This Girl Made A Series Of Individual Stories Of Different Women On Women’s Day & Each One Of It Is Inspiring!

Every individual has a special story to tell. It entails with our individual purpose in life and certainly an example for the world to notice. We can take inspiration and charge forward with our own purpose because every life here has a credible purpose.

The 8th of March is officially celebrated as International Women’s Day. On this particular day, we take the leap to honor the great women who are working with their individual efforts, no matter how big or small to make this world a better place.

Source: Entrepreneur

In a world dominated by men in major sectors, seeing women who are continually surging in with their incredible efforts to make a name for, themselves and being exemplary for other women out there is really needed. Look around you and count all the great women who make life worthwhile – it can be your mother, sister, wife, girlfriend, maid or anyone, irrespective of their relation to you.

Source: VOA News

International Women’s Day is specially dedicated to these women. Similarly, we were approached by a girl who managed to share inspiring stories of different women around her on Women’s day.

Muqu Javad, a girl who compiled stories of different women about their lives, careers, roles in the society and every bit of their conduct that stands as an inspiration.

She writes, “On this Women’s Day, I want to celebrate all the wonderful, fierce, strong women I know. I have been working on this series for a while with the hopes of showing how we, as women, are strong, resilient and beautiful (in more ways than what meets the eye). As a photographer, I wanted to capture these women and their stories, and I wanted to show how despite us being so different, we are all alike. We all come together to make up the fabric of America. We contribute to this society by making it better. We call this place our home, yet we are citizens of the world. We work towards the betterment of ourselves, our families, our kids and for our country. We are powerful, strong, resilient, fierce, and lastly, we are beautiful. We are unapologetically she.”

Read the stories below, as each and every one of it is special.

1.

Source: Muqu Javad

I believe that I am a product of all the hard work that my parents have put in to get me where I am today. But another factor that has shaped me almost as much has been moving to America. All of the experiences and life lessons I have gained here have made me a more caring, hard working and driven person. America is my home and I want to work every day to give back and make it better as it has done for me. – Inkisar

2.

Source: Muqu Javad

I was born in India and have lived there for as many years as I have lived on US soil. Does that make me an Indian or American? Does it matter? I immigrated to the US, not as an ‘escape’ or a grand life plan, but more as things just fell into place so why not get that Masters degree in Computer Science with a full scholarship? After that, it was one ‘non-decision’ after another which lead to a 14-year career at Microsoft Corporation. And more recently, a 2-year career as an entrepreneur, chef and food truck owner. Sounds rather ungrateful, doesn’t it? No, I truly am very thankful for every bit of my life here in America and it’s taken some introspection to get there. This truly is the land of the free with a great opportunity for the motivated. Where else could someone so easily have switched out careers and hopped on to the whimsical bandwagon with such ease? I come from a stock of incredibly strong women.
Grandma had 2 kids and with a 3rd in tow went on to complete her Ph.D. and work as a professor for decades. Mom followed similar footsteps and after supporting the intense career of a military husband educated herself and carved out her own teaching career. So you see I had no choice but to be a trailblazer of sorts. This land has been kind to me. The current political air might not be conducive to the growth of women but we will prevail. Because that’s America – she always bounces back. – Shama

3.

Source: Muqu Javad

I am made whole by the women who’ve come before me: my grandmother who endured, my mother who persisted, my aunt who resisted. I am made whole by the women in my life—and those who have touched my life—who have wept, screamed, and fought back, consistently and endlessly. My black, Latina, queer, trans, and disabled sisters—all compose the fibers of my being; they are what makes me wholly woman. My strength, my voice, my power, my body, my resistance stands on the shoulders of these women, who constitute the frame of my house of empowerment in which I reside. Without them, I am fractured. With them, I am whole. Because of them, I still grow. – Bruna

4.

Source: Muqu Javad

As an immigrant, a mom and an educator, I recognize that education is a privilege that allows one to transcend the limitations of societal, economic and racial boundaries. My objective is to provide my students with an experience that maximizes learning, discovery, and growth within a connected school community. My hope that by creating this community, I enable the adults of tomorrow to maximize their potential as morally upright, contributing members of a global populace. – Sana

5.

Source: Muqu Javad

If one were to consider technicalities, being born in the United States and holding a blue passport would be enough to classify me as an American. However, the essence of being an American holds a much deeper meaning for me. Being American means to be able to practice the values of hard work and determination instilled in me by my parents who uplifted their lives in Pakistan to provide me with better opportunities; a better future.

