Ladies, we do not have time to do make up and paint our nails, We are late to the party!!!

EVA GACHIRWA
Aug 28, 2017 · 3 min read

I love and respect women. I believe in the role they play in our society. I support women when I can. With the new fervor of Women In STEM, I am kind of lost. Empowerment could mean that women are weak and need to be favored. It could mean that we need to lower the bar to have women get to the other side. It is confusing but am sure women empowerment doesn't mean any of those things. It means the STEM needs women, to revolutionize how things are done.

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“I am a daughter of Beijing.” I am referring to the Fourth World Women Conference(Read about it). Having Wangari Mathai go before me. A lady who stood firm against a ruthless regime and gave me a voice. I follow Martha Karua and Charity Ngilu who took sh*t, not only from their opposition but from the world. I stand on shoulders of Hillary Clinton, who didn't fulfill her dreams early because, “America was not ready for a woman”. I am very proud but why am I angry?

#1. Impostor Syndrome

As I sat in class listening to our facilitator try to encourage us through the entrepreneurship journey, I didn't know what Impostor Syndrome was. He addressed ladies and gentlemen in the room the same way. Like a good student I follow up my classes with extra reading. This is what I found out. I quote, “The term “impostor syndrome” first appeared in an article written by Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes who observed many high-achieving women tended to believe they were not intelligent, and that they were over-evaluated by others.”

when women succeed, they are fond of thinking they were lucky, they had a good team or they are overvalued. They call it modest. Modest women are loved, they are admired, in fact, when they don't care about what they want they are SUCCESSFUL.

This goes to ladies who are out there, women in leadership and most importantly who are mothers:

Downplaying your success hurt all other women

Women are judged collectively. If one messes up, all women mess up. I know you want me to be optimistic and play that “be positive game”… that is not what I plan to do. Look at the news, check your newspaper and listen to people carefully to evaluate my statement. So if you are a woman in leadership your role is to set the agenda, drive sensible conversations and actions. If you are not doing that you are not just failing yourself, you are failing all of us.

It is time to change the narrative. When I am on stage talking about technology, no one should ask me about my beauty regime or how I balance my work life and family life.

Women who are building their careers like I am, looking good doesn't hurt but looks do not put food on the table, maybe it can but it wont be sustainable. Our work is to set pace, to set standards and ensure the narrative changes. Like our mothers set our standards, brought us up with good manners, we need to show up, own our success and win more wars unapologetically.

I want you to look pretty and gorgeous, but there is no time for make-up or nail painting, we are already late for the party. We define the standards for future generations…so lets go Ladies!!!!

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