future – The Woman Wednesday Blog

Woman Wednesday: Cassandra

November 10, 2021November 15, 2021Posted in inspiration, Uncategorized, womenTagged advice, advocate equality, Black community, Black community business, blog, cool, equality, females, feminism, feminism blog, future, inspiration, inspire, life, RAAISE, woman, woman wednesday, women, women wednesday2 Comments

Q and A with Cassandra, from Boston, MA, living in Tampa, FL

“Don’t be afraid to sacrifice who you are right now to become who you are meant to be.”

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I love to help people win! Learning about other’s backgrounds, what experiences happened along the way that made them who they are, and helping them get to the level they want to be is what brings me joy.

Working since the age of 14, I’ve explored careers in a variety of industries from fast food to fast fashion, and I’ve been exposed to quite a bit of unique situations. It’s the people that keep me going, especially the underdog. After years of working in HR and witnessing multiple workplace discrepancies, I decided to start my own company to help those discriminated against have a fair hiring process.

In December 2020, I started my company RAAISE Staffing Solutions, an IT recruitment firm that works with companies making Diversity & Inclusion a priority on a direct hire basis. We support the career advancement of all professionals of color, emphasizing on the Black community.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I’m an only child that was raised by my mom, grandma, and auntie. They definitely kept me active and made me the woman that I am today. I did ballet, tap, lacrosse, and martial arts! My mom, grandma, and auntie were huge advocates for education and traditional work structures.

I graduated with honors from Johnson & Wales University, Providence Campus, and worked in my major of fashion for a few years. Creating fashion weeks, appearing on radio stations, TV shows, and even walking the runway; I did it all and loved it!

Once I started working in HR, it made me a better person, so I knew it was what I was meant to do. It was a lot for them to take in that I decided to leave the 9-5 life for that of an entrepreneur, but they are getting used to it and are very supportive!

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Eventually, we all have to burn the boat and storm the island. Transitioning from the workforce to self-employed has been a remarkable journey full of ups and downs. I’ve learned that in order to reach the next level of my career, I have to makes changes and let go. Don’t be afraid to sacrifice who you are right now to become who you are meant to be.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Equal rights, equal pay, equal opportunities for us all!

Woman Wednesday: Katie

January 9, 2019January 16, 2019Posted in Uncategorized, womenTagged advice, animals, art, art appreciation, art today, art world, artwork, beauty, blog, blogger, blogs, book, books, brand, cats, college, cool, create, creative, custom design, deals, design, dogs, dreams, education, environment, family, feminism, future, graphic design, happy, home, inspiration, job, learning, life, life lessons, motivation, passion, people, photos, reading, stories, story, teaching, tech, tips, trends, true stories, women1 Comment

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.

Q and A with Katie, Madison County, New York

“In high school, I thought I would be married, making good money at a reliable job, and adopting a couple horses by now. None of those things have happened so far, and I’m actually very happy that they haven’t! I have changed course so many more times, and it’s felt very hopeless and confusing at a couple points along the way. In the course of all of that turmoil and changing directions though, I have grown immensely. The setbacks have taught me strength and opened my eyes to ideas and opportunities I would have never imagined before recently. I am always looking forward, always feeling hungry for more.”

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I’ll answer this with what is probably a very broad, cliché answer: I am passionate about love and happiness. There isn’t anything more important in life than these two things, and they mean something different to each person you talk to.

For me, being passionate about love means building a life around the people and animals who are special to me and making sure I dedicate enough energy into spending quality time with them. Just like anybody, I have suffered the loss of beloved relatives, friends, and animals. I’ve grown stronger from these experiences, and I have realized just how precious the present is and how immensely my relationships affect my inner peace. Love is a nice segway into the “happiness” portion of my answer – the two go hand in hand for me. It can be difficult to pin down what brings you genuine happiness in life, and I think I am finally starting to understand the meaning of it for myself! For me, happiness comes from finding fulfillment and joy in the things I do every day. I came to this realization through working on my career in jobs that weren’t completely fulfilling or positive for me and my quest for happiness. They may be right for other people, but not for the entrepreneurial spirit that has always been building inside me.

