International Women’s Day

The work I do is for her.

It’s for the hope that she will grow up in a world that celebrates her strength and tenacity and doesn’t dull her spark because it can’t handle her brilliance.

It’s for her friends who watch their bodies grow with fear rather than celebration.

It’s for ten year old me, who had already learned how to perpetually suck in her stomach, stand so her thighs didn’t touch and hold our her head to avoid a double chin.

It’s for the women who send their daughters, nieces, sisters out into the world and pray that they come out unscathed.

It’s for my friends who fiercely battle against the society that values their appearance more than their incredible minds and hearts.

It’s for my great grandma who was the first woman in her town to wear pants in public and sunbathed in her front yard in her giant beige bra.

It’s for my mom who has spent her life championing women and taught me to never lose my voice.

It’s for my community who holds each other up, above all of the patriarchal bullshit, with their fists raised stating, “enough is enough”.

And it is for you who is powerful and resilient and made of magic.