By, Meera Dahiya and Saira Rathod

Saira and Meera

A journey of learning at The Fem Word

When we first started working with The Fem Word, it was just a concept. The co-founders, a mother and daughter team, had the vision to create a global online space for women’s stories. They were looking for young women like us to get involved to research and interview females of our age group with inspiring stories. We were on board from day one. We have been working with The Fem Word as high school interns since it was in it’s planning stages a couple of years ago, and by the time the platform officially launched in February 2019, we had a behind the scenes look at building a “virtual newsroom.” It has been an incredible experience to learn about true storytelling, communication, writing, and content creation. In the process, we have connected with girls across the country and the world about their lives, their journey, and their goals to create a better world for all female-identifying people.

On International Women’s Day today, we take a look back at the first year of The Fem Word, and reflected on what we have learned from five of the interviewees that inspired us the most. We apply their messages in our own lives. These girls have accomplished so much at around our age. The Fem Word has taught us to take inspiration from them and so many others we have interviewed. It has taught us that sometimes we learn the most from listening to the stories of people from around the world and understanding their journeys. As a result, these stories have given us the confidence to advocate for what we believe in, take advantage of opportunities, and grow from our own experiences.

CHESSY PROUT

Chessy Prout is a sexual assault survivor who wrote a book title “I Have the Right To” which shares her story and helps other survivors. During Chessy’s interview, she showed her emotional vulnerability by deeply reflecting on both the positive — and the negative experiences she faced. Her truth and honesty helped her connect with others who may have felt alone in their situation. During her interview, we not only saw her vulnerability but also strength in her ability to be open about her experience. Vulnerability and strength are not mutually exclusive — it takes strength to show vulnerability.

The Fem Word with Chessy Prout: https://www.thefemword.world/her-story/chessy-prout-high-school-sexual-assault-survivor-founder-of-ihavetherightto-washington-dc

STEPHANIE QUINTERO

Stephanie Quintero founded Chicos and Kids, a mentorship program that was started in Columbia and now aims to provide peer-to-peer education to kids around the world. Stephanie explained the symbiotic nature of Chicos and Kids; children who are both mentors and mentees learned from one another. From Stephanie, we learned the importance of the connection between people with different experiences: Our experiences shape us, and through these shared stories, we can broaden our own perspectives.

The Fem Word with Stephanie Quintero: https://www.thefemword.world/her-story/stephaniequintero

DESTINY JAMES

Destiny James was featured in Drake’s music video “God’s Plan” receiving a $50,000 grant toward her tuition at the University of Miami. Destiny comes from a low-income family from Denmark, South Carolina, and lost her father to cancer during her freshman year of high school. When it seemed that the odds were against her, Destiny continued to work hard to achieve her goals. She taught us that you have to be persistent, and never limit yourself because of where you come from and what is expected of you, but to always believe in yourself.

The Fem Word with Destiny James: https://www.thefemword.world/her-story/destiny-james

@_destinyparis

EMILY STEIN

After noticing a lack of business classes at her high school, Emily Stein started an entrepreneurship class. She spoke with professors from several colleges and conducted research online to write a curriculum for the class. During Emily’s interview, we noticed how she took the initiative and created opportunities for herself. Instead of complaining that there wasn’t an entrepreneurship course at her school — she set out to create one. Emily took it upon herself to not only forge new opportunities for herself but also open up new ones for fellow students at her high school through her course. We learned that it’s better to create opportunities than to wait for them.

The Fem Word with Emily Stein: https://www.thefemword.world/her-story/emiily-stein

ELLIE YEO

Ellie Yeo was one of 20 teen advisors for GirlUp, a United Nations Foundation that empowers girls globally. She advocated for girls’ education because by educating a girl you educate a community. Through her work, Ellie inspired girls around the world and her own community, creating a ripple effect. She taught us the importance of empowering others and how much of an impact one individual can truly have. We learned that each of us has the ability to impact others because, by inspiring one person, you allow them to inspire their community.

The Fem Word with Ellie Yeo: https://www.thefemword.world/her-story/ellie-yeo

#EachForEqual

There is a common thread between these inspirational women: They don’t fixate on any one situation, rather they focus on how they respond. Chessy shared her story of sexual assault to help other survivors. Stephanie saw room for improvement in educational opportunities and started Chicos and Kids. Destiny, determined to change her circumstances, created her own opportunities. Emily didn’t request an entrepreneurship class, she created one. Ellie Yeo noticed the lack of access to education for girls globally and became a leader of a multinational organization.

It’s all about taking initiative. When we were younger we had trouble finding female role models, so we decided to join The Fem Word, a platform that shares stories of inspirational women to empower others. Being part of The Fem Word has taught us how to connect people through storytelling. The Fem Word allows us to share stories of amazing women and unite others globally and realize the goal of the 2020 International Women’s Day mission: #EachForEqual.

International Women’s Day: An Inspiring Journey for The Fem Word Reporters