Amanda Epe is one of those fearless women whose work is aiming to empower others to achieve.
The approaching International Women’s Day is a day of celebration of women’s achievements, Amanda’s work for her community should be noted.
Amanda’s organisation Fly Girls promotes activity, creativity and leadership, empowering girls and women to be authors and leaders.
She leads community fitness sessions and creative writing workshops to help little girls, boys and women gaining in confidence.
Amanda said: “Most girls don’t believe they can be adventurous; they don’t think they can fly a plane.”
Part of the reason is the lack of role models for girls to identify themselves. As an author, Amanda contributes to filling up this gap.
To show little girls they can fly, Amanda believes in the power of storytelling. She said: “Representation matters. If you can’t do it, at least bring stories of women who can, stories that are hidden or forgotten.”
In 2021, she wrote and released a movie about Amy Johnson, an English female aviation pioneer.
Next week, to celebrate International Women’s Day, Amanda will show the film to kids at Willesden’s Library and ask them to write about Amy Johnson.
If little girls can’t picture themselves as active because of social constructs, older women can’t either, according to Amanda.
“In society, it seems that middle-aged women shouldn’t be seen as active," she said. "Women face ageism, especially with sports.”
As a response, when Amanda is joyfully dancing on Instagram, she claims back her right of being strong, active and let’s say it, stunning.
When asked what being a woman meant to her, Amanda replied: “It's being authentic to yourself, it’s not others, society, family, who decide who you are. You must define your own womanhood.”
About International Women’s Day, she said: “It’s a chance to shout about things that are not spoken about or how far we’ve come. And how far we need to go.”
And how far does she want to go? “Infinite. As far as I can go.”
International Women's Day is on Tuesday, March 8.
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