An Ode to Powerful Women Everywhere

When my insanely talented, awesome, wonderful woman editor gave me the opportunity to write this piece I have never felt so honored to honor the women in my life. Women are a staple to a working society, and we totally deserve more credit than it is given. Women can be and do anything and that is what every woman I’ve ever met has showed me.

I have been empowered by so many women throughout my life as I’m sure all women have. I’ve been empowered by women who raised me, women who left me, and women who I’ve never even met but have touched me with their art. I’ve been bestowed the greatest honor which is being a woman. We have our challenges, but we always come out stronger. Women run the world, and I have never been so grateful than right now to be a woman. To all the women who have empowered me, given me strength, given me, life, love, happiness, and most importantly have taught me lessons. This is for you.

My Mother

Momma

Mommy

The woman who has given me life

You are the strongest woman I have EVER encountered

The most beautiful person

My genetic make up might be 50% of you

But my whole personality is because of you

You taught me not to give up on love

Fight for what I believe in

You made me into a big sister and that is the greatest part of my life

And I have you to thank for it

I never would’ve made it to where I am today without you standing by me

I am endlessly thankful that the universe gave me you as my mother

But also my best friend

I hope I’ve grown into a woman that you are proud of

As much as I am proud to be your daughter

My Aunt

Titi

I don’t think of you as my aunt most of the time

I see you as my friend, as someone I get to look up to everyday

When I grow up I want to be you

I want to be as brave and as amazing as you are

When you had Maes, my cousin, I wanted to be for him what you are for me

I wanted to be his confidant, his person to talk to when shit hits the fan

I want to be there for him always, the way you’ve been here for me always

You’ve taught me that I should be in no rush to grow up

I have forever to have children and get married if I would like to (because of you I don’t feel that I HAVE to anymore)

I am forever grateful to you for showing me how fucking cool being young and living life can actually be

You are the best mother, aunt, sister, friend anyone could ever have and I am insanely lucky to have you

My Grandmothers

I am extremely fortunate that I got to grow up knowing my grandmothers

I am twenty-two years old and both of my grandmothers are still here with me

Both of my grandmothers were left by men who were unworthy of their love and affection

But they overcame

They raised two children on their own

Until they met the men who were worthy of all they had to offer

Those are the men that I call my grandfathers

They continued to have more children after that and raise them just as amazingly

These women helped raise me, these women are my past, present, and future

I get to look back at them and look forward to them for I hope many many more years to come

I would not be who I am if I didn’t have these women bringing me up, teaching me my family history, and where I come from

They are the foundation for both sides of my family

No man could EVER take credit for that

My Cousins

I did not only have my aunt as a role model growing up but I also had two older cousins

They did not live close but when I was a little girl they would come and visit me every summer and fight about who I loved most

We would fight more like sisters than cousins

I was able to have a relationship where I was young and seeing what it was like to be a pre-teen to teenage girl from my cousins

The things I experienced in my teenage life I never would’ve known

how to handle if it weren’t for them and what I was able to observe in their life

Now one of my cousins is married with a family or her own and the other is getting married in September

I am so proud of all the things my cousins have overcome and of where they are now

We watched each other grow up and become the women we are today and I am so grateful that I get to have a relationship like this for the rest of my life

My Girls

I could not only choose one

There are multiple women who have chosen to be a part of my life

The same way I have chosen them

These women are no longer friends, they are my family

They are the loves of my life

They are the reason I am still standing

I’ve wanted to give up millions of times

And They have ALWAYS been there to keep me afloat

If there is one thing I want to come out of this

It is for them to know how thankful I am for everything they have done for me

When the world seemed darkest

And when I thought I’d hit rock bottom

They’d be right there to hand me a shot of Tito’s and lead me back to my path

These women are exceptional and they not only watched me grow as a person

But I have watched them and I am endlessly happy knowing that I will be stuck with them for the rest of my life

Picture from Pinterest

The Women Who Have Left My Life

When I say this I don’t mean women who have passed on

I mean women who were huge parts of my life and are no longer a part of it

They deserve just as much recognition as the women above

These women once meant the world to me

And although they broke me

They also molded me into the strong woman I am today

I am stronger and stronger bc of the heartache I endured because they left my life

But I know we are all much better off

I loved them all, I respect them still

We are all allies at the end of the day and I hope I have given them the same strength they all have given to me

Picture from Pinterest

Halsey

An angelic human being

I only discovered her a few years ago and she changed my life forever

Her songs, her art

Has shaped me into being so much more badass than I already was

I never would be where I am if her songs didn’t touch me the way they have

She is an absolute hero to me

And has empowered me to be who I am

To be as vulnerable as I am

Beyoncé

During a hard time in my life

She was there for me

Her album Lemonade got me through it

It’s a beautiful, powerful, and insanely talented piece of art

If you haven’t listened, even if she is not your vibe, I really recommend it

Picture from Pinterest

Her craft, and how she approached this was impeccable

and if it weren’t for her I’m not sure I would feel as powerful as I feel today

I am told that I am crazy all the time, but damn this made me feel just plain old powerful and in control

She is a role model for many and especially to me and my mother

Beyoncé, thank you for being the epitome of a boss ass bitch

I could go on and on about so many more incredible women who have empowered, inspired, and molded me. But these women are the most important to credit for the powerful, strong, exquisite woman that I am now. Women are wonderful, and should be recognized as that always. To conclude, I just have to say, I am woman. Hear me roar.