Sepia Prime Woman Digital Magazine March 2014 | Page 12

Your Words continued from previous page

your legs and God made them just as he had
planned.” Her words were healing and
guided me on a journey of turning my pain
into power, helping to positively build my
self-love, self-concept, and self-esteem.
Eventually, I learned to love and appreciate
my legs and I now flaunt them with pride.
As adults we don’t always have our parents
or loved ones around to encourage and build
us up, so what we say to ourselves matters.
The way we describe and think about
ourselves gives us identity and makes it
possible to traverse this adult world
successfully. Life is tough and competitive
for women, particularly women of color, and
we need to be girded up. Recently trending
in social media was Pam Oliver, an AfricanAmerican sportscaster who has been with
Fox Sports for nineteen years. In response to
a flurry of criticism about her hair and
makeup, she said, “I don’t do social media
because it is an invitation to hear bad things
about yourself.” The social system tried to
get her to see herself as her hair and not the
talented, successful trailblazer that she is.
Social media can be a beast. With resolve,
Pam chose to shut down the mean-spirited
words by not allowing them into her psyche.
Bravo for Pam! H\