Pictured: Designs by K. Marie Design Co.

I left my office job at the beginning of 2018 to pursue my own design & illustration business, K. Marie Design Co., and I have since found a genuine sense of happiness and fulfillment I always knew was missing. This change put a lot into perspective for me and it’s been a challenge, but I can tell you one thing; I’ve been able to focus on my passions for love and happiness a lot more since I made the jump. I’ve never felt surer of anything. Working for myself also meant having the flexibility to accept a position teaching a design class at my alma mater, Cazenovia College, during the fall 2018 semester. You never know what may happen when you take brave new steps. Nothing worth having ever comes easy, including the process of making your abstract dreams and passions part of your everyday reality.

Pictured: Designs by K. Marie Design Co.

Q: What is something valuable you’ve learned that you’d like others to know?

A: This is something I have learned recently, something very important. It is okay to change course! It’s okay to change plans, and it’s okay to question yourself. I grew up desperately wanting to be part of the equine industry, and then it blew up in my face when I went to do that in college. I then spent my time honing my design skills hoping for the perfect 9-5 job after college, and that expectation ultimately failed me, too. In high school, I thought I would be married, making good money at a reliable job, and adopting a couple of horses by now. None of those things have happened so far, and I’m actually very happy that they haven’t. I have changed course so many more times, and it’s felt very hopeless and confusing at a couple points along the way. In the course of all of that turmoil and changing directions though, I have grown immensely. The setbacks have taught me strength and opened my eyes to ideas and opportunities I would have never imagined before recently. I am always looking forward, always feeling hungry for more.

Pictured: Designs by K. Marie Design Co.

Don’t limit yourself by what you, your peers, or society tell you your life “should” look like at any stage in your journey. Take your time, try different things, and learn when it is time, to be honest with yourself by recognizing that something may not be right for you… and make a change. You will find your way – it may be hard to believe when you’re in the low points, but as long as you keep pushing forward, things will work out for you.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: My childhood was wonderful – very family oriented, which has definitely had a big impact on the person I am today. My parents are very nurturing and generous people, and I never understood just how much that really meant at the time! My mom stayed home with me, my sister, my brother, and our dog. We didn’t have a lot of the material things other kids had, but I never once felt alone or unloved. I wouldn’t trade that for anything. My mom and dad continue to be a huge influence on me today. They have always been very supportive, and they encourage me to do things that make me happy.

Pictured: Artwork by K. Marie Design Co.

This family support has been vital since I left home for my freshman semester of college at The University of Findlay in Ohio, where I was planning to be an equine business major. Things didn’t work out at Findlay due to a lot of personal things I was going through at the time, but my family was behind me through it all. I eventually went home to NJ, spent the spring semester of my freshman year at the community college, and then transferred to Cazenovia College in the fall of 2012. After about two weeks at Caz as an equine business major, I realized that my lifelong love for horses was better off as a hobby rather than a career in a fast-paced, unforgiving industry. I changed my major to visual communications to chase my other love besides horses, which has always been art. I’ve always loved to draw, and the community at Cazenovia helped me find my feet and discover smart ways to marry illustration and graphic design together. I’ve been through quite a lot since I left home eight years ago, and it’s all played a part in making me into the creative, free business owner I am today! I can confidently say that I am excited rather than terrified by a future of unknowns and constant development in myself and in my creative career.

Q: What would you like others to learn from your story?

A: I’d like others to learn that you have to do things that make your soul happy. Don’t settle for a job, a relationship, a major, or anything that does not feel right to you. You are the only one who can make good things happen for yourself, but you are also the only one who can prevent good things from happening by becoming complacent and accepting less than you know you deserve. Evaluate your life and your happiness. Do some brainstorming and soul searching and think back to the dreams that lit up your eyes when you were younger. What do you want your life to look like when you’re 90 years old and thinking about your past? Is this what you want to remember? Maybe it’s time for a change!

