In honor of Women’s History Month, we talked with StockX team members about the women who have influenced them, ways to support women in our communities, and more.
For this installment, we talked with StockX project manager, Lys, about supporting each other, faith, and how social media can be a negative and positive force.
This interview has been lightly edited.
Who are the women who have influenced you?
Any time I see a woman being unapologetically herself, standing up for what’s right, and not wavering in her beliefs. I see all kinds of women who influence me on social media, my friends, family, etc.
What is the most overrated or underrated thing at the moment?
I think my answer to both is the same, social media. The times when we use it to validate who we are is overrated. Using social media to confirm that we look good or that our ideas, businesses, or thoughts are valid is so overrated. On the other side, the aspects of social media where we can showcase who we really are is underrated. Finding a community that supports you and believes in what you believe in and fights for what you fight for is beautiful, and I wish we talked about and focused on that more.
If you could give advice to your younger self, what would you say?
It’s okay to say no and stand behind it. Everyone is not entitled to your time and body. You’re weird, and it’s okay because you’re you, and it works. Life for you doesn’t have to look like kids and marriage if you don’t want it to. Being with you is enough.
What is something we can all do, regardless of gender, to lift the voices of women in our communities?
Support one another. Cut out the gossip. Love others as you love yourself.
What’s next for you?
Ironically, lifting other women up. I’m growing in my faith, and I want to help others do the same. Sometimes things can be so stereotypical; the advice out there becomes full of face masks and bubble baths. I want to help guide women to negotiate fair salaries, feel comfortable speaking up in meetings, and learn how to navigate a society that tells us that we’re objects. We are so much more. We have so much to offer.
And BONUS is: Has there been a time in your life where another woman has lifted you up? What’s that story, and what did it feel like?
I joined a Bible study a few months ago. Before this, I had never done public speaking before. I started to feel super motivated by the story of Ruth about how she did what she had to do for her family, and I thought maybe I’d speak on it one day. I reached out to the leader of the Bible study and she said she knew I had a gift to speak to women and that I would speak at the next Bible study. I was so nervous. I kept thinking, “What if my message sucks?” “What if they hate it?” When I got there, the leader expressed how excited she was and recorded the whole thing. She even posted some of it on her Instagram page with what she got out of it. It meant so much to me. She wanted to build me up and support my dreams. When I was nervous, she spoke life into me. It felt amazing. I felt so much love, and I used that to help other women feel the same about their dreams!
