CONNECT: FALL 2021 - WHO RUNS THE WORLD?

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER

My sisters,

I’m the first to admit that I was an odd child. In addition to being the youngest, the shyest, and the most socially awkward (having started first grade when I was barely 5); I was also incredibly sensitive.

I was the girl who cried about everything that was wrong in the world, as I wondered why people had to struggle with illness, or poverty, or abuse. The one who bawled as I read Little Women and Helen Keller – and as I watched those 70s commercials showing kids who didn’t have access to fresh food and water. The one who pushed my mom to buy random things off the street corner that we didn’t need, because I was convinced it made a difference to someone’s life.

As I said, I was odd. :)

So, it should come as no shock that I thought I could personally heal the world. Each week I’d come up with new ideas that I’d beg my mom to consider. What if we all just gave one dollar? If we all gave, wouldn’t everyone have enough to eat?

I don’t remember how my mom explained that it wasn’t that simple. But whatever words she lacked were covered by life lessons that made me stop believing as I grew older. We couldn’t solve world hunger with a dollar per person. And, I — well, I started to believe that I couldn’t do much of anything to really make a difference.

Then one day, I planted this little seed with a book called You Are Not Alone. And then I watered that seed with my first women’s retreat. And, over time, the little seed started to grow until one woman turned into more than 20,000 yanasisters. I wasn’t solving world hunger, but in my own little way I started to believe just maybe my “little” wasn’t so off base with thinking “she” could make

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a difference. After all, as we create space for authentic connection, we are saving the world one sister at a time, aren’t we ladies?

Amazing that my “little” knew more then than I give her credit for now... She knew my purpose, but somehow I almost lost it in the grind. She knew that my voice mattered, before I started to censor it. She knew how to love ME unconditionally, before I decided I wasn’t perfect enough. She had dreams that she knew would come true.

With that in mind, in this issue, we decided to bring in the BIG GUNS... four young ladies (ages 9-17) who give it to us straight. From Lauren, who reminds us of the power of our voice to change the world. To Zahra (a 9 year-old published author) and Kaylyn (a future WNBA player), who remind us of the power of our passions and dreams. To Kennedy and Kamryn, who used the grueling 2020 year to find self-love and joy in a whole new way, reminding us that we always have the power within.

AMAZING THAT MY “LITTLE” KNEW MORE THEN THAN I GIVE HER CREDIT FOR NOW... SHE KNEW MY PURPOSE, BUT SOMEHOW I ALMOST LOST IT IN THE GRIND.

And, it doesn’t end there! After you’ve learned from our yanasisters-to-be, we want you to do the work too. As our sisters have done in our “Run the World” spotlight, we challenge you to pull out an old picture of yourself or call an image to your mind. Ask your little what positive lessons she can teach you. Ask her what you knew then that you may have forgotten. Ask her who you were before the world told you it wasn’t enough.

Let your little remind you how amazing you were, how amazing you still are, and that you still have the power to RUN THE WORLD.

With love and amazement,

Imani

P.S. A special thank you to the young ladies who courageously shared their truths with us, to their moms who helped make this possible, and to the yanasisters who shared their “little” insights. We see you and we appreciate you.

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