As women achieve power, the barriers will fall

“As women achieve power, the barriers will fall. As society sees what women can do, as women see what women can do, there will be more women out there doing things, and we’ll all be better off for it.”
— Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories

To know me is to know I always have a story. I see life in snapshots—and each one brings with it a testimony of sorts.

During this month of celebration, we often shine a light on the most influential women who’ve shaped American culture. I’ve always loved diving into the “Herstory” of our foremothers—learning how far they came, what they overcame—and I long to be just as powerful and purposeful for the next generation. By sharing bits of my own journey, I hope to inspire young women rising through the ranks of corporate America, building their own businesses, or simply navigating life in a male-dominated world.

Reflecting on my life, I think about how I can offer a perspective that others may not have considered.

There’s a fascinating lesson from nature:
Researchers have found that when trees grow in environments without any wind, their roots fail to develop properly. Eventually, they can’t support their own weight. These trees are missing something called “stress wood”— a strengthening fiber developed in response to wind and resistance. Stress wood helps trees grow stronger, more deeply rooted, and more resilient. Without it, they simply cannot survive.
The wind is essential.

When I think about my own journey as an African American woman, I am drawn to gratitude. I’ve learned to see my glass as half full. But it’s the stress winds—the challenges, the setbacks, the obstacles—that have fortified me. They’ve given me strength to keep going.

Standing in the face of adversity isn’t optional—it’s necessary.

I’ve walked into countless rooms where people pause. It’s not my beauty or brilliance that silences the space. It’s the mere fact that I exist—a Black woman, standing in her truth, owning her story, and unafraid to be vulnerable about the winds she’s weathered.

Where some may see deficiency, I know they’re witnessing resilience.
Where they question my presence, I know I’ve earned my place.
Where they doubt my success, I smile—because I’m still here.

Being both Black and a woman means I’ve spent a lifetime proving my worth in spaces not built for me. People wonder how I got here, how I thrive where men dominate. And I say with confidence:
It’s the wind.
It’s the stress wood.
It made me stronger.

Like Elton John sang:
“I’m still standing after all this time.”

To my incredible sisters—Black, White, Latina, Asian, Trans, and beyond—I see you. I honor you. I celebrate you.
Because you’re still standing, too.

Happy International Women’s Day, my sisters. Keep telling your stories. The world needs them.