Category: Women empowering women

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Empower Women Entertainment Lists and Tips Mariposa Sisters picks Women empowering women

Song Recommendations: Let’s feel empowered together!

Photo courtesy of Canva

Looking for some new song recommendations? Or just want to listen to something upbeat while doing those daily activities? Well look no more Mariposa Sisters has your back! Here are 7 female artists with songs that will leave you feeling empowered for the rest of the day! Just take a look at the lyrics seen below. You should consider giving all 7 songs a listen and you just might end up adding these to your playlist.

 

Katy perry 

Fingerprints :

 

Wanna break the stereotype 

Fist in the air

I’m not going down without a fight

It’s my life

And I’m not sitting on the sidelines

 

Beyonce

Run the world :

 

You can’t hold me

(you can’t hold me)

I work my 9 to 5

Better cut my check

This goes out to all

The women gettin’ it

In, get on your grind

 

Billie Eilish

You should see me in a crown :

 

You should see me in a crown

I’m gonna run this nothin town

Watch me make ‘em bow

One by one by one

 

No doubt 

Just a Girl :

 

Oh, I’m just a girl, take

a good look at me

Just your typical prototype 

Oh, I’ve had it up to here

Oh, am I making myself clear?

 

Twice 

Breakthrough (this is the English translation) :

 

Heading for an ideal future

I’m prepared to overcome any obstacles

Time is infinite but you can never turn it back

This story of “me” only happens once

No matter what people say 

Shake it off, I’m going my way

Say say, don’t give up!

Say say, don’t give up!

Till the day I can be proud of myself

 

Doja Cat

Boss Bi*** :

 

Big up yourself cause you know they won’t

I chew, chew, chew, cause they hope I choke

I’m a bi***, I’m a boss

I’m a bi***, I’m a boss

Ima shine like gloss

 

Lesley Gore

You don’t own me :

 

Im free and i love to be free

To live my life the way i want

To say and do whatever i please

And don’t tell me what to do

 

 

Author: Daisy Elizalde

Categories
Empower Women Women empowering women women in power

The First Black Congresswoman Was Just Elected in Missouri

Graphic by Khala Clarke

It’s been a very crazy week in politics. There have been some huge wins and losses all around, but in the midst of it all was a monumental moment for black women. 

 

History was made in Missouri this past week as Cori Bush was elected to the state’s 1st Congressional District, which covers the St. Louis area. Bush, who is a democrat, will be Missouri’s first Black Congresswoman.

 

Bush is a registered nurse who got into politics after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. She has been a huge supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, not just over the past few months, but for the past several years. If you’re interested in seeing her rise to congress, then you should watch Knock Down The House on Netflix.

 

Bush gave a moving victory speech on election night where she promised St. Louis that things were going to change.

 

“St Louis: my city, my home, my community. We have been surviving and grinding and just scraping by for so long, and now this is our moment to finally, finally start living and growing and thriving,” Bush said in her speech. “So, as the first Black woman, nurse, and single mother to have the honor to represent Missouri in the United States Congress, let me just say this. To the Black women. The Black girls. The nurses. The single mothers. The essential workers. This. Is. OUR. Moment.”

 

Bush ended her speech with a call to everyone to come together and work toward a better community.

 

“This moment is brought to us by us – by our movement for social, racial, and economic justice. Now, our movement is going to Congress,” Bush said. “And we will meet the challenges of this moment as a movement: side by side, arm in arm, and with our fists in the air – ready to serve each other until every single one of us is free.”

 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was also featured in Knock Down The House, was re-elected to New York’s 14th Congressional District. She and three other women make up what is known as “the squad.” The group of women- AOC, Ilan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib- were elected to the House of Representatives in 2018. The group of Democratic women strives to represent the demographic diversity of a younger generation in politics, as well as advocate for a number of progressive policies. 

 

It now looks as though these women might be adding a new member to their “squad.”

 

Author : Ashli Ellerman 

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Empower Women Lists and Tips Mariposa Sisters picks Women empowering women women in power

Influential Women You Should Be Following on Instagram

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With nowhere to go, my time on social media has greatly increased over the past several months. I spend far too much time scrolling through Instagram and not enough time reading books and practicing self-care. However, I have made it my mission to fill my timeline with women who inspire me to do better. Here are three really awesome women that you need to be following.

