FROM THE Editor
Also featured are women in finance who are sharing their stories on life , leadership , and collaboration . These women want to reshape the narrative on the importance of having a " why " for doing what they do . This issue includes so much more we cannot wait to show you . Join us in celebrating with our women in business and our recurring features from our talented writers . It is a whole lot of goodness that begs you to read , absorb and become better changemakers .
It is with joy that I pen this note to you . We are at our eleventh issue — what a profound journey it has been . We are going and growing stronger . It is an honor to tell the stories of extraordinary women who are impacting communities near and far . And when we use the word extraordinary , it is not to separate one woman from the other . We are all exceptional in our own right . As I listened to each woman recount her journey , it cemented one reality — that we all have awe-inspiring stories suppressed within us , stories that need to be told . These stories make us extraordinary because when we share them , they will resonate with another woman and say to her , “ Hey ! I see you ; I AM YOU .” We must see ourselves as EXTRAordinary and carry ourselves as such . These are the stories that become the catalyst for change in the lives of people we probably won ' t ever meet .
In this issue , we feature one woman who had a simple goal of inspiring people who looked like her . Little did she know that taking action would catapult her into an unintended spotlight , a spotlight that flooded the unlit corners of many as she stood firm in a cause that she believed in . We are talking about our Main Feature Woman , Dr . Sandra Lindsay .
We also spotlight China L ' One , a refugee from Sierra Leone . She overcame many obstacles and answered the call to action without seeing the complete picture . In so doing , she discovered her gift and purpose that has brought her before many important people .
Here at The BeyondWoman , we strive to encourage our community of women to become self-actualised and unabashedly own their spaces because that is the earmark of living a complete life . If you are still struggling to get to that place , then the following nudge is for you . Consider it my gift to you , a bit of encouragement from my heart to yours :
" You are an amazing person with unique talents . Have faith in your abilities ." ― Lailah Gifty Akita
Let ' s appreciate ourselves for who we are and for what we bring to the table . Know yourself , not in a surface way , but profoundly and intimately . From this position , you get to unpack your limitations and harness your strengths . Many times , we stop short at limitations ( focused on keeping ourselves downsized and small ). But understand that limitations are not a death sentence , neither are they a curse . They are God ' s way of creating a world of balance . Our limitations , then , keeps us humble and reminds us that we are all human . I want to see a world where we can contribute our unique talents to benefit the whole . Imagine a world where everyone knew everything and was a master of everything . I rest .
Allow the word UNIQUE to resonate with you , then begin to appreciate everything about yourself and dwell in that space . It ' s the space where you will come to know how complete you already are , and another thing , let ' s cheers to that .
Jacqueline Walker-Johnson