Being raised by a single mother helped me build a strong connection with women who refuse to sit back & be quiet while others make decisions for them. At a young age I was taught how rewarding it is to be independent & work hard for the life that you want to live. My mother also surrounded me with women who celebrate themselves & those they love — women who fight for what they believe in & aren’t willing to settle.

I am not here to say that what I believe is right & what you believe is wrong — I am here to say that each individual has the power of choice & the freedom to express themselves. This world is beginning to hush what needs to be heard & hide what we have the right to see. I believe that if each of us makes the commitment to stand tall when we discuss our passions, speak steady when we express our concerns & be strong when people claim that our voices are weak we can show just how far  one dream can take us.

This is the kind of woman I aspire to be & can become. And I love that. My country may not be perfect but I am thankful that it allows me to attack even the smallest challenges with fervor & great love. I hope you do the same.

I am here for a reason & I won’t wait around for someone to tell me what it is. I shall strive to make a difference in just one persons life, an unforgettable one.

“European Member of Parliament, Licia Ronzulli (an MEP from Italy), took her seven-week old daughter, Victoria, to work at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. [It was not a 'Take-Your-Child-to-Work' event.] She kept her baby carefully cradled against her in a wrap and occasionally leant to kiss her on the forehead. This photo was taken as she voted on proposals to improve women’s employment rights and was broadcast and published in newspapers around the world.”

Thank you for being brave Licia Ronzulli.

“I love to see a young girl go out & grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.” -Maya Angelou