Dawn Marie Daniels - Souls of My Young Sisters: Young Women Break Their Silence with Personal Stories That Will Change Your Life

Raegan L. Burden

Niyah Moore

Dee Vazquez

Floree Williams

Sybil Clark Amuti

Milani Rose

Ebony Fletcher

Ihotu Jennifer Ali

J. Nerissa Percival

Quintrecia Lane

Crissinda Ponder

Jasmine Nicole Gibson

Tweetie

Shampale Williams

Charon Acevedo

Barbara L. Jackson

Denika Donahue

Tinisha Nicole Johnson

Latonya P. Story

Syreta J. Oglesby

Kristen Rogers

Shalena Broaster

Dr. Ravaughn Williams

Star Toile Murrell

Jennifer Lewis

Kayla LaShell Harley

Desiree Hulen

Robin E. Wilson

Lalah Hathaway

Ashley Foxx

Bianca Payton

Nicole Paultre Bell

Rashana Hooks

Donja Bridges

Shamony Makeba Gibson

Georgia Woodbine

Kimberly N. Cooper

Diera Shaw

Nicole Sallis

Jasmine Jordan

Samantha Wheeler

Aleia K. Moore

Hydeia Broadbent

Monica Marie Jones

Sasheer Moore

Tameka L. Cage

Jessica A. Robinson

Alysia Satchel

LaShieka Purvis Hunter

Evelyn L. Williamson

We first met at a taping of Its Showtime at the Apollo and we barely said hello. We had traveled similar paths, through childhood. We both suffered mental and physical abuse at the hands of those closest to us from the time we were five years of age. We both grew up with family members and friends we trusted and loved telling us we would never amount to anything. We both had a strong need to fit in, which led us to feeling as if we should not strive for greatness. We both escaped our home lives in our late teens and we both entered the entertainment industry. And, though we had different roles in the world of music, we had very similar experiences. Most specifically, we were on a constant search for the love and acceptance we felt we had not received as children. Trying to find love in others inevitably led to very destructive and extremely painful relationships with men. Pain has a way of showing up in other ways: overindulgence, irresponsibility, and the lowest levels of self-esteem.

We never met as children, but as adults we realized we had lived parallel lives, nearly every step of the way. Like so many women, our childhood hopes and dreams, and the fire that burned inside each of us, were stomped out like the last bit of flames on a campfire. By the time we were young adults, all that was left inside of uslike an abandoned campfirewas the ash left from the embers. We had hope for the future of our careers, but neither of us had hope for ourselves as women. We knew how to survive, but we had no idea what it meant to actually live.

We met again, backstage at a concert, and we exchanged pleasantries, even shared a toast, but walked away with no inclination that we would meet again. We were two women on similar paths of self-destruction. Two women God saw fit to pull together for a greater purpose than either of us had ever imagined. On the many days we sat alone in our own personal prisons of shame, anger, and low self-value, we had no idea what was waiting around the bend for us. We did not know we would eventually come together for the purpose of empowering and inspiring hope in women all over the world.

As fate was determined to have it, our lives also changed for the better in the same way. We both knew something was wrong and we hit a brick wall. Each time, we found ourselves running away from people and situations and, most of all, we were running away from ourselves. Trying to escape from a problem instead of facing and claiming it. What we have found is that people are sent in your life to show you the way, open a door, or share with you a lesson. The question is, were we ready to recieve it?

We both met men who would force us to take a long, hard look in the mirror and face our fears, head-on. We each had met a man who loved us when we were stripped down to our bare souls and could not hide our fears and insecurities underneath the rock of our careers. These men were beautiful examples of the kind of people we are meant to have in our lives. With their help and with the help of women who held us up along the way, we each realized one day that what needed to change most was our attitude. Our journeys have proven that we can choose our attitudes in any given set of circumstancessimply by drawing strength from God and learning to control the only thing we CAN controlwhich is ourselves.

Anyone can overcome. Anyone can meet the challenge. Anyone can succeed. Anyone can choose to be better today than they were yesterday, until eventually, they are the best. Were not saying were the best, but like Serena Williams at tennis, and Alicia Keys on her piano, we practice being better every single day because we want to be the best we can possibly be.

When we met again, it was to celebrate the birthday of a dear friend, Steve Stoute, who is the cofounder of our organization, Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now (FFAWN), and even then, we had no idea that we were soon to join together to make a difference in the lives of millions of women. What we did know, on that day, was that we shared a moment that left each of us knowing that the other had something very special to give the world and it would have nothing to do with the talents that were defining our lives at that moment.

We have grown from abused children to career women to women on a mission, and with a very definite purpose. What has brought life to our purpose is a willingness to do whatever it takes to make sure that every one of youyour mothers, your sisters, your cousins, and your best friendsunderstands that you are a phenomenal woman. This is an attitude we all must develop in our hearts as we go out into the world.