 

AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez)

 

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, better known as AOC, has made quite a name for herself over the past couple of years. She gained nation-wide recognition after winning the Democratic Party’s primary election for New York’s 14th congressional district in 2018. She beat Joe Crowley, who was a 10-term incumbent, off of a grassroots campaign and then beat Republican Anthony Pappas in the general election later that year. You can watch it all play out in the documentary Knock Down the House on Netflix. Since then, her social media following has grown exponentially. If you scroll through her Instagram account you’ll see that it’s filled with inspiring messages, both political and non-political. She fights for a wide range of progressive policies, and her inspiring speeches have a way of making you want to fight with her. 

 

Rachel Elizabeth Cargle

 

Rachel Elizabeth Cargle is a public academic, writer, and lecturer who focuses on “providing intellectual discourse, tools, and resources that explore the intersection of race and womanhood,” according to her website. As a woman of color herself, she saw a need for change and founded the Loveland Foundation, which is a non-profit that works to boost access to therapy for black women. She also created The Great Unlearn which is an online learning platform that highlights academics of color. It’s a place where people can go and become more educated about ways in which they can take action.  Cargle now uses her personal Instagram to encourage people to understand and speak out against racism in our society. Her posts are filled with inspiring words that every woman needs to hear.

 

Glennon Doyle

 

Author and philanthropist Glennon Doyle recently gained recognition after she published her third book Untamed. Her female-empowering memoir details the freedom she felt once she discovered she needed to stop listening to how the world told her to live and began living for herself. The inspirational read will definitely have you feeling like you can do absolutely anything. Doyle also created Together Rising, which is a non-profit organization that “transforms collective heartbreak into effective action.” From helping children in refugee camps to the opioid crisis, Doyle’s foundation has touched it all. Her Instagram is filled with inspiring quotes and life-lessons to give you that extra push when you’re feeling down. Lately, she’s been inspiring people around the world to vote, while also posting funny light-hearted videos of her and her wife Abby Wambach.

 

Author: Ashli Ellerman 

Categories
Empower Women Lists and Tips Women empowering women Womens wellness

5 Ways To Stay Motivated During Days That Feel Repetitive

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For the past couple of months, many days have felt repetitive. Mostly because we’ve switched everything up to be online rather than in person as a way to social distance. So most of us spend all our time with our laptops and desks at home. Being at home all the time sometimes gets in the way of our work. Having our beds and electronics near us at all times is very tempting. It makes you want to skip out on that class or work meeting and just sleep or watch shows all day long. There are many days where finding the motivation to do something might be hard. When those days come don’t let your motivation go fight back! Here are 5 ways that can help you stay motivated during times when you feel your  motivation is slipping away.

 

1. Take a break to relax:

 

Sometimes all you need is a break, a breather, a minute for yourself. At least spend 5 mins or more a day doing something that you like. Having a lot of work to be done is stressful especially when all those deadlines start getting close. It’s good to take a break
in between finished projects that way when you start your next one you won’t feel so tired you’ll feel refreshed and will make fewer mistakes.

 

2. Plan out your week:

 

When everything is planned out and written down you are more likely to achieve your goals for the week. Buy a planner, a dry erase board calendar to put up on your wall, or even use your phone to set up reminders. Just write down everything you have to do for
the week. As a college student, I’ve noticed that when you plan out your week in advance it really helps with keeping up with everything. Sometimes just knowing what is coming ahead sets you on the right track.

 

3. Set goals for yourself:

 

Setting goals for yourself is a must. It can be a small task like cleaning your room at least once a week or a big task like finishing all your projects by the end of the month. Give yourself something to work with and things will go smoothly.

 

4. Make sure to eat well:

 

Make sure you are eating 3 proper meals a day! Sometimes we might skip a couple meals if we are busy. But skipping meals usually leads to making you feel lazy and not having enough energy to do anything. If you do plan on skipping a meal try having a light snack
instead. Having something in your body is always better than nothing. Remember to stay hydrated and do your best with cutting back on junk food!

 

5. Change your surroundings:

 

A change in your surroundings helps as well. When you do your work it’s probably in the same spot everyday. Try changing it up every now and then. For example, if you always do work in your bedroom, try moving to a different room in your home. If you have a back yard or maybe even front yard try doing your work outside. Pull up a chair and just work there once in a while just to get some fresh air. Certain changes are always nice.

