Growing up, I was a very shy and reserved little girl—it took me a lot to get out of my comfort zone. When around friends and family, I felt safe enough to be my true self, but this was not always the case. Throughout my childhood and early teenage years, I encountered several individuals who created discomfort for me because they displayed such hateful energy towards me. Receiving this energy stirred up a lot of internal negativity, which later resulted in me becoming someone I did not like—I found myself treating others the way I was treated as a defense mechanism. My past encounters created insecurity and self doubt that I projected onto others, especially in friendships and relationships.

At some point, I realized that my social experiences when I was younger deterred me away from being the person I genuinely am. It is in my nature to do everything out of love, express empathy, and show support to those around me—even to strangers. I have always stated that “it cost zero dollars to be kind” and I continue to hold myself accountable to that mentality when I engage with others in my day-to-day life whether it is face-to-face or on social media.

What I yearned for the most in order to feel secure with myself as a woman, was simply a safe space to identify as the type of woman I am. Throughout my childhood and young adult life, I have experienced countless situations to shape me into the woman I am today—from bullying, trauma, racism, motherhood, and more. I created Dear Women, LLC to provide the safe space I craved, for other women. It is important to be the individual others can look to for support, advice, personal help, etc. My goal is to create an environment that women can flourish in while feeling confident, heard, and most of all feel safe.