Dr. Mimi Zieman reminds me of why I am in awe of so many women: They excel in numerous areas, are courageous, tirelessly help others, and continue to make their mark on the world. When I heard about her memoir Tap Dancing on Everest, I was moved to feature her here for those who aren’t familiar with her journey. She has climbed Everest, as is clear from the book title, but even more than that, she scales heights in medicine and advocacy efforts. Dr. Mimi is an OB/GYN, author, mountaineer, and reproductive rights advocate.
How her childhood shaped her
Mimi’s childhood helped make her the resilient woman she is today. Born to immigrant parents, she witnessed their struggles. “I was raised the daughter of immigrants busy building new lives, which made me feel like I had to figure things out on my own,” she told me. “They also carried the burdens of war and trauma; my father was the only survivor of his family from the Holocaust. I felt the expectations for me were to live securely after their life of loss and struggle.”
To her, that included “choosing a secure profession and not my passion to become a dancer.” Then, when she found herself on the mountains, she followed her heart there, and when she developed a deeper sense of self, she explained to me that she become determined to “advocate for issues such as reproductive rights. In this, I follow my father’s lead. His great losses motivated him to fight for justice.”
At age 25, Mimi found herself climbing Everest
She was still a medical student in New York City, now in her third year. It was there that she had the opportunity to serve as the medical office for the Everest Kangshung Face Expedition. The team went up the mountain’s dangerous East Face without Sherpa support and no extra oxygen. It was at 17,800 feet that her life-saving skills came into action to help the climbers. She explains these intense moments in Tap Dancing on Everest, available on Amazon.
“We had only four climbers on our team and three had been missing for days,” Mimi told me. “We were convinced that they could no longer be alive, and I was grieving. I had to question whether taking on the risks of an Everest expedition was worthwhile.
In reaching those moments of despair, I also reached deeper parts of myself. I conclude [in the book] ‘that living and loving while knowing all could be lost is the essence of the greatest aliveness,”’ and therefore worth the risk. I believe that is a challenge for us every day as people wanting to live full lives yet knowing we can lose loved ones at any time, whether due to death or breakups or other circumstances.”
Related Read: Interview with mountaneer Jenn Drummond
Advocating for reproductive rights
Dr. Mimi Zieman’s impact extends beyond Everest. Her advocacy work earned her the Georgia 2019 “Women Who Dare” award. It was presented by the National Council of Jewish Women, where she is the Chair of the reproductive justice committee.
She also created the play The Post-Roe Monologues, which explores the massive effects of reproductive rights legislation. Using fictional characters based in real-life situations, the play tells stories from the headlines, with the goal to generate conversation and encourage change.
As an OB/GYN, Mimi can bring her unique perspective to the advocacy work. She can see firsthand healthcare inequalities, combining medicine with social justice. “There is a lot of inequity in health care and bans disproportionately affect low-income people and people of color which makes it a social justice issue,” Mimi explained to me.
You’re making a difference, Mimi Zieman
She helps voices be heard that are often silenced and her work reminds us that we really can make a difference in the world. I look forward to reading Tap Dancing on Everest. Through her memoir and activism, she inspires me to confont my fears and continue to try to help others.
What parts of Mimi’s journey resonate with you the most, and how do they inspire you to take action in your own life or community? Comment below!