 

 

Author: Daisy Elizalde

Categories
Lists and Tips Women empowering women Womens wellness

The changes that come in autumn

Graphic by Khala Clarke

The season of autumn brings many beautiful changes from the colorful leaves falling along the streets, to the cozy sweaters and pumpkin-flavored treats! We notice these new changes happening around us but rarely do we also take note of the changes happening within our bodies. Just like the seasons our bodies change right along with it. 

 

As summer comes to an end and we flow into fall we may see drastic changes in our bodies. Not all changes are bad changes, in fact most of the changes that happen in our body may be very beneficial. 

 

 

Sleep patterns 

Throughout the year it may seem like we’re moving faster and our bodies are always playing catch up, but during the fall it just seems as though the world around us slows down a bit. During the fall, the weather becomes a little cooler causing people to stay in more, take naps, and hit the snooze button before getting up to start the day. 

 

Even though you’ll be getting more sleep it may not leave you feeling the best because we’re taking more naps and sleeping in, this may mess with your sleeping patterns making you feel a bit sluggish or even lazy when you wake up. So yes, take naps and sleep in but set an alarm to keep you at your absolute best!

 

 

Sex Drive Increases

During the fall season you usually will start to hear people throwing around the phrase “cuddle weather”. You probably also hear others saying they either need a cuddle buddy or how much they love having one. The immense amount of love and affection comes with the season, so if you’re feeling extra frisky don’t worry it’s natural. 

 

Studies have shown that in autumn our testosterone and estrogen levels are at an all-time high. In autumn, you don’t only crave your favorite holiday treats but your body starts craving a lot more *wink wink. In the fall both women and men experience a rise in libido.  Studies have also shown that our levels of attractions rise! Apparently our shift in clothing makes women become more attractive. Even though we show more skin in the summer, being covered up in the fall is said to be more attractive and has said to be a turn on. 

 

 

Your feminine area may feel better 

If you’re  prone to having Yeast infections and the occasional UTI, your vaginal area will feel a lot better in not only the fall but the winter too. Shifting from the hot and humid weather the summer brings, to the dry and cooler temperatures that the fall brings will guarantee a healthier vagina. 

 

The low temperatures have been said to comfort the vagina and vulva which are the more sensitive areas of the feminine body. Believe it or not many women shave less during the fall as they are covered up more. This is also helpful as we don’t wear tight undies and bikinis which help our sensitive lady down below breath. 

 

To ensure a healthier vagina, try to get a little more comfortable this fall and wear more cotton underwear and less fitted clothing. Studies have shown wearing synthetic underwear and tight clothes increase your chances of infection.

 

These are just a few changes to help you get to know as well as understand your body this fall season. 

 

Author: Khala Clarke 

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Beauty Lists and Tips Mariposa Sisters picks Women empowering women

Eden Beauty Glam

Photo courtesy of Eden Beauty Glam

Women around the world come in all different shapes and sizes, but sometimes that doesn’t seem to be reflected in the fashion industry. According to a Glamour article, “plus-size women represent 68% of shoppers,” so why is it that when we go shopping, the majority of what we see are clothes made for girls who are a size two?

 

A recent Forbes article called for the fashion industry to stop treating plus-size women as different from smaller-sized women. Women in the article said they didn’t want to see anymore “online-only collections” and wanted more “models who represent a diversity of shapes.”

 

Women’s clothing boutique Eden Beauty Glam is a great example of a company that provides for women of all shapes and sizes.

 

Eden Beauty Glam’s “About Us” page reads: “Fashion can mean so many things to different people. We aren’t all the same, so, of course, our styles of clothing and accessories are different. Each individual can choose to dress down or fancy but only you get to decide what that means.”

 

The clothing site is owned by a woman of color who has incorporated a wide variety of items within the online boutique. There is basic apparel, such as blouses, bottoms, and dresses, but then there are also many accessories, including jewelry, sunglasses, and hats. And, they even have cute little masks to combat the current pandemic.

