Since I was a little girl, I was told that I could do and be anything I wanted to. I believed it. I grew up with supportive parents and extended family who pushed me to excel. There was never a question of ‘if’ I could do something, it was more ‘when’.  It was never “can I” but “will I." Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for many girls around the world. I am now raising my children, including two daughters, to believe in themselves the way I was encouraged to from the beginning. However, try as I might, the world they will face still has obstacles in place that they will encounter along the way. We are living in changing yet concerning times for girls and women around the world. Even in a country like the United States, where following the progress gained by the Women’s Liberation movement of the 1960’s to ’80’s by 2019 change is slow and in some areas potentially reversing course. The glass ceiling that I thought was well within reach as a young girl, seems to have moved ever so slightly – but is no where near where it should be today. Equal rights, equal pay and access to educational opportunities are moving at a snail’s pace. Basic fundamental reproductive rights for women in our country are in imminent jeopardy. This is the time for women around the world to band together and to have a unified voice. I'm an independent, I've voted for both parties and I believe that women's rights should transcend political parties. ...