Pictured: Design by K. Marie Design Co.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Feminism means pride and equality. It means building other women up and encouraging other women to pursue their passions and make their marks on the world. A lot of people out there will use feminism as a shield to hide behind while they try to tear men down. Those people are not true feminists. Feminism is important to me because we have been pushed around and treated like we’re lesser than men in a lot of different ways. I see a lot of progress for women in the modern world, and I think it’s fantastic that men and women are joining together to make the world a more justified place for people of all genders. There will always be room for improvement, as with anything, but the fact that there is more awareness and more action is a great start.

Pictured: Sketch by K. Marie Design Co.

Connect with Katie:

Website: www.kmariedesignco.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kmariedesignco

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kmariedesignco

Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/kMarieDesignCo

Katie & My Lilianas would love to hear from you! Comment below!

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Woman Wednesday: 2018 Words of Wisdom

January 2, 2019January 2, 2019Posted in Uncategorized, womenTagged advice, animals, beauty, blogger, bloggers, blogs, book, books, brand, business, college, cool, dreams, education, environment, Faith, family, featured women, feminism, film, future, happy, happy life, Happy new year, home, inspiration, job, learning, life, life lessons, mass media, motivation, new year, news, photos, reading, real stories, stories, story, teaching, tips, travel, trends, true stories, woman, women, women blog, women empowerment, women empowerment blog, words of wisdomLeave a comment

We’re starting 2019 the right way! We’ve selected some of the best words of wisdom from all of our past featured women from our 2018 Woman Wednesdays! This post is not meant to be read once; it is meant to be read again and again to be applied to everyday life. It takes constant practice in order to form new habits. Happy New Year everyone! Let’s make it the best year yet!

Challenge yourself daily.

“I try to challenge myself daily, to develop different parts of who I am and who I want to be. I’m a work in progress. We’re all works in progress, and I think that’s a really beautiful thing.” –Laura, Morris County, New Jersey

Let go of grudges, negativity, and your worst past moments.

“I’ve realized that in my life, for me to overcome what holds me back, and to be happy, I have to let some things rest in the shadows. If they don’t contribute to the betterment of myself and/ or humanity, they probably aren’t worth holding onto. I decided I had to push forward for what I wanted (and deserved) if I had to be what I envisioned for myself.” –Kidron, Baltimore County, Maryland

Stop complaining.

“My whole life I’ve been surrounded by strong women who fight for what is right and for what they want for their future. There are so many amazing women out there getting shit done. I only wish that women continue to stand together and speak their truth. My advice for women is to remember when times get tough, toughen up. Just know that you are stronger than you think you are. I think sometimes we forget that we can make a difference, and we can make anything happen with enough drive.” –Valerie, Towson, Maryland

Keep dreaming.

“From my story and from my family story, I hope that others, especially women, are empowered to keep dreaming and to not lose hope even if there are many obstacles in the way. Because by achieving their dreams, they will inspire a new generation of women to keep dreaming (and with dreams and hard work, succeeding).” –Lucia, Montgomery County, Maryland

Work hard.

“Fairytales and daydreams are possible as long as you work hard for them. Nothing comes easy, even if it seems that way, but if you believe in yourself, good things will come. Always be passionate, true to yourself, and constantly search for motivation.” –Leilani, Fairfax County, Virginia

Stop comparing yourself to others.

“Don’t look at someone’s life and think you should be doing what they’re doing – you should do what makes you happy and what you are passionate about. I think life is too short not to live in a way that makes you approach each and every day with a full sense of joy and enthusiasm. There is always something to be grateful for and that can bring a smile to your face.” –Alysha, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Break down your dreams into goals, and break down your goals into achievable steps.

“Life is short, and you should do anything and everything you want to/love. Whether you are miserable at your job, doing things that don’t serve you, or you want to do things that seem out of reach, whatever that is…work toward your goals, do the things you love, and don’t stop loving your life.” –Brittany, Mercer County, New Jersey

Look at your weaknesses as strengths, and use them as such.

