why celebrating international women's day is important

I have had the privilege of growing up in a home full of women. My mother, one of the strongest women I know, raised me to understand that independence, freedom, and strength through sacrifice are things that make me powerful. My Nana, a pure, 5'0 tall lady from Sicily, whose tongue is as sharp as knives and whose passion burns within her as strong as the halo of cigarette smoke that clouds her hair, is as strong as strength can get. My grandma taught me that killing people with kindness -- the kind of sickly sweet honeybee kindness, that kind that gets stuck in your throat when you really don't want to be nice-- is the best way to treat others. And my sweet sister teaches me more than anyone else how to be a leader; she has taught me how to face all of the people that don't like me and, with one finger raised towards the sky, to be my own person and strive for absolute greatness.

Celebrating these kinds of women isn't a difficult task for me; I find myself celebrating them nearly every day for their determination and their steadfastness. But I'm reminded today, more than any other day, that there are women like this all over the world who do not get the same amount of appreciation and love that my women do.

In 2016, it is estimated that 40.3 million people were trafficked into human slavery. An estimated 71%

of all enslaved people are women or young girls. That's nearly 28.6 million girls in the world that are slaves, forced into marriages, labor, or prostitution. That's nearly 28.6 million girls that are unappreciated and unknown to the world.

There are more slaves today than ever before in human history, and 1% of the victims are ever rescued. Only about .04% of survivors of human trafficking cases are identified, which means the rest of the human trafficking cases go completely unnoticed.

These women are exploited, abused, and forced to live lives that they didn't choose to be a part of. For these women, international women's day is not a day to celebrate, but a day to curse the way that they were born, wishing desperately that their lives had turned into something else. But for this reason alone, I believe it is far more important to celebrate International women's day than anything else.

Women are to be celebrated for their courage, their determination, their independence, and their selflessness. The women that are stuck in human trafficking are no different. Those women too should be celebrated, for their absolute strength -- encouragement that there is hope on the other side, even if it may not seem like it now.

It's easy to celebrate the women in our lives that we know, where we can see all of the things that they do for others, for us, and be grateful for them. I want to offer now a few ways that we can show appreciation for those we can't see:

1. Be conscious of the clothes that you buy.

Where are they coming from? Who is making them? A lot of the clothes that we wear on a daily basis is a product of forced labor. I myself am guilty of just buying cheap fashion, but I want to work towards being conscious of what I buy and where it comes from, and I encourage you to do the same.

2. Support at-risk youth.

I am a tutor for a school downtown, in an organization that helps to build relationships with young children who are in some risky parts of their lives, and it makes all the difference to them to have someone who can empower and encourage them to know that they are capable of so much more than being forced to go into a situation that is unhealthy. Be willing to support and volunteer, and for some people, help stop the problem before it even starts.

3. Always be on the lookout for signs.

Signs that show to you that someone you know may be trafficked at this very moment is very important to be aware of. People who are constantly nervous, constantly feeling like they have to ask permission from someone else before they can do anything, people who have signs of physical abuse, or people who are acting secretive suddenly are all signs that they are in dangerous situations. Being aware of what to look for is essential.

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Nothing can empower a woman more than feeling as though they have people who notice them. Women in your area that are being trafficked now need people to notice them. I can talk forever about the women in my life and what makes each woman unique, and some women don't have a single person that knows them well enough.

Continue to be strong. Be independent, keep a sharp tongue, and kill people with kindness. Women have to empower others, not tear each other down. We celebrate international women's day because it reminds us to think about all the women who aren't being celebrated now. Don't forget about them, and celebrate international women's day, not just today, but every single day. For we are powerful things, unique in our strengths and unchained by our weaknesses.

Happy International Women's Day.

em xx

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." Proverbs 31:25-26

"Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." Proverbs 31:31