To me, being an American allows me to be the strong, independent individual I was raised to be. Someone who can practice her beliefs, defend her opinions no matter how controversial or bold they are, and be able to move freely in this society. Someone who can achieve anything by putting my heart and soul into it. Being American allows me to live a life that fuses two distinct yet equally admirable cultures; eastern and western. Being an American means owning my identity and doing it so proudly no matter how much someone in the white house would like to convince us otherwise. Last but not least, I am an American because this is my home; this is where I grew up to be the person I am. This is where my family is and this is where my life is. – Maliha

6.

Source: Muqu Javad

For most of my life, I’ve felt a little bit awkward, a square peg in a round hole. But I always had this idea of a place where I could be myself in all my eccentric glory and thrive. In moving to America I found that place. In my career as a software engineer, I was able to combine my passion for technology and a lifelong love of learning that has served me well. In my personal life, I have made empowered choices that have enabled me to continue the pursuit of my dreams. I am a born optimist who feels deeply and has big audacious dreams. I strive for a future which is ever more equal than the present. I want to combine my skills in technology with my desire to make the world a better place. That is my American dream. – Farah

7.

Source: Muqu Javad

Growing up, there were several women in my life who I believe helped shape me into who I am today. My Aunt, currently a CEO of a transportation firm in LA, who kept taking her boss’s jobs, was one of my biggest role models growing up. While I had a stay at home mom who taught me strength in more ways than I can count, seeing the other side and being exposed to a number of professional, strong women who I watched move up regardless of her background or gender, inspired me to achieve more since I was a little girl. Or the woman, my neighbor, who encouraged me to play softball at a young age, who would become my softball coach for several years, who taught me how to ski, who helped me get my first college internship for the Department of Defense where she held a high rank, was also someone I completely admired and who became a role model near and dear to my heart. 

There is no equivalent to the demands of a stay at home mom, as I watched with my own mom, but being able to see another side with women I was personally close to and watch them achieve so much with great strength, knocking down barriers left and right, shaped my desire to do more. As a woman who has always had to check the “Other” box being multi-racial, it was crucial having role model seeing women like these succeed. With that, I thank my mom, and these two strong and successful women for who I am today, for the strength I now work to instill with my own two daughters in teaching them they can do and be anything they want, without limits. – Tanya

8.

Source: Muqu Javad

As a little kid in Pakistan, I found myself surrounded by gender inequality and social inequity. It bothered me. It bothered me a lot. I dreamed of growing up and being free, to live my life on my own terms and to go as far as I possibly could. My mom, a devout Muslim, and rebel at heart, was my biggest champion. Pouring over math and physics books, spending days in the computer lab, I built the foundational blocks of my professional self, and prayed that someone would take a chance on me. Microsoft did. They bet on a 20-year-old with infinite courage and hope and transplanted me to Redmond. 16 years later, I am finally home! A U.S. citizen, a Pakistani, a contributing member of my community, a grateful daughter. I believe in the American dream – because I have lived it. And I’m not letting it go just because of the outcome of one election. – Mona

9.

Source: Muqu Javad

I’m a Muslim woman of color in America at a time where all three of my intersecting identities are being threatened more than they ever have in my lifetime. My minority status is one of many complexities yet I understand my privilege within these groups. My status as an American means more to me than my citizenship; it means I have power and leverage to incite change and provide perspective. I’m not a social activist, I’m not a public figure, I wasn’t born knowing how many years it would take me to find myself (I still haven’t). I’m an artist and a design student, despite my mother’s lifelong wishes and prayers that her youngest child would become a doctor, but above all, I’m a Muslim woman of color. That is an identity I wear proudly on my sleeve and could never cast aside, and with that I live my life day by day, rejecting norms and asserting my independence, my individuality, my free mind, and my growing creativity. – Raisa

 10.

Source: Muqu Javad

As someone who has traveled around the world from a young age, I have always loved learning about different cultures and practices. Becoming an International Studies Major has been a great outlet for this and I continue to strive to understand other people’s values while shaping my own. Having moved from England with my family at the age of 2, I am proud to be a part of a Country that is accepting of all walks of life. When I think of America as my home I automatically associate it with the multicultural society I grew up in, its rich diversity, and that I am proud to be a part of that. – Eve

11.

