She Stories Feature Friday - Tatiana Cooper

APR 2023 | ISSUE NO.14

SHE STORIES

EXCLUSIVE!

About She Stories She Stories is a community of women that promotes self wellness, empowerment and the value of supporting each other. You have overcome tremendous obstacles.

Telling your story brings healing for you and others.

There is empowerment in every story. We are Real Women with Real Stories. What started out as a storytelling night has transformed into a sisterhood.

From gatherings to giving back, we inspire and affirm the every day woman that she is brave and beautiful..

Our Founder In 2017, I decided to carry on the tradition of testimony service and share this amazing gift of storytelling from my elders to my tribe. I provided a sacred space for women to share their challenges and victories so they can not only be empowered but through each story women would find a circle of support and empowerment. Her story matters and the world needs to hear it. Ehmandah Ramsey

She Stories has always been about women sharing their stories through storytelling.

(Yeah, that’s me with a box of tissue) We believe there’s healing that happens when we share our stories. We all have one!

By sharing our stories, we prove that it’s possible to shift change through another woman’s journey, struggles, and triumphs.

Elevating women of all ages is powerful.

Compassion and love speaks volumes.

And when they’re combined among a community of bosses, we ALL thrive!

XO,

Leilani

FEATURE FRIDAY This week, we’re bringing you a few surprises! For starters, we have a piece written by our very own Gina Farrar about Spring Cleaning your mental space and letting go of what’s not serving you.

We also have this week’s Feature Friday, Tatiana Cooper, who’s changing the hearts, minds, and lives of young women across the country. She shares with us the lessons she learned being a domestic abuse survivor and how it lead to her empowering young girls to live their fullest lives.

Tatiana’s leap of faith would be the impact her community needs and the young women she serves to find their strength under her guidance.

She’s out here changing lives!

And we’re here for it! LET’S GO TATIANA!!!!!

FEATURE FRIDAY

TATIANA COOPER

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This week’s feature is originally from Chicago, but her work is everywhere! As a young girl being raised by a single mother along with her two sisters, Tatiana learned early the importance of focus and determination.

Her mother was one of the most influential people in her life. “She embodies strength, love, and perseverance.” And while her mom laid the foundation of sacrifice and faith, Tatiana took to sports and was able to be motivated and guided by her coaches, who also showed her that hard work does pay off. She was inspired by their athletic ability and always wanted to compete at their level.

As an adult, one of her biggest hurdles was overcoming the abusive relationship she was in. She had hit one of the lowest points in her life by being in a relationship that had torn her down to the bare minimum, or so she thought. She was able to think back on the courage and boldness of her mother and the motivation and focus of her coaches. These would be her key ingredients for surviving that relationship and getting herself up out of that hole. Having to start completely over from the ground up provided the opportunity to reflect and dig deeper within herself. And even though domestic violence is never the answer, she had found a sense of strength by fighting back.

I was at a point where I lost everything financially behind the relationship and had to start over from scratch.

Leaving an abusive relationship can be an incredibly difficult and daunting task. However, it is important to remember that it is never too late to start anew and become a better version of yourself. The road to recovery may be long and challenging, but it is worth the hard work and sacrifice.

Tatiana always knew that she was called to do God’s work and serve those around her, but being out of work made it difficult to see the bigger picture. “The defining moment that has an impact on who I am today was the moment I took a leap of faith after not being employed, and I walked into Patterson High School in Baltimore and asked to volunteer my time to start my nonprofit to mentor the girls there.“ What a bold move! And it paid off!

By the time the school year began, she was offered a teaching and coaching position at the school. Tatiana had turned her volunteer work into two job opportunities, which also laid the groundwork to start her non-profit, S.A.G.E. (Saving Adolescent Girls Everywhere), where she’s able to mentor and impact the lives of teen girls.

She remembered the tools her mother and her coaches instilled in her and this caused a ripple effect for the girls she mentored. And the three main ingredients have been self-reflection, patience, and perseverance. When faced with difficult moments, taking the time to reflect on the situation and one's own emotions can help to gain clarity and perspective. Patience is also crucial, as many problems cannot be solved overnight. It is important to stay committed to the process and have faith that progress will be made over time.

Finally, perseverance is necessary to overcome obstacles and achieve success. It requires a willingness to keep pushing forward, even when faced with setbacks and obstacles.

This is what Tatiana teaches her girls and it shines through the work they do for others. It’s all an amazing reflection of her.

Recognizing that young women don’t always have the support they need, she’s made it her work to make sure they’re not left behind. Tatiana also teaching her girls that the possibilities are endless when you’re able to be healed from things that have weighed you down in the past. “The same way I fought to redeem happiness and stability in my life is the same way I fight to make sure our young girls have all of the resources that they deserve.” Talk about paying it forward!

Through SAGE, Tatiana has provided mentorship through impactful programming in Baltimore, DC, Raleigh, and Chicago! She’s everywhere and still growing! She also advocated for the homeless and serves alongside a local initiative called Martha’s Meals to help feed the homeless population.

Being raised by a strong woman was probably one of the greatest resources Tatiana had growing up and she made it her mission to make sure all girls have access to the love and support she was shown.

WE LOVE YOU TATIANA!!!!

“THE NEXT GENERATION INSPIRES ME AND I LOVE TO HELP BE APART OF THEIR FUTURE BY HELPING THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.” — TATIANA COOPER

You can check out Tatiana on IG: @taticoop_ Or see what’s going on with S.A.G.E. on IG: @sage.inc If you’d like to check out SAGE and check out their upcoming events, CLICK HERE! If you or someone you know would like to be a feature, let us know!

