Women’s History Month: Elaine Welteroth
March is Women’s History Month and it is dedicated to honoring women’s contributions to American History. I decided to honor this month with a twist by identifying a variety of women that I am inspired by. Each week, I will break done their story, pain point and what they had to overcome. My hope is that it will connect with you and REMIND you how we all have a story of overcoming and triumph. May the stories of every woman empower YOU to walk in your God-given design.
Elaine Welteroth is a New York Times best-selling author for her book, ‘More Than Enough.’ I heard about this book a year before it came out, but decided it wasn’t the time for me to read it. Can I say I was absolutely right? I am glad I waited. I read it in the thick of the Safer at Home Order directed towards our state of Texas and nation as a whole.
Spending more time at home had its ups and downs, but it was more positive for me than anything. Reading More than Enough by Elaine was an internal clarion call for me to STEP UP. This book felt like a warm embrace. It was reminiscent of all the wonderful conversations I had with friends in college. Those soul-stirring conversations that have shaped me into the woman I am today. These conversations opened the door for me to learn about the beauty of art, museums and culture. These conversations exposed me to things I might not have learned staying in my Grand Prairie bubble. They invited me in, opened the door AND pulled out the seat. That is exactly what this book did for me.
At the age of 29, Elaine Welteroth became the first black editor in chief for Teen Vogue (also the youngest in Condé Nast history 🤯). She details her journey leading up to that point from the complexities of growing up bi-racial, relationship woes and finding her voice (over and over again). What you will appreciate about her journey is how relatable it is. She understands the struggle of having a dream, the rejections that come with it and eventually finding and OWNING that lane. She is the embodiment of persistence, honesty and execution. She also learned through burn-out the importance of rest and taking care of your bodies. I wholeheartedly believe you cannot have one without the other. To the woman who has been told she isn’t enough or she is too much, reading her book will do numbers to your soul. ❤️
Favorite Quotes:
“When the world tells you to SHRINK, expand.”
“There is no glory in a grind that literally grinds you down to dust.”
“As a culture, we love a celebration. We love a first. We hold them high. We all marvel at headlines and highlight reels. But we rarely discuss the marks and scars and bruises that come with breaking through glass ceilings.”
“What is not for you can never be for you. No amount of sheer will or work, no amount of bending or shape-shifting will make it so. No act or effort, no apology, no amount of therapy or prayer or repetition, no self-help, no distraction, no matter how hard you try, you can never force anything that isn’t meant to be.”
“If you ever find yourself walking on eggshells and contorting yourself into ill-fitting ensembles just to prove yourself in a relationship, run.”
“When you exist in spaces that weren’t built for you, remember sometimes that just being you is the revolution.”
