I am such a believer that even when broken you can still fly. On Ally's last night with her abusive boyfriend, he strangled her so hard that he damaged her vocal cords and she couldn't sing. I am somehow so moved that the "I" in the sign was burnt out. So often you have to climb those stairs to become a "Star." She flies not only for the Women of Strength, but mostly she flies for herself.

Mother's know how hard it is to have a puking child and then to be sick yourself and just break down crying over puke.  My perspective is those women who have so much more than just puke to deal with. The Lara Groll's of the world who's son has Hydrocephalus and going on their 16th surgery at age 4. A true Woman of Strength.

Lara

Janet

What does the word "family" mean to you? Is it blood? Does it have to be? Janet was raised in foster care the first five years of her life and then sent off again at age 11. "Friends closer than family" is very real for her. She's a Woman of Strength, who happens to be wearing the words of another Woman of Strength who shares a very similar story. Sounds sisterlike to me.

Yuliana and her boyfriend planned a baby. She discovered she would be taking the journey alone as a single mother when she told him her happy news that she was pregnant. This photo symbolizes the journey we take alone as single mothers. The feeling of not knowing how you will make it through what is coming.

Ally

Yuliana

Additional work on Women of Strength can be found at: www.facebook.com/thewomenofstrength