“Even the person who seems to have it the most together has problems, and we are all one big mess. I learned that what I considered to be a weakness was actually a strength that allowed me to help others with the same issues. I remember saying that I hated my life, that I wanted to be someone else, someone normal. Your day is coming. You just have to take those baby steps until they become great strides. Then one day, you will look back and only have some memories of that time, long ago, when you were struggling. If I can do it, you can do it. We are no different. Set your mind, and keep it set.” –Caitlin, College Park, Maryland

Find something that inspires you that you can look at every day.

“I remember flipping through a magazine one day (out of boredom), and I came across an article about hiking. And the editor decided to highlight “Legs strong enough to hike all the way to the top.” This statement resonated with me, because I started hiking with my friends around that time. On day 1, day 2, day 3…and okay let’s say up to day 30, I felt pretty weak. But every time we went, I was a little bit stronger, a little bit faster, and I was not running out of breath. I could see and feel the progress I made. So, I was not the best I could be on day 1, but to keep up with my friends, I had to keep going even when I was tired. I had to eliminate the mental barrier that said, “I can’t do it today, so I shouldn’t even try.” If you have a goal in mind, keep going, because you might be surprised by what you can do.”–Jessica, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Think about what made you happy as a child.

“Look back to when you were younger, and see if what you love now is what you loved back then. Often, the things we loved when we were kids are the things we have a true passion for.” –Faith, White Marsh, Maryland

Look for the positives in everything.

“If you find the positive in every day, you will be so much happier. Also, when you have goals and put them into the universe, you are speaking them into existence. Finding the positives and putting them out to others will get you into the right mindset to achieve your goals.” –Mary, Baltimore County, Maryland

Be different.

“I want others to know that it’s okay to be different; it’s okay to not fit into traditional molds. Your story is still just as important, and people will most definitely listen to it. You just have to believe in yourself enough to share it.”– Kerry, Baltimore County, Maryland

Don’t be hard on yourself.

“I wasn’t a failure or a quitter for changing my major. I was making myself happy. I also learned that it is very hard to stick with something when people are against you, but in the end, it is worth it.“ –Corrie, Baltimore County, Maryland

Choose to surround yourself with people who support you.

“I have dealt with so much, but I am so happy because I have chosen to surround myself with positive, amazing people. Know that there is always good even with the bad.”–Christen, Baltimore City, Maryland

Believe you are valuable.

“Believe you are valuable. Invest in yourself. Work toward your goals, and be proud when you accomplish something.”–Miriam, San Diego, California

Understand that you don’t have to do what everyone else does.

“There’s such a disconnect now with the way we ‘should’ live our lives and the way we want to live our lives. I graduated college, received a degree, got a good job in a good city, and I’m sure to many that would be a total success story, but it wasn’t the end of mine.” –Sam, Sunshine Fields, New Jersey

Change your life by being kind.

“I believe we can really change the world through kindness and how we treat those in our daily lives. In order to make a difference in the world, we don’t always have to do grand gestures. Doing small things with great love can have just as great of an impact on the world.” –Katherine, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Know that you can do more than one thing.

“I want others to know that it’s OK to do more than one thing. People thought I was crazy in college for playing more than one sport, and people think I am crazy now for having three jobs. I love what I do, and I enjoy all of it. If you can find a healthy balance, do everything. Be a jack of all trades. Know a little bit about all things.” –Steph, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Understand that you don’t ever truly fail unless you give up.

“I recently wrote a letter to Sherry Lansing, a retired film executive who ran Paramount Pictures until about 2004. She’s my role model. I was so excited when I got an email back from her! One of the things she said is: “Be persistent. Never give up. Success doesn’t come easily, but hard work always pays off.” If she rose to the top in this crazy industry, that advice must have worked for her, and I really value it.” –Rachel, Los Angeles, California

Always look for ways to improve yourself.

“You don’t drown by falling in the water, you drown by staying there. So take action. There’s no success without failure. There will always be bad days and even worse days. Learn to accept it, deal with it, and ride that wave!” –Hilary, Milford, New Jersey

Treat others the way you want to be treated; what you put out into the world is what you get (more or less).

