“You Are Strong”

International Women’s Day Everyday - #STEM

An architect student sits still in a class full of men. Breathing in thinking to herself “I am strong”

She writes recklessly in urgency to finish that paper because she knows her professor will likely shun out her hard work if she’s a minute past submission.

Across the room in retrospection, a man unconcerned by the demand of the assignment wedges his sheet in between the pile that sat neatly on his desk.

“Ha, How’s that for gender gap fellas?”

He knows his GPA won’t matter in the real world anyway, and walks away aimlessly.

She’s rushing now with only five minutes in counting but every detail matters she must prove her knowledge because, for her, there’s no such thing as half ass-ing

She’s breathing in thinking to herself,

“I am strong”

She’s finished now and gently lays her worth on top of the rest on his desk.

The professor turns around and says with a sarcastic sorrow... “You’re a minute late, but for your sake, I’ll make an exception... and uh, I think you’ll look pretty with your hair down tomorrow”

She tugged at the hijab that wrapped beautifully around her eyes, in disbelief said rigidly

“Thank you, sir” and ran to catch her Uber

In her shared ride sat a woman and a baby, to her feet a lush full of bagged groceries.

“I apologize if I’m taking up too much room” the black lady spoke.

She chuckles,

“I am quite small,

as long as I can get my seat belt on

I think we’re good to go”

and the driver drove.

The baby has a subtle whine

She asks,

“How old is she?”

- “She’s only nine months old but she has the loveliest personality and smile I’m so happy to call her mine”

“I bet she can’t wait to get home and eat”

- “Oh yes, she is always hungry, just like her mommy. You know it’s a common misconception that a single black lady cannot feed her baby, but I think I make her quite happy”

The student smiled and said

“I think so too, this is my stop I hope you have a great afternoon, it was very nice meeting you”

She steps out Thanks the driver and runs straight into a pharmacy

You see, it’s her time of the month and she’s bleeding, craving, greasy salty everything

She also needs some tampons and razors

Because yes, we too grow lady hairs

She walks into the aisle that reads hygiene picks up the female brand at a 1.90 glances to her right and holds in her hand... 0.70?

Wait, a minute why is the male brand only 0.70? Cents??

Well, that doesn’t make any sense

She walks over to the counter top and lets her jaw drop and expresses her concerns

And says excuse me miss

Is this label a miss?

I think you guys need to correct this?

She looks over in annoyance

Lady it’s called the pink tax

How would you like to pay?

Credit? Cash? Or Debit?

Or you could put it back...

With utter disbelief, she takes a breath and counts to three...

no no how much will everything be?

She pays and walks out slowly

Breathing in thinking to herself

You are strong

The cashier is just a kid she doesn’t understand its wrong.

A lonely walk home, with doubts of her future,

finally some peace, tranquillity, and sugar

oh wait, silly me it’s time to make dinner for my family.

My husband will be upset with me if he comes home and it’s not ready

Flicking through the channels on the TV as she prepares the food in the kitchen

Something catches her attention

International Women's Day: Powerful stories from around the world on CNN

“It starts with #STEM and it starts with you”

She turns up the volume

“While much effort has been made over the past 15 years to inspire more girls and women to get involved in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), the United Nations (UN) reported that females continue to be excluded from participating fully in science.

UNESCO data showed that female students make up only 30 percent of #STEM-related fields in higher education.”

She swallowed her expression and continued to listen

"We must Encourage younger girls and young ladies to get a career in #STEM," she said. "It is great for women to show the younger generation how much opportunity there is, but I think it is just as encouraging if there is a man saying, ‘Hey, we welcome you in this field and there is no difference if you are a man or woman’

She turned the tv off and let the information sink in

A glimpse of the baby she had met earlier

Came into her vision

“It starts with #STEM and it starts with me”

I have to do this for me and the children after me, I have to do this for that baby.

The day slowly came to an end and the early bird awoke as a new day began

As she looks into the mirror

she can see clearer dressing her head in pretty purple her eyes begin to sparkle

Breathing in thinking to herself

You are strong