Woodmull was known for her bold ideas and ability to enter public arenas through mediumship. She was also the first woman to run for president in 1872, a ticket featuring Frederick Douglass as her running mate. She advocated for free love and marriage reform and sexual autonomy, and was also a prominent figure in politics and stockbroker, newspaper owner, and Congressional testifier. Despite her eccentricity, Woodholl managed to slip past cultural gatekeepers to gain access to public platforms. She argued that her ideas came from the dead so she could pass muster with a five-man investigative committee. However, when her marriage began to end, she began to find another spiritualist.