News / In Her Words

Taking My Power Back

When I first connected with Working for Women, I had just started my first “real job.” I was excited but I also felt lost when it came to advocating for myself. I found myself shrinking in a lot of spaces, and I didn’t want to do that anymore.

I wanted to take up space. I wanted to feel confident asking for what I deserved. And I wanted to understand things, especially around money, that always felt out of reach.

That’s where my journey with Working for Women began.

Learning I Could Advocate for Myself

I was introduced to Working for Women through my work with Chica Project. I spend a lot of time encouraging other women to tap into their power, but I realized I hadn’t fully done that for myself yet.

After participating in a W4W negotiation workshop, something shifted. I felt seen. I felt empowered. I finally had language for things I had always felt but didn’t know how to say.

Not long after, I put that into practice. I prepared, scheduled a meeting with my supervisor, and had the conversation, even though it was nerve-wracking.

I did it. And I got the salary increase I was looking for.

That moment changed how I saw myself.

Money Conversations That Finally Made Sense

I joined Money Talks because I wanted to feel more financially empowered. Until then, financial conversations felt intimidating.

I remember being in rooms where people talked about stocks and investments like it was nothing and feeling like everyone was speaking a foreign language.

Through the program, I started understanding my relationship with money and how it shaped my decisions. One of my biggest milestones was paying off a credit card debt that had followed me for years.

It stared at me every day. I was paying the minimums, but it wasn’t moving.

By building a budget that actually worked, I paid it off. That was a huge victory for me.

The Power of Coaching and Community

What stood out most to me wasn’t just the content — it was the people.

In these sessions, vulnerability wasn’t treated as weakness. The coaches held space for what was happening in our lives, not just our finances. Sometimes we talked about money, and sometimes we talked about everything else and both mattered.

Those connections didn’t end when the sessions did. The impact extended into my personal and professional life in ways I didn’t expect.

Challenging What I Was Taught

I come from a very traditional Southern Black family. I was taught to keep my head down, work twice as hard, and wait.

Through Working for Women, I pressed pause on a lot of that thinking. It was uncomfortable but necessary. I realized I don’t have to succumb to anyone else’s narrative.

I can take my power back.

The Impact Doesn’t Stop With Me

What I’ve learned hasn’t stopped with me. I share the resources, the conversations, and the confidence with my family and my community.

I’m continuing my financial education now and learning more about investing. Before this experience, I saw my future in a very rigid box. Now, I’m starting to dream. I’m starting to see myself in spaces I wouldn’t have imagined before.

What I’d Say to Other Women Starting Out

Take advantage of everything.

Every resource. Every person. Every opportunity.

Working for Women has your back. There is space for you here. This organization is a powerhouse and you leave feeling charged. It’s electric.

In Her Words

Because of Working for Women, I’ve reached milestones I once thought were out of reach — advocating for myself, gaining control over my finances, and believing that more is possible.

And I’m just getting started.