| Last month, my mom was visiting from Michigan and we spent a morning wandering through the Denver Botanic Gardens with my daughter. Three generations, soaking in spring. As we strolled, I came across a sculpture I’ve always admired, but this time I paused to read more about it. |
| The piece is So Proud of My Children by Zimbabwean artist Nicholas Kadzungura. It shows a mother gazing lovingly at her children as they read. It captures something so simple and so powerful: the deep pride of a parent watching their child learn. Standing there, I found myself thinking about the women who came before me. I’m the fourth generation of college-educated women in my family. My great-grandmother studied to be a teacher before women were even allowed to vote in the United States. My grandmother was attending college when World War II broke out – still a rare opportunity for women at the time. My mom followed. And because of them, I did too… and soon, my daughter will also. Education didn’t start with me. It was passed down. Protected, prioritized, and believed in. At KGSA, so many of our girls are the first in their families to attend high school. But they’re walking a similar path. Behind every girl is a mother, a grandmother, or an auntie – women who understand the value of education, even when they didn’t have access to it themselves. Women who are fighting to give their daughters something more. Here’s what changed because of you: Because of your support, 150 girls in Kibera are not only attending school – they’re thriving in a safe, supportive boarding environment where they can focus, learn, and dream. This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating all the women who make that possible – the ones who came before and the ones shaping the future. |