To those who handed me the paintbrush 

to craft a mind of my own

In a world that's rich in color,

To those who spoke up in the quietest room,

To those who heard me suffer in silence,

And shared their umbrella on the rainiest of days,

To those who valued my opinions and taught me respect,

To those who showed me that it's okay to take control when something isn't right, 

To those who devoted their sleepless nights

For those who provided the necessitities, 

And those who educated me

Whether in the books or on the streets,

Whether a stranger, a friend, or a teacher,

For proving we are not our stereotypes

To those who continue to fight our battles,

And those who showed me its okay to be alone,

That love and beauty comes from within,

And every scar is what makes us unique,

All of our individual stories composed

Proving that we are not just objects to be juxtaposed

Thank you, women, for setting the foundation

And breaking the walls of liberation