When I think of “resilience,” what comes to mind is the strength of this woman who is my protector. A woman who, since childhood, navigated around a physical condition that made her unique. A woman who experienced a life of serving and servitude—from childhood to marriage to motherhood. This woman is resilient through her words and actions: building up girls, now women, to own the space they take up, to fight and speak out against injustices, and to always offer a helping hand to elevate the larger community. I’ve learned from her to fight for my voice, to speak my peace, to offer space for others who aren’t able to speak, and to always imagine a world that can be better and do better.
-Contribution from Alena Victor, Director, Residential Programs