Generation of Audacious Women

By Shavonne Taisha

Growing up it didn't take me long to identify all the places tears could hide. Whether it was beneath dark frames of sunglasses on the J Train, between the pages of a book, underneath his body, amidst steamy showers, or in the face of my silk pillow cases, I knew all the secret spots. I watched as endless girls spirits broke, in the irredescent hallways of my high school. The cat fights, the rumors, the stylish slick weaves, and the amazing fits. I saw myself in everyone, too shy yet loud in all my actions. Concerned with everyone's perspective of me, my journey, my man -HA!

Fast Forward. Everyday that I enter my office, I look at the smiles on my senior's faces. I see the beauty in their uncertainty and the bravery they echoe down the halls. They are boastful, they wreak havoc, they are opinionated and BRILLIANT! They don't look for the hidden tears, they wash themselves clean of it. These girls, my girls, are game changers. 

They may not know it yet, but they run things. They own who they are, they hold one another accountable, they live in their truth. They bask in their glory, and shine light on each other victories. They have some nerve. More nerve than I could have imagined. They are fruitful, and spicy. 

The new generation of girls are so powerful because they have identified a key that we all forget. The power lies within each and every one of us. Our magic is undeniably, obvious. When we stop being ashamed to receive healthy compliments, we allow ourselves the ability to see our reflections in the souls of those who matter. Young women are redefining gender roles, norms, and it's a win for us all! I thank them for their voices, for the standards they set for me, and the way they exceed my expectations daily! 

P.s. if you're my student , and you're  reading this -- don't blush, wear your crown proudly!