Women 4 Women - Tahja Banks

My name is Tahja Banks, and I’m a sophomore here at UofL. When I first arrived at the university I had very few personal possessions, and even fewer friends. I had become totally independent after I leaving a bad home situation about four months prior to arriving at UofL, and I had no sense at all of what my life would become after my first year of college. I went from living with an unstable parent to living with this person then that person to suddenly being on my own. For a long time, I felt frustrated and angry and like no matter what I did I would always be at the mercy of someone else. When I decided to attend the self-defense workshop hosted by W4W, I was seeking a sense of control over my life. What I got was so much more than that. Women 4 Women is a student group dedicated to empowering women both on campus and in the community through outreach, advocacy and service. To me W4W is an engine for positive peace. It’s hard for women to find their power in such a male dominated environment, but at Women 4 Women we are guided by the lens of intersectional feminism, and we believe that it is our duty to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to provide a platform for all female voices, as well as a welcoming community of likeminded and supportive individuals. In planning each of our events, we take care to incorporate and address the issues salient to many different communities. This is where peace building occurs. In my experience, when women are given the tools they need to succeed, lives, families, entire communities, change for the better. I know it changed me. Women 4 Women will continue to serve the needs of the community and be a shining example of the power of unity and peace building.