Source: Muqu Javad

My family immigrated to the US when I was only 6 years old. This country has been home to me for as long as I can remember. What makes a place home? Home is where you’ve had the chance to celebrate birthdays, make new family traditions, and feel safe. For me, the United States is this and so much more. Last summer, my family went to visit Pakistan. It was so hard for me to call a country I was born in the home. It made me realize that the two things that the media continuously tries to use to define immigrants (religion and nationality) are things that I could not have determined as a 6-year-old, but that I am so proud to be regardless. I’m so proud to live in a country where I’ve always felt safe, where I can love the holiday season as much as I love Ramadan, where my closest friends are from cultures and countries around the world, and where I don’t need a male chaperone. My parents worked very hard for 12+ years to obtain permanent residency of this country. I remember a time when our immigration lawyer claimed that my mom knew more about the immigration system than any lawyer and a time when the first dua (prayer) to escape my lips was always for our green cards to arrive in the mail. My parents have worked so hard to make sure my sisters and I would have the chance to attend the best Universities, live in a country where women have rights and independence, learn to incorporate our religious values into our daily lives, and have everything that they always wished for as kids. Where my parents came from and where we are now… it’s a world of a difference, to say the least. Every day, I count my blessings that my parents wanted the best for us and that I was blessed with such loving, generous, open-minded, driven and caring parents. Thus ultimately, all my goals in life (in one way or another) revolve around my hopes to keep my parents proud, happy, and healthy. – Aania

12.

Source: Muqu Javad

I immigrated to the United States from Russia when I was a child. Though I’ve been an American citizen for many years now, the recent tide of anti-immigrant sentiment has definitely hit home, spurring fears I’ve never had before. But I take solace in the values of my friends, my community, my city. To us, being an American is practicing inclusion, compassion, and respecting individual autonomy. Now is a time of crucial self-reflection and critical thinking, of figuring out how to be an informed, active citizen. If nothing else, this tumultuous time is really helping me fine-tune my moral compass. – Ilona

13.

Source: Muqu Javad

There was a period in my life during which I wasn’t really sure where the home was. For a while, my parents and I moved to a new country every few years like clockwork. The more time I spent away from America, the less connected to America I felt. This was very frustrating because it felt like such an integral part of my identity was lost. My parents are Romanian, but I couldn’t identify with my Romanian heritage because I had never lived there. I have a German passport, but I couldn’t really be German because I don’t speak the language. The places I was living felt less like “home” and more like “temporary housing”. When I moved back to America, it took a very long time before it felt like home again. Eventually, it did, partially because I finally look and sound the part, but also because I have found that Seattle is full of people with narratives as convoluted as my own. It is the only place I have ever lived where I haven’t felt the need to justify my presence. – Jessica

14.

Source: Muqu Javad

I was 18 when that wave of loud, over-the-top patriotism hit my generation – you know, the whole ‘MURICA!, American flag tank top thing. I was so irritated by it. I remember seeing pocket-sized copies of the Constitution being sold in a store and just derided such a thing. My dad was the first to call out my complacency; there’s a difference between performing and upholding principles. The principles are important. For much of my (privileged) life, being American meant I lived in America. That meaning has changed in a pretty significant way as I’ve gotten older. Being American means my story is one of many, all of which matter. It means investment in the people around me, the ones I know and the ones I don’t. I feel my purpose, and it is mostly to listen and be kind, but, if the need arises, it is also to put up a bit of a fight. Of course, I’m still figuring out all of this – what it means to be American, what America itself means. And I’m honestly pretty thankful for that. I’m glad it’s something I get to figure out myself. – Cierra

15.

Source: Muqu Javad

For me, being an American has meant being accepted for who I am. I was born in Peru and adopted and moved to America as a baby shortly after I became an American Citizen. Even though America is all I’ve ever known, for the most part, I’ve always felt welcome. Growing up, I became more and more conscious of my differences. I don’t look anything like my parents. I’m very short (4″10 now) which was constantly pointed out to me as a kid. I don’t speak Spanish, even though I look like I should. My family is a pretty diverse bunch. We are Jewish. My mother is from the Netherlands, my dad from New York, I have two brothers- one my parent’s biological son, the other is adopted from Guatemala. Even though we looked different from an “average” family I always felt comfortable wherever we went. My family expanded and became even more of a mix when I married a tall red head and later had a baby. This is why I’m proud to be an American. America is full of diversity, full of people from different places and different backgrounds. With the new presidency, I have felt less welcome than ever before. I feel like the diversity I know and love is being attacked. Even though I think it is a disappointing time in history, I have high hopes that America will get through this and return to the country I have always called home. As a child and teenager, I always strived to fit in and spent a lot of time and energy trying to make myself feel comfortable in my skin. This was less about my outward appearance and more a reflection of discomfort within myself.
In my early 20’s I found the solution to the state of discomfort: alcohol. This solution was short lived and took me to many dark and scary places. It also took away what little self-esteem I ever had, to begin with. By 22 I found myself with a life changing decision, to continue down a demoralizing and self-destructive path or to ask for help. I chose to ask for help and got sober. It is scary to talk about my sobriety so openly, for fear of being judged, but it is what has shaped me and my identity most of my life. Getting sober gave me a chance to really live because what I was doing before wasn’t really living. It continues to teach me how to show up in the world and how to handle whatever life throws at me. The world is not always perfect, but I now know how to better deal with it. Slowly I am learning to be comfortable in my own skin. I hated myself when drinking, but I like who I am today and that’s a miracle. As far as goals go, the most important thing I strive to be is a good mom. I want my daughter to be able to depend on me. I want her to always know she is loved. And I want her to always feel safe and accepted. I’m never going to be one of those Martha Stewart moms who cooks every night and keeps an immaculate home, but I’ll settle for being a reliable, loving, fun and somewhat messy, sober mama. – Gabriela

