She is Enough: Women's Empowerment
“Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be; embrace who you are.” -Brene Brown
One bite of a sandwich? Write it down. An extra piece of fruit? That’s okay, I’ll be at the gym for at least an hour later. Do these pants fit yet? No, but I’ll give myself two more weeks to get into them. Not long ago, being ‘healthy’ was on my mind 95% of the …
Avert my eyes So you don't think My smile is an invitation Speak to you rudely lest you mistake my kindness for a yes Use it against me as you press your body closer to mine Young, blond, and white in a foreign country. Sounds like the recipe for a mistake, right? I was 19, …
As the boat slapped the waves, I looked across the ocean. The mist from the waves against the side sprayed my face. The large ones brought us up high, and dropped us hard. I felt my body react with fear when my belly lifted into free fall. I've always connected to water in a unique …
I couldn't take it anymore. My back refused to cooperate after restarting a workout routine. I went for a massage. Not the nice kind when you relax and drift off to sleep, but rather, the sports kind that hurts in a good way. He touched my back and felt what I felt. A knot, tucked …
Bing The doors glide open and I take a few steps forward. Inside the elevator await a couple nurses and a woman. I stand quietly, watch the doors close, and take a slow breath as we move to the next level down. Bing We pause in motion, allowing a small family to join the space. …
On the main street in Cienfuegos, we ventured into one of the local stores that sells basics like flour, rice, eggs, and boxed foods. We were on a mission to get eggs for Christmas morning breakfast and they weren't sold at the produce market (entire chicken? yes. eggs? no.). I grabbed a spot in line, …
'Do your best' read the chocolate wrapping I chose during our final 'Character Counts Week' activity. Each day given a value to focus on, our final day was given a special treat to celebrate. The class was handed chocolate with messages for each student. We talked and reflected together about the piece of wisdom we …
Dear Embera, Thank you for letting me step into your world. It felt wildly different from my own, even though there were no walls between us. You welcomed us in unquestioningly. Perhaps you’ve grown used to accepting foreigners into your home. Wherever it came from, it mattered to me. I watched your children laugh and …
She is Enough: Women's Empowerment 