Image from Pagerie
What stands out for us when we think of Women in Progress®? How they're willing to create changes in their lives for the better. Not only in their personal lives but for others.
Brought about by knowing that no woman— no matter the age or how they choose to show it— should ever be left behind, Women in Progress® understand that they play an integral part in creating better paths for every woman. With our shared experiences, we want to make sure that there's a welcoming space that every woman could thrive in, not just today but in the future as well. It's wielding our potential, our power— knowing that there's so much more we could achieve if we work not only towards making our lives better but helping others elevate theirs.
Not everyone can actively commit to creating organizations and foundations for causes that need to be in the spotlight (though it's never too late to start!) That doesn't mean we can't start small and see how those ripples turn into waves. If you need an idea on causes you should start caring about, here are a few you can begin with and how to start small and close:
Empowerment for everyone
Image from Simply Skin
When we talked about embracing your femininity, we shared how this could go both ways. Not only does this cause help us discover our next break out and set our potentials free, but it also paves more opportunities for women. For some, it might allow them to pursue what they never had the confidence to go for before. To some women, feeling empowered might be that little kick to step up their daily game. In whatever form it manifests as an effect, it's great to create that community that encourages and cheers for each other.
One side of empowerment is making sure that you take note of intersectionality. That means acknowledging that some women face more complex struggles that we might not fully understand. Simply taking note of this gives us that reminder to be mindful of what we say— if what we believe in is absolutely correct without the risk of someone's own experiences be invalidated or diminished. This simple act opens up the door to learning more and seeing what else we could do to make sure that while we push for empowerment we see all the time, we make sure that those whose voices aren't often valued and given attention to.
How you could start:
Verbalizing admiration or praise to women close to us when and actively listening to their experiences
Supporting spaces that welcome every woman
Healthy movement
Image from Haylee
If there's anything that Hidilyn Diaz, Margielyn Didal, and Nesthy Petecio's stories during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics taught us is that the next person creating waves in sports might be a woman. With their victories came the shining of the light on the need for support for women in sports. Not only is this a call for help as the games continue, but a shining beacon of hope that the next women in line (or the ones still discovering their love for it) receives the same, if not more, amount of support.
Aside from this, the Olympics shone a light on perhaps an unheard of, albeit important side of sports. It's having the healthy boundary between competing and your health. With Simone Biles making the big move of taking the back seat from the all-around gymnastics finals to prioritize her mental health, it's no question how she put a spotlight on an unseen side of sports. It tells us that no other thing could come higher than our own priorities and that those priorities could look different for everyone.
How you could start:
Healthily encouraging movement— may it be for yourself, your daughter, sister, or nieces!
Supporting women's sports by watching a few games or listening to their stories.
Climate Change
Image from Six N Five
With hotter days and more threatening rains we've been experiencing so far, we can say that there's a big difference from how we experience the sunnier and rainier days from before.
Climate change is becoming more and more of a global emergency and crisis. While some of us can manage the intense change in the weather today, it's undeniable how it will hit harder for some first before everyone else. With that comes the challenge of getting back up and the loss of certainty around lives. That includes always having to prepare or having opportunities put on hold. Because climate change points more to big companies producing too much environmental waste, it might feel like we're battling against giants. As Women in Progress®, though, that stand is something we could take by calling for more accountability and urging leaders to take the crisis more seriously. Doing this not only creates more awareness and urgency but also serves as a sign of support to those severely hit by the immediate effects of climate change. By small actions and the call for accountability, we can make sure we secure a fulfilling, livable life for them and safeguarding a future where we can continue to thrive.
How you could start:
Making sure to do your little part and encouraging others to create a domino effect, but not stopping there.
Signing petitions, joining awareness groups, and donating to organizations that put the environment at the forefront
There are much more causes you could begin supporting that also puts our collective progress at the center. Our advice? Keep on consistently supporting one (or more.) Let others find out how they could help, and let the rest follow suit. Remember our potential and our power to create the positive change we can start with now. We're in this together, Woman in Progress.
Thumbnail from Six N Five and Simply Chloe Sarah