16.

Source: Muqu Javad

Coming to America has given me opportunities that I probably wouldn’t have had had my dad not received a job offer here when I was younger. Moving to the US has given me different perspectives of life and made me a more accepting person with those around me. With what I’ve noticed, people who have immigrated from different cultures tend to be more open in their personal and professional lives than others. Not only do we as a society receive a different array of personalities and perspectives, but we also receive a certain type of empathy towards others and the hardships some people may go through that cannot be taught unless you’ve personally gone through the experience yourself. – Adina

17.

Source: Muqu Javad

Art, for me, is simultaneously an escape and a way to concentrate/make sense of my grief and frustrations. I’ve been really into figure art recently, primarily simplistic images of women’s bodies in black paint or ink. I think they symbolize our shared humanity; nobody knows this woman’s skin color, where she lives, where she was born, what she believes, or who she loves. It’s a reminder that we all have the same guts and bones and, largely, the same desires. We all seek health, happiness, and acceptance, and those are not privileges or luxuries – they are rights. I am proud that these values are written in our country’s constitution, and that when they are threatened, there are millions of us who stand up and scream. – Emily

18.

Source: Muqu Javad

Reading has always been my favorite activity and escape. Dystopian literature and fantasy are my favorite genres because even in the most horrible imaginings of the future, there are always groups of individuals who fight and rebel, usually at great personal risk. I really believe that the instinct to protect each other is a natural human urge that a lot of us are taught to suppress because it can be painful to reconcile another’s suffering from the knowledge that we have never or will never experience that kind of suffering.
One of the things I love so much about books is that you experience the world through someone else’s perspective and live in someone else’s brain. That kind of exposure to alternative circumstance is important to true cooperation and coexistence.
I think the whole idea of “the melting pot” is probably what makes me most proud to be an American. We are a country full of individuals with very different histories, life experiences, and perceptions of reality. And yet, when we live side by side and learn to appreciate each other for our similarities as well as our differences, truly beautiful things can happen. It’s a challenging ideal to live up to and we certainly have a long way to go, but it’s something worth fighting for.- Karin

19.

Source: Muqu Javad

I’m lucky enough to know many kinds, accepting, and inclusive Americans; those people make me proud to be from the United States. – Emma

 20.

Source: Muqu Javad

From a young age, I was taught to value education. As a six-year-old, I heard the story of how my father left Palestine, with a limited amount of money in his pocket, to come to America to receive an education. He told me that he did not want to leave his homeland, nor did he want to leave his family, but he took the leap of faith in hope of finding new opportunities. He was hopeful that his decision would lead him to become a force for change, liberation, and for success, and it did. As I began working in schools with marginalized communities, I became fully aware of how education can be used as a tool to break the cycle of oppression. The students I worked with had an incredible amount of potential, but due to their circumstances, they were missing the crucial ingredient of liberation, which is a sufficient education. Therefore, I strive to work for equality, for marginalized voices to be heard, and for people to come together to work for change by using education as a platform. I am proud to call myself American and America is more than just home; it is where I can create a classroom that humanizes and empowers all. – Joanna

21.

Source: Muqu Javad

Pieces of Me-Ah
Prep time: 26 years
Ingredients: I am the descent of slaves who’s blood built this country. The granddaughter of a woman who migrated west for better opportunities for her family. The daughter of an ex-soldier who fought for America’s freedoms. The friend of marginalized groups who continue to challenge systems of oppression in order to create equity. These are all parts of me. My past and my present make me who I am. I am independent, I am strong, I am a woman, I am Black, I am American. I use writing to free my mind as well as yours. I am American, but above that, I am a citizen of the world – Mia

22.

