These women share their journeys through confronting homophobia, surviving domestic violence, advocating for justice reform, overcoming ex-offender stigma, and enduring disabilities from a train accident.
During a triggered state, I deeply hated the rising feeling of rage from within. It left me worried that I was turning into my mother, which was a great fear of mine. I wanted to be the best parent I could and surround my children with love and support - two things I never felt from my own mother.
I know that at the juncture of my intersectionality as a black woman, as a dark-skinned black woman, if I don't acknowledge my achievements, it's likely I would be the first to be shut down, misunderstood, silenced and erased from anything I put my hands to.
I had to fight very hard to have agency in my life, have good grades, and win my freedom at the cost of the relationship with my nuclear family - that relationship hangs by a thread today.
The term ‘disruptor’ can sometimes be used with negative connotations. But every transformative agent of positive change throughout the course of history has had to disrupt something - the status quo.
I wish I had known that having difficult conversations is crucial to a leader’s ability to lead. I hated having difficult conversations and often put them off for far longer than I should have. This led to mixed messaging, and a lack of clarity and the issues only got bigger.
I realized that my son had suffered brain damage at birth resulting in multiple medical complexities and needs. It has been a rough and challenging journey raising a child with cerebral palsy here in Nigeria through childhood and adulthood.
I have always claimed my space through my work. Taking roles that have something to say - roles that challenge the status quo - Bridgerton and the role of Queen Charlotte are no different.
Interviewing these women was another reminder of how important it is to shine a light on more women. Their narrative made me feel so hopeful about our world when it is not always so easy to feel that way. Women are strong, unstoppable, and beautiful.