“You never really know what someone is going through despite their outward appearance or your depiction of them.”–Raquel, King of Prussia, Pennslyvania

Understand that you choose who you want to be each and every day.

“I had a college professor who, day one of class, talked about how we introduce ourselves to other people by telling them stories about our lives so far. It’s sort of how we package and present ourselves. I think it’s a good idea to look at those tales we’ve curated and see what they say about us, and also, to realize that the stories society tells us impacts which narratives are worth keeping.” –Megan, Baltimore, Maryland

Remember that only you know what is best for you, and remind others if needed.

“There will always be so many outside opinions of people that think they know better or think they know you, but nobody knows you better than you. Also, nobody knows your vision better than you! Trust in yourself.” –Kristin, Annapolis, Maryland

Learn every single day.

“You can do what you set your mind to. Everything takes work, and learning is a constant part of life. If your dream is to one day own a business that makes money, you need to make sure you have all the skills and knowledge to make that happen.”– Jen, Green Bay, Wisconsin

There you have it! Those are the words of wisdom from our 2018 featured women. Read them again and again. Pick and choose what you like or what resonates with you. There will be new women and new words of wisdom in 2019.

Let’s make this the best year yet!

If you would like to be featured next, send us a message via the “GET FEATURED” tab!

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Woman Wednesday: Jen

December 26, 2018Posted in Uncategorized, womenTagged advice, animals, blog, blogs, book, brand, business, cats, college, comfort, constant learning, cool, dogs, dreams, education, educational, environment, family, fashion, feminism, for women, friendship, future, happy, home, inspiration, job, learning, life, life lessons, mass media, memories, money, motivation, people, photography, reading, search engine optimization, SEO, shorts, stories, story, teaching, tech, technology, tips, travel, trends, true stories, university, womenLeave a comment

Q and A with Jen, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: In a few words, my passions are my family (including my collies and cat), my business, and flyball. I own Candy Social Media. I am a digital marketer helping real estate agents and mortgage brokers generate exclusive prequalified leads. I also offer social media management, social media strategy, and social media marketing and consulting. My main focus, however, is on generating leads for real estate agents.

I found this passion when I realized that my previous passion for technology simply wasn’t there anymore. I felt the fire burning out. Back in 2003, I was overwhelmed with technology, and I was excited to help people. I finished my degree in network security from the local technical college. I was president of the computer science club there for two years while attending college. I really enjoyed being in charge of the club, and I enjoyed the extra responsibilities involved of being president. I moved on to get my bachelor’s degree in business management. I enjoyed learning about business management. I yearned to be in front of technology. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and learn more about it. From 2007, I have worked in the technology field in various roles from being level 1 support to network administrator. All of these required some sort of certification requiring me to renew it every three years. As if spending 10k on my education wasn’t enough, Corporate America wanted me to spend another $500 to $10,000 dollars to show that I know my stuff.

Pictured: Jen and her collie, Candy.

I was tired of not being recognized for my knowledge and education that I worked hard for. I wasn’t able to move up in management positions because of my lack of certification. One day, the job that I enjoyed required the support team to learn to programme of C++ or C#. I knew that it was too detailed for me to do. I quit my job and decided that I wanted to work for myself. I wanted a career change.

I saw this 9-5 killer ad on Facebook. I signed up for the webinar. I didn’t have the money to pay for the course, but I talked with other people who joined the course. It changed their lives, and they were able to make a living. The business involved creating websites that focused on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is difficult to keep up with because of the fact that almost every second, it’s changing. By the time I finally knew what I was doing, something new came out. I tried that for about 6 months. It didn’t work out. I went back to work for someone else at a college. The people there showed me that I didn’t have a passion for helping people in technology. I was reminded that I didn’t want to work for someone else. I wanted to make myself money; I did not want to make money for someone else. I saw another ad for a social media manager. People pay you to play on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, et cetera. I spent the last year learning about how to engage, the software required, the content required, et cetera. This is all great, but you aren’t making money from your knowledge. It’s an expensive hobby. From there, I signed up for one more class of how to prospect your clients and reaching out to our potential clients. Then I jumped in!

