IWD round-up: Teen mothers empowered
“IF you want it for yourself, it can be done. It might take a little longer, but it can be done,” was the highlight of attorney Denise Hinson’s message to adolescent mothers at the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF) ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD).
Hinson, who was a teen mom and graduate of the WCJF herself, shared her journey with 50 of the institution’s new and expectant mothers last Wednesday. She spoke as part of Digicel’s empowerment session with the young women who, at the end of the session, were treated to cash vouchers to help them prepare for their bundles of joy.
“At times it was a nightmare. It was embarrassing being in class with milk leaking, and no one wanted to be friends with the ‘babymother’,” Hinson admitted to the attentive young women about readjusting to high school after having her child at 16.
“But I wanted it for myself and I knew that my destiny was not going to be a teenage mother sitting at home. I wanted to be a lawyer. I didn’t know how or when. There were no lawyers in my family, and I didn’t have anybody to look to, but I wanted it for myself.”
Hinson, who was overcome with emotion while sharing her story openly for the first time, fielded questions from her rapt audience about her support system and journey through school.
Norma Williams, cabin crew instructor at Caribbean Airlines and human performance and branding facilitator, was Hinson’s classmate when she got pregnant in high school, and they remain friends today. Williams helped Hinson tell her story from a different perspective and encouraged the adolescent mothers to “dig deep”.
“You have to dig deep inside of you and persevere, because although you had a plan for your life, God had a different plan,” she charged. “She is standing before you as an attorney-at-law today because she never stopped trying. She fought it through, and you must fight it through.”
In keeping with this year’s ‘Each for equal’ theme, parenting consultant and editor of B3 Parenting Magazine Michelle Gordon spoke on generational equality.
“In being able to level up, you have to tell yourself that you can do it,” she urged the students. “And in that levelling up is where you are going to find equality. I know it’s hard. I know there are going to be days when it’s going to be very, very difficult, but that ‘digging deep’ that Norma spoke about is important. That’s when you persevere, because you are now in control of two lives.”
Digicel Brand Marketing Manager Ayanna Kirton reassured the adolescents that they can still be great moms, because no one ever feels 100 per cent prepared for motherhood regardless of the age they have children. She used her own journey to encourage the teens to find opportunities in their circumstances.
“This facility, the WCJF, is a demonstration of that gender equality and generational equality that our women’s day theme is focused on, because you have access to education,” she pointed out. “You are given a fresh start when you leave here. This is the start of a new life; a new journey. Not everyone will have the support system at home, but it exists here and I really hope that you utilise your presence here to build each other up and support each other.”
