A week ago today I was at a brunch to help talk about and plan a new program through Believe, Inc. named Waking of Women. It is a program created to help young women, with a focus on young women of color, become leaders in their communities and in the world. I was fortunate to see the Making of Men program in the high school where I work. I know the program changed the lives of the young men that were in the program. I wanted to be a part of the next steps.
The women invited to the brunch were from all around Oklahoma City and came from different cultures, socio-economic levels and careers. Each woman came with a different perspective and that made the discussion even more impactful. As each woman spoke I felt as though we were all listening to each other and coming together as women united for the purpose helping the next generation of woman reach their potential. The time passed so quickly, we had been there four hours before I even knew the time had passed.
On a personal note, we were asked to stand up and talk about different parts of emotional intelligence. I choose "self awareness." It is a topic that I am passionate about because I spent a lot of years letting others tell me who I am. I still do sometimes. I started by saying that you need to know yourself, so no one can tell you who you are. As I continued to speak, Mr. Davis continued to question and push me. He talked about a young girl who had been sexually abused and had become promiscuous, what would I say to her? I broke. I started to cry because I know I have had young women just like that in my classroom. As I cried, I said you are worthy. You are worthy of love. You are worthy because we are all worthy. What no one in the room knew at the time was that I was a victim of sexual assault. I was a victim of men thinking that my body was theirs to touch and make comments on. I was not a teenager at the time but a young single women in my twenties and it made me distrustful of all men including my father. I have always body issues and they only became worse after that. I blamed myself. I should not have gone to the club. I should have stayed with my friends. I should have stayed off the dance floor and away from strangers. So I broke down and cried in room of women that I had only just met a few hours before. They did not judge, they handed me a tissue and gave me a hug. That is what young women today need. A group women to come around them, support them and love them until they can find that love within themselves.
The final discussion we had at the brunch involved answering the question, what taught you more failing in love or falling in love? I chose falling in love, falling in love with myself. There is a quote attributed to Judy Garland, "Always be a first rate version of yourself and not a second rate version of someone else" I am the only me and I am the best and the only person who can be her. I eat too much junk food, I sing too loud in my car, I am afraid the ocean but love the beach, and I am worthy of love.
#selflove #teacher4life #wakingofwomen
