Women Today

Many of us either know what Snapchat is or has one, but for the ones who do not have a Snapchat, let me fill you in on what the phone application is about. It is a popular social media app that lets people send pictures and or videos to friends that self-destruct after a certain amount of seconds.

So, what is so cool about Snapchat, you may ask?

They have these stories that they update every day that are available for everyone to watch. Snapchat posted a story of how young women from New York define their style in 2016. This blog was meant to be posted in 2016, however, I forgot to finish it. So here we are in 2019, and I'd like to keep the thread of that story alive.

A few questions they had asked these young ladies had me answer the questions myself.

"How does being a woman in 2019 affect your life and style?"

Being a woman in 2019 is liberating. A lot has changed over generations for women, however, one of the biggest challenges a woman faces is being treated equally in the workforce. In order to succeed, we have to own it! Step out of our comfort zone and never settle for less. I feel like we have to mentally fight to prove a point or make something noticeable to be heard. It is rather exhausting, but we are not alone, we are finally being heard. The important thing we need to remember is to speak up and share your ideas. The professional workforce is very dominant and competitive, but the way to conquer is to show everyone around us we can do this job the same as the opposite gender. This affects me because I am a working professional whom companies compare experiences, lifestyle, and degrees to our peers. I will continue to challenge my leadership skills, hone my communication skills, and never stop learning.

Is it important for women to come together and build a sisterhood?

Yes, absolutely! It's important for women to set aside their difference and come together to share their experiences, ideas, values, morals — what makes us who we are. It's extremely important to empower one another rather than putting each other down. We've received enough of that from our fellow peers in the past, why not take this time to motivate each other? Use the knowledge we have and put it to work! Let's create a bond of sisterhood no one can break. Women have tried for decades to try and vote, be in the workforce, or in the military. We have come very far in history to not show support to one another. More women showing togetherness will bring others closer to each other.

Lastly, can you tell us about what confidence and speaking up means to you?

Being confident and speaking up goes hand in hand with each other. I think it's so important to not be afraid and tell your story! I used to be the person who would not speak up when situations were uncomfortable, to defend a friend, family, or in class where I knew the answer but did not want to say it because I did not want students to stare at me, etc. And today, I built confidence for all of that mentioned and in myself. I will not be ostracized for what I personally feel and believe in, and neither should any other woman. Share your voice, and get comfortable knowing that there will always be people who want to bring you down — do not mind them, they will challenge you, just stay focused and achieve your goal. Knowledge is success.