It’s finally here, besties – happy International Women’s Day 2022! We’re sendin’ you all the positive vibes and empowerment on this important holiday and hope you’re out there living your best lives. To get the inspiration flowin’, we spoke to a group of wicked talented women from our very own rue21 team who shared their own thoughts on International Women’s Day, the role models in their lives, honest advice, and more. Let’s get into it!
Jess Levine-Cain
What is your position and how long have you been with rue21?
I work as a Front End Developer for rue21 and have been here a year and a half.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
International Women’s Day immediately calls to mind Malala Yousafzai, who fights for women and children to be given the right to education. I think of Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman’s poem “The Hill We Climb”, to “close the divide because we know to put our future first, we must put our differences aside.” International Women’s Day is a time to put our differences aside, to stand in defiance of what was and to join together for what the world can be, free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. #BreakTheBias
What advice would you give your teenage self?
If I could tell my teenage self anything it would be to never stop dreaming. Never stop writing, fighting, or dancing.
Who is a positive female role model in your life?
There are so many amazing women in my life. Dian Tanaka is a world renown martial artist, pioneer of American Kenpo karate, and good friend of mine. In the 1980s she was the only woman allowed onto the mat with Kenpo founder Ed Parker and his students. She never gave up, never backed down, and was always true to herself despite the opponent.
What do you believe are your strongest attributes?
I have always had an insatiable curiosity, a love for meeting new people, and an intense drive to just do something. Whether it was helping to organize LGBT pride parades in downtown Pittsburgh, chairing a city-wide makeover in New Kensington, or throwing a huge party. There’s no point in living if you don’t go after what makes you tick.
Name a moment in your life that made you proud to be a woman.
I was proud to be a woman the day my daughter was born. And I was proud to be a woman the day I earned my black belt in Counterpoint Tactical System.
Jenna Blair
What is your position and how long have you been with rue21?
I’m the Recruitment Coordinator, so I work on the Talent Acquisition team within the HR dept., and I’ve been with rue21 for 9 months. I started in May 2021 right after graduating from college.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
To me, International Women’s Day means celebrating ALL women and the many accomplishments we’ve made and will continue to make in history and in our own lives.
What advice would you give your teenage self?
I would tell myself that it’s okay if your life doesn’t turn out exactly how you planned it would or your timeline for reaching certain goals shifts. You will experience new things and face challenges that may change your perspective. That’s okay! Just because your life isn’t going exactly the way you planned it would doesn’t mean it’s not a good life.
Who is a positive female role model in your life?
Definitely my mom! She was a single mother, and she gave me the best childhood, despite the challenges she faced raising a child on her own. She is the strongest, most caring, and most hardworking woman I have ever met and I admire her more than anyone else in my life.
What do you believe are your strongest attributes?
I believe my strongest attributes are my kindness, loyalty, and my good worth ethic. Some people mistake kindness for weakness, but I believe some of the strongest people are those with a kind heart. I definitely feel like I got these attributes from my mom; the life lessons she taught me growing up and just seeing the way she lives her life.
Name a moment in your life that made you proud to be a woman.
A moment in my life that made me proud to be a woman was when I saw my first women’s march. I was about 17 or 18 and my mom and I were out of town, at a hotel in Lancaster, for one of my cheer competitions. We were just hanging out in our room, and we looked out the window and saw a bunch of women dressed in pink, holding signs, and chanting outside, across the street from our hotel. It was a women’s march. My mom asked me if I wanted to go outside to watch and I said yes. I remember standing there, taking it all in, and thinking to myself, “How cool is it that all these women came together to support each other and something they believe in.” It’s a moment I’ll never forget.
Natasha Diaz
What is your position and how long have you been with rue21?
My position is Senior eCommerce Planner and I have been at rue21 for 6 months.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
International Women’s Day for me is a day to reflect on the progress and contributions women have and do make to society on a day-to-day basis. I want to be able to imagine a world where there is no gender bias, stereotypes, barriers; where women can simply be seen for who we are and our amazing contributions. Although we have made huge strides, there is still a lot more work to be done to create this ideal world.
What advice would you give your teenage self?
I would have advised my teenage self to have a stronger voice against racism and discrimination. Being an immigrant to America at a young age, I faced discrimination daily because of the way I looked and spoke. In my culture, we were taught to be submissive and respectful of others. My adult self would tell my teenage self to not tolerate hatred and speak up about equality and acceptance of our different backgrounds. This motivated me to get involved in social justice causes and organizations that promote diversity as an adult.
Who is a positive female role model in your life?
100% my mother. My mother has always worked 2 full time jobs my whole life to provide for our family. She is the epitome of the American Dream; sacrificing a lot to provide a better life for her children. Her hard work and leadership motivated me to be the strong woman I am today.
What do you believe are your strongest attributes?
My strongest attributes are my openness and honesty. You cannot build meaningful relationships with people without being open and honest. This is especially crucial in a work environment because we are working collectively on different projects in extreme circumstances (remote!). I also like to see the positive aspects of everything and like to put a smile on people’s faces!
Name a moment in your life that made you proud to be a woman.
I know it sounds cheesy, but I felt so proud to be a woman when I accepted my first job out of college with Macy’s Corporate office in San Francisco many years ago. As I child, I dreamed about how I could have a job where I could shop for a living. I set my mind to it and landed a job which was a steppingstone to achieving my dream. I was surrounded by strong, uplifting women who empowered me the be the planner/buyer I have become today.
Cindy Hudson
What is your position and how long have you been with rue21?
Director of DC Operations. I have been with rue21 for 34 years.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
To me it means bringing awareness to the accomplishments of women and changing the way society perceives women’s roles, while continuing to focus on gender equality.
What advice would you give your teenage self?
Have confidence and always believe in yourself, regardless of what others’ opinions are.
Who is a positive female role model in your life?
My mother is my role model. She has always been very hardworking and has demonstrated you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
What do you believe are your strongest attributes?
I am accountable, passionate, and caring.
Name a moment in your life that made you proud to be a woman.
Personally: the day I became a mother to my son.
Professionally: the day I was promoted to be the leader of the DC and moved into the role of Director of the Distribution Center.
Linda Krapp
What is your position and how long have you been with rue21?
Store manager of the Sim store for 35 years.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
Celebrating women and recognizing all the great things that women have accomplished over the years.
What advice would you give your teenage self?
I would tell my teenage self to stay strong, positive, and patient.
Who is a positive female role model in your life?
Some positive female role models in my life are my bosses Judy and Amanda. They are very understanding, patient, easy to work with, and very strong women.
What do you believe are your strongest attributes?
I am very organized, patient, and will always give 100% and finish a task to the best of my ability.
Name a moment in your life that made you proud to be a woman.
Giving birth to my two daughters is something that made me proud to be a woman.
Let’s be real, without amazing ladies like this on our team… well, we don’t wanna think about it. It means so much to us to have such incredible women working beside us and it’s an honor to be inspired by them every single day. Let us know all about the strong women in YOUR lives and share your own answers to these questions down in the comments. Stay tuned for next week’s blog where we drop insights from more inspiring women in our community! After all, you can never have too much girl power. 😉
