Cantwell served as a member of the New York Times editorial board for sixteen years.
[3] She grew up in Bristol, Rhode Island, in a largely Protestant neighborhood.
Cantwell was brought up Catholic and was singled out in her largely Protestant school.
Cantwell's work at the New York Times began in 1980 and included editorials and essays.
[4] She also received the Walker Stone Award from the Scripps Howard Foundation in 1986.