Young Women’s Empowerment Project

Girls do what they have to do to survive. We listen. We’ve been there.

Poems from our Staff Retreat

Untitled I
I am a wonderful unique special spirit
Only I can make myself happy
I will learn to make myself happy
I know now that I struggle with the things I go through
Only to make me stonger
I can find this happy place within myself- The flamez
have rizen now I shall rise within the flamez and
break free from all the barriers
and i SHALL RIZE
My tears are heavy with life that is locked up, a prisioner of the past
which can not be forgotten, the flames burn through those walls
I can be in the moment
I know that the struggle makes us stonger and nothing
will kill our our souls. We will live on forever and never stop fighting!
I AM READY TO HEAL I AM READY TO FIGHT

Untitled II

I refuse to go blind. My mind is ready to open its eyes.
If I should be engulfed by the flames, then I will let them love me the best that they know how and I will love myself.
Letting the negative vibes and the shameful thinking burn with the heat and with burning comes revived life.
As I let go of the rage, I am cleansed by my power
As I embreace my power I am ready to start again.
I feel new and I am reborn
As I burn I let the flames carry me forward.
When I open my eyes I feel free and light
Able to think clearer and my spirit, my spirit feels
Blessed and deep and new.
I am born new.

YWEP Staff Retreat

YWEP firmly believes that in order to keep our revolutionary movement alive we must sustain ourselves; we do so through self-care and harm reduction.
Honoring that we urban womyn warriors are always resisting and fighting for justice for all girls and young womyn of color impacted by the sex trade and street economies.
Today's staff retreat was full of self-care, self love and sisterlove!
We gained more power and energy to keep fighting against the systems that try to oppress us and for social justice by and for YWEP constituents. The struggle continues, but we are refreshed renewed and reinvigorated.
Viva la lucha companer@s!
Cindy Ibarra
Communications Coordinator
YWEP