This month, we are very excited to share the story of one of our Young Women of Toledo and GirlsHub builders, Lienna Rausch who is 14 years old. Read more to find out all about Lienna's chair and what she learned during her time at GirlsHub.
Meet my chair, 'Growing into Something New'. My chair was inspired by things that have impacted my life and that I love. For instance, I chose to put three states Iowa, Michigan, and Ohio. Those states are the ones that I have lived in and have moved to and from. In the middle of my chair, I have a dripping open back that has the inclusive pride flag. This is because I am a supporter and knowing about pride/LGBTQ+ has impacted my life for the better. I have my favorite color on the seat, lilac, with some darker shades. I put my hand prints in the middle so that there is an element from myself. I think that it adds 'pizazz' to the seat instead of it being boring. Going around the back of the seat, I have vines with white thorns and light green leaves with veins that are carved by the Dremel/rotary tool. On the bottom of all legs, all the sides have different colored flowers with different carvings.
I was trying to go for everyone's different statement with the flowers. Because they may be the same color but we have different carvings or the carvings may be the same but the color is different. If the seat was flipped over and you see the bottom of the chair, there is a splatter of various neon colors. I think this adds the element of surprise, and it shows that everything on the outside is pretty and neat but on the inside, it's a mess. I was trying to show that even if I seem the calmest on the outside, I'm very busy with thoughts and have a scattered brain on the inside. Also around that, I have various things/artists that I like, and I also put my favorite show and cute things about it. The show is The Summer I Turned Pretty. I love it; it's an amazing show. Another element of surprise I have added was the glow-in-the-dark paint. It's all over the chair from top to bottom. The paint dries a little cloudy but with a clear look. This adds to the element of surprise because you don't know where the glow-in-the-dark paint is until it's been exposed to bright lighting and then put in the dark.
GirlsHub has been an amazing experience that has come into my life. I met the
wonderful staff and amazing people who have joined Girls Hub while I have been there. These people help me become the stronger person I have been wanting to be for a while and it finally happened. This program helps me be more confident, especially because I want to be a part of a business or programming. This project is building a seat for the table. The important thing is to have a seat at the table, a sturdy seat that will last for a long, long time. If you brought a folding chair, it's stating that you do not have the bigger say and that you are only there because you brought a small unsteady chair that can easily be replaced by a sturdy chair. This states that most women have folding chairs and we do not have the biggest say in what happens for the other women or the rest of the world. Men in power make the decisions that affect everyone, and women get downgraded and may not have a say. Our voices are often not heard by the men. By bringing a sturdy chair we are here to help make the decision and there to have a say in these decisions. We are not there to be ignored and pushed to the side. We are there to be heard and to have a say for the better, not for what only benefits the men in this world. This can also apply to race, not only gender. There are mostly white people running the show, while people of color are being ignored and are easily made fun of. We still have unrighteous things happening everywhere in countries, nations, states, districts, schools, workplaces, and homes.
People have been put down everywhere because of the differences they have compared to the dominant race, dominant sexuality, and dominant gender. Women and people of color may never have the same rights as white men, which is why we need more women and people of color at the table or else the problem of inequality will only get worse. Everyone needs a say from all different backgrounds, sexualities, and genders. Recently Roe v Wade was overturned, which will impact women of color and women from low-income backgrounds the most as the majority of research states. Women have a right to abortion and should have that right. If this continues, women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals may also lose their rights and powers that took a very long time for them to earn.
GirlsHub has helped me through a lot and has taught me a lot about myself. This
program is full of diverse women of all ages. This program is something I have recommended to my friends and will recommend to more young women in the future!
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