When Women Rise

As an immigrant woman I got so present to the fact that we witness relatively extreme experiences in countries we come from - like rape culture in India for example.. and when we migrate to the western world, it takes us a while to realize what exists for us as women.

Personally, I went through mental, emotional and financial abuse for a while, justifying to myself that at least there was no physical or sexual abuse. It is like saying at least I had rotten food to eat instead of having no food to eat. This state of compromise came from a loss of self worth and dignity; of not being able to identify ANY kind of abuse as an abuse....until one day I woke up to recognize the abuse and to regain the power of being my own stand.. the power of saying enough is enough...the power of saying NO to anybody and any experience that would treat me as a lesser human being than another.

At the Women in the World Summit in #toronto I realized that until I had my own experiences, I found it easier to see the Rohinga scenario as abuse and unequal pay for women went unnoticed in my mind.

I sat on my seat and as I listened to everyone speak, I felt the urgency to step up to my next level of being a woman. Thank you #tinabrown for this experience. #powerfulstorytelling #mindfullife#womenhelpingwomen #womeninpower#witw