Amber Jefferson
by The TRIBE
Occupation: IT Project Manager and Business Owner
Website: www.heliberatedsoulmovement.com
Instagram: _t.l.s.m_
HOW DID YOU IDENTIFY YOUR PASSION AND THE WORK THAT SATISFIED YOU VERSUS WORK THAT JUST PAID THE BILLS?
I identified my passion during my own healing journey. Four years ago after leaving my emotionally abusive ex-husband, I began to write poetry and affirmations as a way to process the damage and heal internally. The more I wrote the more I knew I could contribute to the healing process of others by sharing.
WHO WILL ETERNALLY BE A WOMAN YOU ADMIRE AND RESPECT, AND WHY?
Michelle Obama will eternally be a woman that I admire and respect. Her grace and poise while raising her daughters and supporting Barack. Even when faced with extreme racism and bigotry, she never let anyone see her come out of character.
IN LIGHT OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR HASHTAG #WHYITRIBE, WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE WHO WE ALREADY ARE TODAY?
Celebrating our now is critical to our mental well-being. Far too often as women we’re either anxious because we feel the pressure of who we think we should be, or we’re depressed because we ruminate on past mistakes and failures. Celebrating who we are already allows us to just be present in that single moment.
NAME A TIME RECENTLY WHEN YOU SAID SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF/HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
I try to say something good about myself every day. It keeps my spirits lifted when things aren’t going the way I’ve planned.
WHY DO YOU THINK WOMEN SHY AWAY FROM CELEBRATING OR PRAISING THEMSELVES SO MUCH?
I think women shy away from praising themselves and celebrating accomplishments because we’re raised believing that women are supposed to be humble, quiet spoken, and submissive. Celebrating our achievements loudly goes against what we’ve been taught most of our lives and breaking the pattern is a struggle.
HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THE TENDENCY TO DISCREDIT COMPLIMENTS YOU ARE GIVEN?
I haven’t mastered this yet. It’s hard not to automatically deflect compliments even knowing that they’re true. I’m working to just take a deep breath, smile, and just say thank you.
HOW DOES SOCIETY REINFORCE THE IDEA THAT WE, AS WOMEN, ARE NOT ENOUGH AND HOW CAN WE TAKE THAT POWER BACK?
I honestly don’t have a good answer for this. It’s such a multifaceted issue because the messaging that we as women aren’t enough is both subliminal and obvious, but the work to show women that we are enough has to be both internally affirmed and externally reinforced.
WHY IS THE TRIBE MOVEMENT IMPORTANT?
THE TRIBE Movement is important because it strives to recreate communities amongst women that has long been eroded and undermined by the patriarchy.
