By Neya Krishnan, New Canaan HS Senior
Since her performance of ‘The Hill We Climb’, the public has fallen in love with Amanda Gorman, and it’s not hard to see why. I think that the public’s reaction to Gorman speaks to the unique ability of poetry to unify, shed light on challenging topics, express shared sentiments in a profound way, and bring us all closer together.
2020 has been a year of firsts. The election of Kamala Harris as Vice President is just that: a first. She is not only the first woman to hold power as a Vice President in the White House, but more specifically, the first daughter of immigrants, the first African American woman, as well as the first Indian-American woman to ever fulfill this leadership position. Many women and girls nationwide have seen Harris’s nomination as a symbol of hope and strength.
The election of Kamala Harris means that young women, like me, have a living and breathing example of a woman holding the second most powerful position in the country. For women of color it is even more profound to see her breaking so many different barriers. Vice-President elect Harris is the first woman of color to run for vice president of the U.S. and the first woman to win. After her memorable moments on stage, I know she won’t be the last. It is so inspiring to see how far she’s come from growing up as the daughter of immigrants raised by a single mom. Her qualified, rational, and strong characteristics are spotlighted when she speaks showing girls how to command and claim their power. During the Vice Presidential debate, Vice President Mike Pence continually spoke over Vice-President elect Harris. Instead of accepting his interruptions, she calmly
If you were to meet my mom, it might come as a surprise that behind the pink suits, pearl earrings, and perfectly painted nails is a woman who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Underneath the sparkle loving, fur coat wearing fashionista is not a woman with an affluent upbringing, but rather a frugal one in Montville, CT, with her chickens, and pigs, and the influence of her “nothing is impossible” parents.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The loss of RBG is something I can’t even put into words. She is someone I greatly admired, someone whose simple presence commanded inspiration. I already miss her. Immensely. It’s disappointing that this extraordinary woman can’t even be properly mourned because everyone is nervous about who will replace her, rightfully so, but I think she deserves more. I wrote this piece last night, an ode to a fighter and to my first superhero ❤️ You will never be forgotten.
by Sydney Santos, LiveGirl Marketing Intern, Sacred Heart University ‘20
I have learned that although having a plan is always good, there's only so much we can actually rely on. Going with the flow is something I haven’t always been good at, I like structure and certainty. But 2020 has taught me to live in the moment and take each situation day by day, prepare for the future- but if an expectation isn’t met it’s not the end all be all. After all, I’m 22, this is my time to learn and experience everything I can. Here’s to the last four months of 2020, and whatever learning opportunities come our way.
By Victoria Iparraguirre, Manhattan School of Music ‘22 and LiveGirl Communications Intern
While 2020 has been a rocky year for all of us in many regards, I can fully say it has been one of the best years of my life in terms of personal growth. With all of this time on our hands, my ideas and creativity have gone into full bloom. With the recent events of the Black Lives Matter movement, I was so incredibly moved by the support my city has shown and as a result, I was inspired to hold my own event.
By Dr. Vida Samuel, PhD. LiveGirl Board Member and Professor at University of Connecticut, Stamford
A sustainable world depends on our ability to have this conversation often, reasonably and acknowledge, that even when we may not share similar narratives, our standing as human beings demands mutual respect as a human obligation. We must force ourselves to do equal amounts of the emotional work required for a more racially-just world.