Source: Muqu Javad

I am the product of four generations of courageous, transcontinental migration. My grandmother traveled by foot for months, carrying her home on her back from rural China to Hong Kong, fleeing the terrors of war. My Father came to America at the age of four and thrust into adulthood at the age of twelve, being the oldest of five after his father passed away. Growing up as an Asian-American woman, the acts of my family’s resilience were not boasted. Thus, came the labels of being passive and silent, fostering a sense of inferiority. Through self-introspection and the support of my peers, I have reclaimed these stereotypes as my own: For I may be “passive” because of value teamwork and collaboration. For I may be ‘silent’ because I value the weight of my words and the act of listening. Today, I stand as a proud Asian woman. Today, I stand proud to be an American – a place where everyone’s stories and differences can be celebrated together. – Keona

23.

Source: Muqu Javad

I strive for a nation where every person is safe to be who they are. I long for a country where structural violence and institutional oppression are not the foundations of the State. I do not consider myself a proud American, but I am a citizen of this nation state. So, it is my responsibility as an American to question the society and norms we have been given in this hierarchical, capitalist system. As a child, I was made to understand that my body was not my own, that so many people’s complex, beautiful, intersectional bodies are not their own. Fighting this notion motivates me to demand a different reality for the United States. I refuse to be less American because I am a survivor of sexual assault, and I refuse to be less American because I am queer. And I refuse a nation where people are made to feel less American because of their race, gender, class, immigration status, ability, religion, country of origin, sexual orientation, or any other aspect of their identity. This country has sustained itself on genocide, exploitation, and fear of the other; but I am hopeful that so many Americans refuse to accept this. – Laura

24.

Source: Muqu Javad

Though difficult at times, I strive to be inspired, rather than intimidated, by information and ideas that I do not yet fully understand. The lessons I find most valuable have, more often than not, stemmed from people or situations that challenged my comfort level or forced me to pivot my way of thinking. When we seek out ideas different from our own, when we ask questions, when we listen intently – that is when we truly advance. As Americans, it seems we crave improvement – How can we do this faster? Make that better? Reach more people? While we each may have different theories on how to answer those questions, our ability to make an impact grows exponentially when we collaborate. I am proud to live in a nation that rarely remains stagnant, even if that means a few challenges (better yet – learning opportunities) along the way. – Dani

25.

Source: Muqu Javad

As a woman who doesn’t want to have children, in most ways I won’t ever experience the life changing aspects of parenthood. But, when my niece was born in August 2014, my life changed. I took a picture of her on her first International Women’s Day and posted it with the caption “my hope is that this lil lady grows up to live in a more equitable world #nevertooearlytobeafeminist.” I think about building that more equitable world for her, and I’ve never been more motivated than I am these days. She changed my life because now there is such a clear and present reason to live my life in such a way so that she inherits a better world. I may not have children of my own, but that lil lady, and now her baby brother, remind me that we are all responsible for this earth and the people who live on it. We have to do our part in small and big ways to ensure a better future for ourselves and for our little ones. – Catherine

26.

Source: Muqu Javad

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth. -Muhammad Ali

As a global citizen, born and raised in the US with Pakistani roots, I believe it’s my responsibility to be of service to individuals locally and globally. I strive to do this by doing my best in everything that I do. This country has provided me with the education and opportunities that have shaped me into who I am today. I am proud to call this country, the land of the free and home of the brave immigrants, my home. – Ayesha

27.

Source: Muqu Javad

Being a woman of faith in America, I feel grateful that I have the opportunity to freely worship God. My faith has been a source of comfort and hopes to me in insure times and difficult places in my life, knowing that there is someone who is sovereignly arranging things behind the scenes. America is home to me because it’s the place where I am free to believe, free to pursue a career in teaching, and free to raise a family of dreamers and believers. – Christine

28. …and finally, Muqu Javad herself!

Source: Muqu Javad

Being the daughter of a single mother who built a better future for us I understand the importance of perseverance and hard work. From very early on I learned to be an independent daughter of a strong and independent woman who left everything behind to come to this nation and build a life for me and my sister. I am still striving to be as strong and successful as her, I guess you can call that my American dream, something she surely was able to achieve. I am blessed to be surrounded by such profoundly strong women, each and every one of them has inspired me to be better, to be stronger, to be more resilient. As a Muslim American, I see the struggles we face in society today, yet I am proud to call myself American and would not trade it for anywhere else. I want to bring a positive change in the outlook of many immigrants and non-immigrants just like me, that regardless of where we came from we are America, we give our lives and we give our best to strive for a better future for this country. – Muqu
This was so much enlightening and inspiring indeed. We thank Muqu Javad for her endeavor and bringing out these incredible stories to our knowledge!
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