 

**We have a 10% off code for you to use at Eden Beauty Glam. Click the link to search the site for your perfect outfit!

 

Author: Ashli Ellerman

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Entertainment Lists and Tips Mariposa Sisters picks Women empowering women

4 Spooky shows with powerful women leads you should watch just in time for Halloween!

Graphic by Khala Clarke

1. Lovecraft Country 

This HBO horror drama television series is needless to say, the most horrifying yet interesting show I’ve probably ever watched. Based on the novel Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff, the show is filled with supernatural elements like witchcraft, ghosts, time-travel and more. Each episode takes the audience on an emotional roller coaster keeping each viewer hooked as the plot thickens. You just never know what might happen next in this blockbuster. 

 

Jurnee Smollett stars as Letitia, a young black woman from the south, who joins her longtime friend Atticus (played by Jonathan Majors) and his uncle George (played by Courtney B. Vance) in a quest to find his father set in the Jim Crow and racist era of the 1950’s.

 

In the show Letitia is a photographer who displays a vast aptitude of independence & power while still embodying her feminine nature in the manner she cares for others especially Atticus. Letitia is what I would consider a fierce powerful Black woman!

 

 

2. The Haunting of Hill House

This Netflix supernatural horror drama TV series is an all-time favorite around this time of year. The show follows five siblings as their past haunts them. Bouncing back and forth from the past to the present showing flashbacks of the siblings paranormal experiences. The show is not only terrifying but captivating with its enticing actors and its extraordinary visuals. This show will definitely give you a good scare.

 

The show starring many great actresses such as  Carla Gugino who played Olivia Crain, Elizabeth Reaser and Lulu Wilson as Shirley Crain Harris, Kate Siegel and Mckenna Grace playing Theodora  aka “Theo” Crain and Victoria Pedretti and Violet McGraw as Eleanor “Nell” Crain Vance, who I thought was the most captivating character. 

 

All the women and young girls played powerful roles in this series, truly embodying their  characters, the ladies gave the audience the experience of true terror.

 

 

3. The Haunting of Bly Manor

This new Netflix series is a supernatural horror drama spin-off series of The Haunting of the Hill House. The two series have different storylines as The Haunting of Bly Manor is about a young woman who is hired by a man after a tragic event occurs and he’s left with his niece and nephew. The young woman Danielle aka “Dani” Clayton is played by Victoria Pedretti who also played in The Haunting of the Hill House. She takes care of the children at the family’s country house which is the Bly estate, where she begins to have a chilling experience as she starts to see ghosts. 

 

In fact, many of the characters in this series were characters in The Haunting of the Hill House, Victoria Pedretti, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Henry Thomas, Kate Siegel, Carla Gugino, and Catherine Parker all play new characters within this series but they are also many other great actors in this series, a lot of which are great actresses. 

 

Although this show does play as a spin-off of The Haunting on the Hill House, the two shows are very different. Both shows will definitely give you a good scare with a great storyline to follow but The Haunting of Bly Manor is different as it is a chilling story that won’t have you jumping out of your seat but will make you want to sleep with the light on. 

 

 

4. Ratched

This Netflix drama/psychological thriller is by far one of my favorite new series not only because it stars the amazing Sarah Paulson, but because it is truly unconventional. Full of suspense, with the revelations of trilling and shocking truths, Ratched is sure to keep its audience on their toes with every episode.

 

The show follows nurse Mildred Ratched (played by Sarah Paulson), who makes her way to Northern California in the late 1940s to get a job at a recently popular psychiatric hospital. This hospital has begun experimental treatment on its patients and as a nurse, Mildred portrays herself to be the perfect employee, but underneath it all she despises the horrific practices. Mildred is also there to save her foster brother who was sent to the asylum after murdering several priests. 

 

Sara Paulson and other women in the series like Cynthia Nixon, who plays Gwendolyn Briggs the Governor’s press secretary and campaign manager, As well as Judy Davis who plays Nurse Betsy Bucket, the head nurse at Lucia State Hospital and Ratched’s foe turned into a friend.  

 

This gory show will have you squirming in your seat and turning your mind upside down. 

 

Author: Khala Clarke 

Categories
Empower Women Women empowering women women in power

Kamala Harris makes history

"Sen Kamala Harris Save Our Care Rally U.S. Capitol" by Mobilus In Mobili is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

California democratic member of the U.S. Senate, Kamala Harris is the first Black and indian American to be a major party’s vice presidential nominee.

