Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve

by Drew Afualo

My mom makes my dad brave and gives him courage to try things. And my dad grounds my mom and reminds her that she deserves to rest and be taken care of, too.

Some people may say I’m being contrarian, but I say better to be contrarian than die a thousand little deaths of disrespect.

You can’t choose your family, and I know I’m extraordinarily lucky to have the one that I do, but you can choose the people who are around you.

Even now, when I choose partners to work with, whether that’s on my management team or brands who pitch me ideas, I look for the same qualities that my mom instilled in me so long ago: people who lead with respect and kindness, who are driven by passion, and who find making bigoted men cry just as hilarious as I do.

Support from women is a gift. It’s a resource in which you can find not only community, but empowerment. It’s a place you go to recharge and remind yourself that you are loved, important, and valid in this world.