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This is my mom now. This picture was taken not too long ago. She has gone through many struggles in her life but she was never alone. My mom is my prime example of a strong Black woman and so are the women she has supporting her. To grow up in a community where the women were more central was probably the best thing for us. We have had more family events, dinners, and parties than other Ethiopian communities I have heard of. I am incredibly lucky to have such inspiring examples in my life. Which is why I wanted my photo essay to be about the women in my life. Because if it were not for them, I would not be the person I am today.

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Through many hardships in her life, my mother has had my aunts to help her along the way. To speak about every single one of them would take too long. But each one has treated me and any of their kids as their own. Countless school field trips, family parties, and even after school pickups are just a few things they have done to help my mom and each other. It is amazing that such a strong community was created. I just happen to think there is nothing better for this community than to have the same background and understanding. They remind me of Allen's reading during our Native feminism week. I would say I grew up with a Gynocratic community. If one was to introduce themselves to an adult, they would say who their mother is. The moms in my community definitely run things. To have them as my second mothers and practically like sisters to my own mother, is a privilege I am happy to have.

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This is my aunt. Someone I have had the pleasure of getting to know when I moved to Riverside for school. She has taken me in and treated me as if I were her own daughter. In our culture, hospitality is kind of a big deal. She takes it to a whole other level. But that is the kind of person she is. To have her living only an hour away brought comfort to my mother and a place for me to feel at home. As I continue to grow close to her, I am in constant awe of her strength and optimism. She takes care of herself and her husband while being her own boss. She is my reminder that the role of a woman is dependent on whatever you want it to be. She can love her life, while having no children, still in love with her husband, and does what she loves to do. It is a privilege to have her as one of my role models.

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In one of our readings, Sojourner Truth questioned the treatment of Black women in her speech. They work just as hard, if not more, compared to men. Well my mother's hardworking ethic came from her mother. My grandmother(lady on the left of the picture) was the definition of a giving and hardworking woman. My grandmother came to this country because most of her children immigrated here. She went to all of the different states of where her kids lived and helped take care of her grandchildren. She has helped countless of people immigrate here and offered them a place to stay. She was a constant member of our church and volunteered as much of her time as possible. And she still had time to babysit me and make me waffles in the morning. To diminish all she has done and the lives that she has impacted, would be another example of the continued act of devaluing Black women's work. Which is a topic of discussion we had during class on our Black feminism week.

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My mom is the most important woman in my life. Imagine moving to a foreign country in your early twenties. The thought of that sounds incredibly scary. My mom immigrated to the States not much older than me. Growing up, I always knew she came here at a young age. It was not until I came into my twenties and moved away from home, did I understand the gravity of her situation. I am only a six hour car ride or one hour plane ride away. My mom moved about a twenty hour plane ride away, to a country she has never visited before. To do that as a young adult, still figuring out her way in the world, was extremely brave.