 

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the nominee for President of the United States, announced that he had selected Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate on August 11, 2020, since then Kamala has accepted the nomination.  

 

Kamala pointed out in her nomination speech the divide amongst the American people that has been ignited under Trump’s administration and said she will work to restore inclusivity within America.

 

“There is no vaccine for racism. We’ve got to do the work,” Harris said. “For George Floyd. For Breonna Taylor. For the lives of too many others to name…for our children, for all of us.”

 

Kamala Harris endorses former Vice President Joe Biden by expressing their shared values and explaining how they will strive for change. Harris explains that they both believe in equality and seek to fight for justice for all people of our nation. 

 

On Wednesday Oct. 7 the Vice Presidential debates took place leaving supporters of the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris campaign impressed as a  CNN Instant Poll of registered voters who calculated that Kamala Harris dominated the debate and won. Polls concluded that women said Kamala did a “good job by a 69% to 30% margin.” 

 

Kamala Harris was prepared, assertive, and confident, seeing an empowered Black woman dominating a Vice Presidential debate inspired many women and showed little girls all over the nation that anything is possible. 

 

The Presidential election is right around the corner to register to vote and find out more information on how to vote visit the following links below.

 

https://www.vote.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjwlID8BRAFEiwAnUoK1QF7cs6_LoM8Q2J5cojScRZnRex1c_GG0U40K3ProOS84KmqA0y7BBoCLhUQAvD_BwE

 

https://www.vote.org/register-to-vote/

 

Author: Khala Clarke 

Categories
Empower Women Women empowering women

Black Women Deserve Better

Graphic by Khala Clarke

 

With the recent release of the grand jury decision on the killing of Breonna Taylor, protests erupt across the nation. 

 

Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman was fatally shot 8 times while asleep in her own home on March 13.

 

Louisville police officers killed Taylor in what has been said to be a “botched raid” on her apartment. 

 

Only one of the three officers, Brett Hankison, has been charged but not for the death of Breonna Taylor but for three counts of wanton endangerment as he apparently  endangered Taylor’s neighbors while shooting into her home.  

 

Jonathan Mattingly, and Myles Cosgrove the other two officers involved in the death of Breonna have not been charged. 

 

Breonna Taylor has recieved no justice. 

 

Our mission at Mariposa Sisters is to empower women’s wellness internationally, pushing for a stronger, equal and a better future. With that being said, we see the struggle Black women have endured in America and to that we say, Black women deserve better. 

 

For decades Black women have sustained pain, disrespect and neglect in America all of which goes without saying has been unprovoked. 

 

In 1962 Malcolm X said in a speech “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman, the most unprotected person in America is the Black woman, the most neglected person in America is the Black woman,” Malcolm X says this  to express that Black women must be protected.  This powerful quote spoken by Malcolm X still resonates today. 

 

Since the 1990s Black women have been fighting for social reforms and equal rights and to this day Black women continue to fight for their given rights as we see the marches and cries for justice for Breonna Taylor.

 

Black women, including Black trans women have been pushed to the side, denied rights and denied justice. For years now stereotypes, colorism and racism has given the people of America the idea that it is ok to undermine Black women. 

 

Bella, who is an activist who advocates and fights for not only Black Lives Matter but for BIPOC in the LGBTQ+ community said, “The reason Black women are the most disrespected is because of a long history of colorism & racism that has been embedded in our society. I think an aspect of it is the stereotype “angry Black woman” & when people believe in that stereotype, they think it gives them “a free pass” to disrespect us without consequences.”

 

Breonna Taylor’s case is all too familiar, as many Black women in America lives have been senselessly cut short and or brutalized by the police and others who bring upon hate, rasicim and discrimination. From Sandra Bland, Margaret Mitchell, Kayla Moore, Tarika Wilson, Dominique “Rem’mie’ ‘Fells, Riah Milton and countless others, Black women have yet to be protected, respected and granted justice. 

 

 

 

Jordyn Windom who is an advocate for Black Lives Matter Movement and a student at San José State University, said “In regards to Black women being the most disrespected, I think this has a lot to do with people striving for proximity to whiteness and what is deemed successful in white America.”

 

Hearing from voices of women who experience first hand how Black women are treated today and reading the words of Malcolm X spoken in 1962, calls into question when will the justice system serve for all people?

 

Author: Khala Clarke