Her Shine MY FAVORITE SONG:

“Dear Mama” by Tupac HOW I CULTIVATE SISTERHOOD:

I create bonding experiences for the girls in hopes that this sisterhood will remain strong and last a lifetime.

MY LEGACY:

My legacy is community, leadership, and perseverance because I know that is what I‘ll be known for leaving behind on this planet.

MY INSPO:

My inspiration lies among the youth.

Spring Fling…

and the art of letting go!

By: Gina Farrar

Ah Spring! Spring brings with it the magic of the season changing: trees and flowers come to life, birds and bees happily filling the air, longer, warmer days. We are surrounded by reminders of newness, life bursting forth all around us. It’s also the season of deep cleaning, purging, organizing our lives and homes, and throwing open all of the windows to let the fresh air in.

Spring is a great opportunity to go inward and fling open the windows of our souls and begin to let go of what weighs us down.

What does the power of letting go look like? the ability to free ourselves from obsessive thoughts, limiting beliefs and negative emotions to stop holding on to something or someone that no longer serves us to stop thinking about or being angry with the past, or something that happened in the past to unleash, release, loosen the hold of the past on us.

In short, letting go looks like (and is) freedom.

Letting go can be a gentle, generous, self-compassionate journey that includes self-forgiveness not judgement. When we hold onto the past,it keeps us stuck by reliving what has already happened over and over, preventing us from moving forward. If we want a new future separate from the past, it’s important to release those things so we canshift our focus on creating a new story.

While it may feel like denial or giving up, it’s actually acceptance.One key part of this journey is to accept what cannot be changed and learn what lessons we can from the past. Next we can learn to let go of what we thought our life is supposed to look like, and begin to find the beauty and wonder of the life we are actually living.

Some people hold onto their painful pasts because they don’t know who they’d be without those feelings.

When actually we are not strong because we hang on, but rather strength is found in letting go.

I encourage you to invite freedom, new life, and hope into your life. While the past cannot be changed, try opening up to the possibility of the woman you can become, unshackled by the past and set free to create your new future. Go ahead, create your own spring fling and lean in to the power of letting go.

Ehmandah Ramsey, founder of She Stories, Chante Jones - Coordinator of The Period Party, Anika Grover and Elisabeth Gilmore PHOP Western University

She Stories and the students of Western University of Health Sciences, is making a difference in the lives of homeless individuals by collecting menstrual products and creating period packs. Individuals experiencing homeless or low-income disparity often lack access to basic necessities such as menstrual products, which can have a significant impact on their daily lives. The period packs contain essential items such as tampons, pads, and wipes, ensuring that those in need have access to these products. This initiative by She Stories Inc. is an inspiring example of how the power of partnering with organizations using their resources and knowledge can make a positive impact on their community. By providing menstrual products, we are helping to alleviate the burden faced by individuals and enhancing the dignity of women in need.

Join our fight against period poverty.

Host a Period Party with us to help serve homeless individuals and make a positive impact in your community.

Contact Chante: hello@shestories.co

No one should have to choose between tampons or food

OUR SISTER ORG Transitional Living for Women and Children

Home Together We Are One home provides a safe, tranquil, structured sober living sisterhood atmosphere for the women and children to thrive.

We serve women that have become displaced or who are facing homelessness due to unfortunate circumstances such as divorce, health problems, loss of employment, addiction recovery, abandonment and other unexpected life circumstances.

Together we are providing a safe space for women to go from surfing to thriving.

If you and your child are in transition and in need, contact TWAO.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. YOUR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS MORE THAN EVER. IF YOU NEED CARE, PLEASE GET SUPPORT.

NAMI | National Alliance of Mental Illness Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 M-F, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., ET Or in a crisis, text "NAMI" to 741741 for 24/7, confidential, free crisis counseling. https://www.nami.org/Home If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline The Lifeline is available for everyone, is free, and confidential.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Text 988 CHAT WITH LIFELINE Línea de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis 1-888-628-9454 National Domestic Violence Hotline 24/7 Call 800-799-7233 Text “START” to 88788 www.thehotline.org 211 | Essential Community Services Call 211 211 connects you to expert, caring help. Every call is completely confidential.

BE A FEATURE

Hey Sis! We have some news!!!!

She Stories is proud to announce the launch of new chapters: Inglewood, CA and Phoenix, AZ! We are dedicated to empowering women from all walks of life to share their stories and inspire a generation.

Join us in celebrating the diverse experiences and unique perspectives of women everywhere. Let's uplift and amplify women's voices together. Stay tuned for more updates on our exciting new chapters!

Find Your Community She Stories Claremont led by Ehmandah Ramsey She Stories Inglewood led by Rashunda Rene She Stories Phoenix led by Lei Bowers

BE A FEATURE

We absolutely love sharing the stories of everyday women just like you! Every woman has a story to tell!

In our community, we share our stories to uplift, inspire and empower women. Stories can be shared one on one, through social media and even through creativity.

Girl, we want you to know there’s healing power in sharing your story. Sometimes you may feel that there’s things only you could’ve experienced, until you hear someone else with a similar experience. You are not alone. Together we overcome.

Would you like to be a feature? Or do you know a woman who’d like to share her story at a live event?

Let us know! Let's change the world together one story at a time. It’s pretty empowering!

Email: hello@shestories.co www.shestories.co