Corin T.

I am a strong woman because God put me on this earth for a purpose.

I always wondered what makes me a strong woman. I’ve wondered if it was my upbringing, being born and raised on O`ahu, Hawai`i by two parents of color who taught me independence and to never forget where I came from. Or maybe it’s being born with Achondroplasia, a form of Dwarfism that has allowed me to experience the world in such a unique way.

Am I a strong woman because I see the way people stare at me and don’t react after they comment “wow she’s so cute” or “can I take a picture of you?” I listened to a podcast about ableism where they shared that people’s response to seeing someone with a physical disability gets processed through the same circuits of the brain responsible for looking out for communicable disease. Am I a strong woman because I know that people may be afraid to talk to me because of the way I look?

I am a strong woman because of all of these things. I am a strong woman because God put me on this earth for a purpose. I am a strong woman despite my worries, fears, and multiple insecurities. I am a strong woman because of the other mana wahine who have gone before me and push me to achieve more.