Up until about October, I was friends with a digital marketer who was looking for different people to complete his challenges. I signed up for his challenge and immediately was blown away. The first thing I learned was sales. I learned about how to get the clients. And from October, I have been able to gain the knowledge and confidence for me to put myself out there connecting with real estate agents and mortgage brokers. I was too scared to reach out to clients. I thought if I friended them on Facebook and made nice with them and offering them advice about social media, they will ask me to be their social media manager. Nope. This isn’t the way things work. You have to put yourself out there constantly to make yourself known. I have reached out more to potential clients in the past three days than I have in the past year.

Outside of business, I am passionate about health and pets! I have three collies and one cat. My company is named after my dog, Candy. Candy is a 14-month-old border collie who gets to travel the country with me (attending flyball seminars and tournaments). Flyball is the past time passion that I enjoy doing when I am not working. It’s something that makes me happy. I was able to train Candy from my past experience training with Gunner. Gunner is a 2-year-old border collie who knows flyball, but he seems to have a jock mentality [laughs].

Q: How has your past experience shaped you?

A: All of my past experiences and education and personality really helped to develop who I am today. The motivation and ambition have to be there every day. Also, never let your disability get in the way of your dreams! I have a stuttering disability and rather than hiding behind it, I use it to my advantage to work harder! I am sacrificing time being spent on training my dogs and time with my boyfriend, but in the end, I am putting time into my company, which means that I am putting time into myself. I am finally living the life that I want to without having to worry about paying those bills or worrying about my cell phone bill being cut off! And it’s nice knowing that if I need an extra day off, I don’t have to call my boss hoping that she or he will give me the time off.

Q: What would you like others to learn from your story?

A: You can do what you set your mind to. Everything takes work, and learning is a constant part of life. If your dream is to one day own a business that makes money, you need to make sure you have all the skills and knowledge needed to make that happen. If you would like to do what I do, you will also need the right software. It is also important to have the capital to put into your business. I worked a part-time job to have money to put into my business.

Also, always make time for those who matter in your life.

Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

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Woman Wednesday: Kristin

December 12, 2018December 12, 2018Posted in Uncategorized, womenTagged advice, blog, blogger, blogs, book, business, by women, by women for women, college, comfort, cool, dreams, education, educational, environment, family, fashion blog, fashion blogger, fashion diary, fashion journal, feminism, for women, friendship, future, happy, home, inspiration, job, life, life lessons, mass media, memories, money, motivation, movies, people, photography, photos, reading, shorts, stories, story, teaching, tips, travel, true stories, tv, woman blog, woman crush, woman crush wednesday, women, women bloggers, women crush, women crush wednesday, women empowering women, women empowerment, women empowerment blog, women empowerment bloggerLeave a comment

Q and A with Kristin, Blogger of The Tiny Red Tornado, Annapolis, Maryland

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: This is a tough question; I have so many passions! My two biggest passions are women’s empowerment and art. My mom is a fiercely independent person, and my dad has always allowed her the freedom to be that. Throughout my entire life, I have appreciated that my parents were very clear that I could do whatever I set my mind to as long as I worked hard. They made it even more clear that I could do it by myself. Although my mother was super great at the encouragement part, she was not so great when it came to fashion choices. This one outfit always sticks out in my head; it consisted of purple corduroy pants and a white turtleneck with poodles all over it. It was, and it still is, 100% the most hideous outfit ever known to humankind. I am convinced that outfit is the reason I am so deeply passionate about art, more specifically, the beauty and fashion industry.

