The Importance of Telling Your Story
Aya Rector speaks about a moment in her life when she felt silenced but then found her voice.
Being a facilitator with Enterprise’s Reimagine Internship has given me the opportunity to work with amazing Latina and Black women wanting to make changes for their own academic futures and professional lives. Every other Thursday is my favorite day as these young women have reminded me how important self-reflection, speaking your truth, and telling your story can be.
We created a space for the women to think about moments that have made an impact on the person they are today.
The women shared experiences of not having support systems growing up, adults discouraging them from being themselves, being bullied for not fitting into gender norms, and the difficulty of standing up for others despite the risk of negativity and judgment. What makes these incredible women unique and heroic is how they want to use these painful experiences to uplift others.
By Katalina Mendoza, Enterprise for Youth Program Associate
