Dear women,

I wanna begin by saying I think you look beautiful today. Whether you are dressed in quarantine chic and messy hair or the best thing in your closet, I think you look amazing. During unprecedented times, people around the world have fought for equality and for their lives. The world is tired and is in desperate need of a pause that will never come. However, there are people whose work seems to go unnoticed. In this letter, I would like to acknowledge those people.

To the women on the front lines as nurses, doctors, fire and rescue, and police officers who fight for more than the “society favorites” thank you. Everyday you wake up with the conscious decision to risk your lives to save others. The job has not stopped for you. In fact, for some, your consistent contribution has become vital. You have had to pour your time, your heart, and your mind into your job in order to continue to inspire the people around you. I want you to know that we see you, I see you. Young girls who have big dreams see you. Thank you for continuing to provide your nurture and your skill to your job, you inspire people to push on.

To the women who are teachers thank you. You are required to be a mother, a wife and a teacher all in your living room. Many of you juggle multiple things at a time while still bringing a smile to the black screen you are forced to look at for hours. Thank you for being understanding and being a safe place for students when they feel like the world is moving too fast.  You are overlooked for a plethora of reasons. Some aren’t given the support to stay safe as students and teachers return to school, and others are ignored. But you are not overlooked. You are cherished by many and are the people many students continue to admire because of your tenacity and strength.

Thank you to the fighting women who shed light on the ones who sometimes feel like they are not good enough. When society forces a false narrative of beauty that grew from hatred and ignorance, thank you for shutting it down. Thank you for being loud and screaming the truths we as a community believe in. You continue to lift weight off of people’s shoulders with constant affirmations that make the world brighter. Thank you for hosting rallies, signing petitions, posting constantly about every inequality that society thinks will slide past and be accepted. You are an example of how the world should be, and not what it currently is.

Thank you to the surviving women. These are the women who have suffered under destructive conditions, which result in them fighting for their happiness back. Thank you for fighting, never stop fighting! A dark past does not taint a bright future. The bridge to happiness and prosperity is what you make it. Your survival alone shows character and inspires many people. Your battle scars make you beautiful and should never be hidden from the world. To the 97% of women who experience sexual harassment in the UK — whether you see this or not — this American girl loves you. To the women who experience sexual harassment  in the United States, I love you, I will stand by you, protect you, and be there for you. You are more than an object for someone to lay their eyes on; you are a prize worth more than diamonds.

Thank you to the Black women. To the most under valued women in America, I love you, I love everything about you. From your chocolate skin that glows in the sunlight, to the passion and emotion that pours through you, I love you. When you walk into a room, you speak with eloquence, proving everyday that black women are powerful and inspiring. When you succeed, we all succeed. When you fall, there are women willing to catch you and fight to get you back at the top. Thank you to the black women before me who showed me what it means to be black and a woman. Thank you for being willing to call out all injustices. I am sorry society won’t protect you and love you the way I do. I am sorry your beauty is not appreciated across the world, but you are my family regardless of blood and I will stand with you always.

Thank you to the Asian women. It’s no secret that the root cause of the most recent Asian hate was towards Asian women is the result of  fetishization and racism. However, Asian hate is nothing new. From the Chinese Exclusion Act to the fetishization of Asian women aka “Yellow fever,” the most hate is projected toward Asian elders and women. The Asian community is a part of the minority and is in need of support and action to prevent and report Asian hate from both the minority and majority community. “POC Solidarity” is not just some fab term. It’s a term to unite the minority community against the racial hate and injustice our communities are facing and uplift. The strength and resilience necessary to abolish racial bias and inequity is of utmost importance.

Lastly, I want to thank the young women. You are doing it girl! You are thriving right now. Thank you for never giving up. Thank you for putting yourself first and seeing the beauty and power from within you. That small business you started is taking off, those college acceptances were always meant to be yours. The world is scary, and society isn’t always on our side, but the resilience you continue to exude is beautiful. I am so proud of you and happy for you. The best is yet to come.

Too often, women are not acknowledged for the diligent work they put in everyday, for the mental fight they put up with in order to be there for the things they love. Everyone in this world is doing their best to get by and live to the best of their ability, but taking time to say thank you to the women  in our lives who work hard to make life normal should only be showered with the words “thank you.”