International Women’s Day is all about empowering women and young girls throughout the globe. This year’s theme is candidly titled #BalanceforBetter, pointing to the need to promote gender equality no matter what barriers exist. In our latest roundup, we’re sharing our favorite quotes from women in different industries. Whether they’re creatives, executives or fall somewhere between these two distinctions, they’ve offered great advice through their life experiences.
As women, at times things can be a bit defeating, but with words of wisdom from inspiring women such as entrepreneurs Melody Ehsani and Karleen Roy and photographer Shaniqwa Jarvis, the weight seems a bit lighter. Today is a moment in time where women can band together and realize our strength when we collaborate, or even try going after our passions with no inhibitions.
Keep reading to check out our editor’s favorite quotes from our features.
Melody Ehsani
Eddie Lee/HYPEBAE
"I think that there’s a lot of language out there that discourages women from moving forward in their careers. We feel like we need to have money or certain accolades in order to take a chance at an opportunity. The reason I’ve been successful is because I continued to move forward against the odds. Obstacles are always going to be there, so you have to mentally push past them and be persistent."
Jen Brill
Eddie Lee/HYPEBAE
"Continue to inspire and be inspired by your friends. Your daily life is a form of research. Even the most banal things can be sources of inspiration. Remember there is no right or wrong way to jumpstart your career, so there is no need to stick to a ‘track’ or a ‘formula.’ I have broken every rule and have no doubt that I will continue to. Be encouraged by your differences, NEVER be discouraged especially while we are in an environment that needs to support strong and creative feminine power."
Jessica Washick
GRACE RIVERA/HYPEBAE
"If I could give my younger self advice, I’d say stop doubting yourself. In the beginning, I’d be nervous or anxious on jobs but there was no reason for it — it was all in my head. I’ve come to realize that even if you’re a perfectionist and things don’t go exactly the way you imagine, you’ll learn from it and it will make you that much better."
Yasmin Sewell
Kevin Tachman
"My grandmother always used to say: ‘slow and steady wins the race.’ I think the reason I love it so much is because I know it’s true but I’m so impatient, it’s my greatest personal struggle."
Shaniqwa Jarvis
Eddie Lee/HYPEBAE
"Eat everything. Travel anywhere. Take on lovers. Be fantastical. Repeat. Avoid people that do not support your growth or underestimate your capability."
Tiffany Young
Erika Long
"Girls’ Generation’s legacy is about hard work. We worked our asses off for what we believed in, what we wanted to create and who we wanted to be. It’s about being positive and being the best you can be, given your circumstances. It’s about supporting your girls, between us members, the team, the creatives behind it and the fans."
Asian Doll
Eddie Lee/HYPEBAE
"My advice is to never take "no" for an answer and always know that guys are afraid of girl bosses so that should motivate you even more. Be obsessed with your future. Love it, sleep it and dream it. Know that every time you’re working on something good, something bad can happen but stay focused. Patience is the key. Just know everything will work out the way it’s supposed to."
Karleen Roy
Eddie Lee/HYPEBAE
"If you treat your business like a side hustle, so will everybody else. Definitely, you are walking billboard for your business. So if you’re treating it like you’re just freelancing or “oh this is just something I’m doing on the side, this is my side hustle.” Everyone on the receiving end will perceive your business that way too."
Zoe Wong & Danielle Greco
Ben Awin/HYPEBAE
"I think leaving a job when you’re not actually unhappy, but also not 100-percent happy. I was so grateful for my first job in fashion that I was a bit slow to accept that it still wasn’t the best fit for me. Deciding to move on was tough, but also the best decision I made. I’m not saying that it’s always possible to be 100-percent happy with your job, but we all deserve the chance to try and change our working lives for the better."
"Don’t think you can’t do something just because you’re not traditionally trained to do it. If you have good ideas, say them out loud. Tell people who can help you make these a reality. Don’t doubt yourself. You are usually right, and if you’re wrong, well, that’s okay, too."
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