How do you maintain your resiliency in these times? I keep an attitude of gratitude. I stay humble at all times. I am a breast cancer conqueror and I give my time to anyone is going through this challenge or any other health crisis.

What is the hardest thing about being a woman in 2020? Race, gender and stereotypes impact our perception about a persons competence and ability. It’s hard to constantly prove yourself and have people questioning your authority. As a woman you’re often expected to be a bit of a caretaker, so women who are honest and forthright are often seen as being disagreeable. There’s an unconscious bias and a real rigidity when it comes to gender roles and how people are expected to behave.

What is the hardest thing about being a woman in 2020? We are exhausted. While the definition of womanhood has expanded, the old entries haven't been erased. We are expected to do it all. (Not necessarily just by society, but by ourselves and each other.) We are on, all of the time, in so many different capacities.

What can women do to make it better for other women? Take up space. And then invite more women into the space you’ve claimed. If you are a hiring manager, hire more women and people of color and pay them as much as you pay white men.

Why do you vote? I vote because I passionately believe in the future my mother dreamed of when she first came here. I vote because I see what great potential our communities have under the right leadership. And I vote because I believe in a better tomorrow—and I want to play a part in that journey.

How do you maintain your resiliency in these times?
By being true to myself, being confident, standing up and speaking up about things that are important to me.

What needs to happen for us to move forward?
We need a government that prioritizes the basic needs of the people, such as healthcare and education. We need to pay our teachers more money so that our kids understand science, math, art, music, and language. We cannot expect families to be happy if parents need to choose between healthcare and food. We also need to encourage diversification in our neighborhoods and communities. The more we know about each other, the better informed we are about how we are more similar than different.

What can women do to make it better for other women? 
LIFT EACH OTHER UP. Compliment your fellow woman on her achievements. Help her if you see her struggling...fix her crown without telling anyone it was crooked in the first place.

Do you think the current movement will be the one to change things for future generations? I think we are still quite deep in the trenches with this newer movement. I believe that this movement was born out of the clash that happened when women entered the workforce en masse in the 60’s and 70’s.