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 Mariella Saavedra Carquin-Hamichand, LMHC
Connelly Middle School
New York City, NY
School Counselor
Growing up my mother was (and continues to be) a strong woman who did everything for us, for my sister and me. She was college-educated and left a good job as a university professor in Peru to come with us to the U.S. to support my father in his dream of starting his own business. I saw her work long hours at a low-paying job that did not value her skills or education, all the while getting up at 5am to cook for us, and then do all the housework when she got home. My dad was always there with us, picked us up from school and was present, and had his own business, but I never saw him do as much as my mother. And this just seemed like the natural way of the universe. Sometimes he was not so nice to my mom, but she stayed with him and continued to do what she had to do: work and then all the housework. She is a brilliant woman and still there were moments when I doubted her power.
The other day, a student came to me very much moved and confused by something. She said it was about women’s rights. She was concerned because she wanted to become president one day and was excited when she told her mother about her plan, but then her mother replied that men are supposed to be stronger than women, and referenced a line in the bible about a woman’s place. It seemed that this student’s world had been completely shaken up.
We researched all the female presidents that have been in power from decades back and she realized how this idea was not new in many countries. She looked relieved. I explained to her that the U.S. just needs to catch up.
The way we empower girls here at such a young age to set goals and dreams for themselves moves me. I told her that I did not know about all these women presidents until I was in college, and even then it was not talked about a lot. The fact that we do this so early on, empower girls to see themselves as strong and powerful, is important. I thought of my mother and how she had been raised to do it all, while the man in the house did not have to; it was not expected of him. And how despite all her education, she sometimes did not seem to have the power in the house.
My hope is to empower our girls to be strong in school and in their future careers, but also and especially in their homes, with their families and their partners - in all parts of their lives.
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