Happy Women’s History Month!

This Month we celebrate and recognize Women all over the world. However, today I want to focus on an iconic symbol of female resilience and empowerment that many have come to know and admire here in the United States of America (Fearless Girl). The bronze statue of a four-foot girl posed with her hands positioned by her hips as she defiantly stares at the bull has become an international hero. This original branded statue of a “girl” facing the “bull” was installed by male-dominated capitalist companies. In honor of a day that is devoted to women’s equality. A day that was founded by the socialist party.

Thoughts to Ponder?

Why would male-dominated capitalist companies invest in a defiant little girl statue? If they are interested in celebrating women, would it not be easier to support us in redesigning the oppressive structures that are deliberately placed on our paths? And what’s up with the bull? Why not a Holy Cow standing beside her? Surely a Holy Cow could support her work towards investing and advocating for the dismantling of systematic and racial injustices-In lieu of experimental projects.

Revolutionizing Fibromyalgia Care

Through my work at the Society, I support and care for women who have survived horrific circumstances. This work is detrimental to working towards the breaking of concrete ceilings. However, it can also be infuriating, as many of the societal ills Women and marginalized communities face can be avoided when we abide by the teachings of love, servitude, and care.

While this might sound like a simple concept, it is a little bit more complex. This case often lies within the good ole boys club and elite circles that refuse to change the narrative because a statue of Medusa with Perseus’s head is a lot more threatening than a “little girl” facing a bull.

Fearless Girl Transformation

This made me ponder on the statue of Medusa beheading Perseus. This grown-up version of a fearless girl depicts a very determined Medusa. This bronze statue holds a sword in one hand and the head of Perseus in the other. In this version, Medusa is portrayed as a defiant monstrous creature with snakes in her hair. But what makes her scarier is that she holds the power of turning men into stone. In previous versions of this story, she was beheaded by Perseus who was sent by the King. In her current version, she realizes that the real power lives within her and that her superpower is not allowing snakes to reproduce in her mind. This 2008 Victorious version of Medusa was created a decade before the “me too” movement went mainstream.

“In the former narratives, Perseus was triumphant, while in the latter Medusa is determined, and acts accordingly in self-defense. Perseus later attempts to claim that he was unaware of Medusa's status as a feminist icon. With this profound knowledge, Fearless (Girl) Medusa realizes that the only way out is to unleash the feminine rage from ALL who stripped her naked and become an iconic symbol for the empowerment of women organizing to share their plot twist stories.

Part of My Story

When I think about the fearless girl growing up to be more like the Victorious Medusa with Perseus's head, it makes me think about all the things the “little girl” was subjected to. As a Gang Rape Survivor, I can relate to the intentional snakes placed in Medusa’s hair. I was raped in my early teen years. The horrific crime I survived wreaked havoc on my mental health for decades. The suppressed memories of trauma that I endured in the 1st location and the final rape that occurred in the second location caused extensive damage to my nervous system. However. the memory of being rescued that evening. The phone call I made at 181st Street and the justice that came afterward have allowed me to break free from the chains that held me captive.

Having experienced and survived this and many other horrific traumas placed in my path, leads me to advocate for mental health services led by and provided by people with lived experiences. We need a philanthropic overhaul that fuels funding and does not allow the bull or elite to tear down the little girls in the communities we seek to serve. We must move beyond DEI initiatives and ensure financial security for our employees who struggle with mental health so that they can invest more time in healing, raising their families, and breaking generational curses. And we must demand a justice system that works for everyone and most importantly is not blind to the stripping of any Human Being!

The glorification of egotistical needs for power and control opens the doors to greed. Working families across the world struggle with the lack of basic needs. In Maslow’s Theory, we must meet a person’s basic needs first: Food, Water, Safety, and Security. It is only then that we can reach the highest level of Actualization. In the United States of America, we can take care of every person. To be triumphant, we must start from the bottom up. It is the only way to hold on to the title of the Greatest Nation of and for ALL! We Can do Better, We Should do Better, and We Must Work towards Better! NO GIRL, WOMAN, OR FAMILY IS LEFT BEHIND-OHANA!

About the Author:

Mildred was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. Before her 18th birthday, she was able to check off all 10 points on a psychological assessment tool that gauges childhood trauma. She has survived rape, domestic violence, and homelessness. Her life experiences have propelled her to advocate for social and racial justice causes. Her career began in 1997 at a drop-in center for homeless young people ages 13-24. Mildred went on to lead the operations department of a Nationally Recognized LGBTQ+ youth shelter in New York City from 2002-2020. In 2015, She founded the FCSA in response to the lack of services for the fibromyalgia community. She is committed to using her personal and professional experiences to bring support, care, and hope to everyone living with fibromyalgia and their families.

Mildred currently lives with her adult children and granddaughter in the westward of the city of Newark, New Jersey. She enjoys spending time reflecting on past experiences and working towards a future where her children, grandchildren, and the communities that she serves are granted the same opportunities as neighboring towns and villages.

Fibromyalgia and Mental Health: Fearless Girl-Medusa with the Head of Perseus