Right now, I am a store manager of an ALDO shoe store by day and a lifestyle blogger at The Tiny Red Tornado by night. It is the holiday season in retail; a lot of my time is spent at my store. In regards to my blog, I am currently working on a body positivity series centered around women’s empowerment and self-love. This is very special to me because all women of all sizes have felt some sort of discomfort in their own skin for various reasons. It is my hope that we can all come together on this one issue and show the world that there is more to women than the outward appearance. We are CEOs and mothers. We are hardcore businesswomen, and at the same time, we can be guests at a stuffed animal tea party. We play with the big dogs, and we play with Thomas the Tank Engine. We watch Ted Talks and we watch Mickey Mouse Playhouse. Full disclosure, I am not a mom. I am an aunt to a wonderful ginger dude. My mom is a working mom, my sister is a working mom, and I am a working aunt. There are days I babysit all day long, and I am typing up things for my blog while watching Moana on repeat and pushing toy trucks around the floor. We can do it all, and we should love ourselves while we do it!

Q: What is something valuable you’ve learned that you’d like others to know?

A: Trust yourself. You know what is best for you and for your passion, whatever that may be. There will always be so many outside opinions of people that think they know better or think they know you, but nobody knows you better than you. Also, nobody knows your vision better than you!

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: My younger years! Oh gosh, I loved my childhood! I don’t have any sad stories that shaped me or brought me to my passion. I have two very loving parents that let a small girl dream big and supported her through that. I also grew up with two super cool sisters that were my built-in best friends. My parents helped me pay for a summer program when I was in high school at the fashion school I later attended! I did a fashion merchandising and design program for high schoolers at VCU Arts, and it was genuinely life-changing. I was obsessed with the school, with the city, and with the education. I had always wanted to go to fashion school after high school, but my very practical dad could not see how that would support me in life, and he viewed it more as a hobby. Long story short, I applied to VCU Arts, and I was accepted and off to fashion school. I went with my dad cheering me on every step of the way! Honestly, my parents and my sisters are my biggest supporters. My little sister has always looked up to me (even though physically she looks down because I am the shortest of all three of us). We have always been close. Most of the time, she is the person I hang out with. My older sister has always been an old soul, so a lot of times she would act as a mother to me. She is the one I have had my definite ups and downs with throughout life, but I think it is because we are way more similar than we would like to admit. I would never admit this to her face, but I admire her. She made a life plan for herself at age three, and she fulfilled everything she set out to do. I have issues sticking to a diet, and she has never missed a step!

Similar to my older sister and I, my mom and I have not always seen eye to eye. We found our footing around the time I turned 21, and for that, I am forever grateful. We have a lot in common that I didn’t always realize. Some of it great and some of it not so great, but weirdly the not so great stuff bonds us in a way that only we understand. My dad is the person I get my personality from. My childhood was amazing, and I have many things that have shaped me into who I am today, but nothing more than my dad. He taught me the value of a dollar, the value of hard work, and the value of myself. My family and I found out that my dad is battling Melanoma. I would say that this is the biggest thing that has shaped me because it puts life into a whole new perspective. My passions are still the same, but now they mean even more to me because my dad has always supported them even when he may not have understood. I work hard for myself because I have dreamed since I was a little girl to build a business doing something I love, but also to do something meaningful that helps others. I work hard for my dad and for my family because life is short and they believe in me. Even on my days when I am exhausted and ready to fall asleep at my computer, I keep typing because my support system is downstairs cheering me on.

Q: What would you like others to learn from your story?

A: If there is only one thing you gain from my story, then I hope you learn that you can do whatever you want to do as long as you work hard and keep a solid support system while doing it! Secondly, you can fall in love and have a family, but still be a feminist.

Photography by: Chanel Photography

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: This is my favorite question! I am a pretty hardcore feminist! I get so angry when people frown upon feminism or call women who identify themselves as a feminist, “man-haters.” I don’t hate men. I do not run around screaming that women are superior to men, and I certainly don’t demand things that I haven’t worked hard for and are well deserved. I define feminism as someone who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. We are equals. One is not superior to the other. I am a feminist because I believe that women are members of society that deserve a voice, and that voice deserves to be heard. We are strong, courageous, capable, and intelligent. Feminism is being independent and loving yourself for that. It is believing in yourself that you can do it all on your own and then doing it! Feminism is empowering and supporting other women.