March is one of my favorite months of the year because we can reflect on the power of women in history, and our commitment to lifting up each other today and always. In honor of International Women’s Day, I’ve teamed up with Dessert Gallery to design a cookie to empower girls and contribute to the conversation to end violence against women. The best part? This Girl Power cookie will donate 25% of all proceeds to Houston Area Women’s Center.
International Women Day celebrates the milestones women have achieved, the progress of the present, and the long road ahead to a more equal future. When Dessert Gallery first contacted me, I knew I wanted to make a cookie that empowered women and girls in a fun way.
Cookies for a Cause
Houston Area Women’s Center (HAWC) is devoted to helping women and ending domestic and sexual abuse against women. For those of you who are long-time readers, it comes as no surprise that I would leap at the opportunity to support the cause. 1 in 4 women will be victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives. This number is far too high, and thinking about the collective trauma women experience makes me empowered to do something to change it. As a survivor of intimate partner violence, I believe that celebrating women and exposing injustices will help build awareness. Our power is unshakable. The more we use our voices, the more we build the pressing conversation that undermining and abusing women is not something to tolerate or sweep under the rug.
HAWC helps women harness their power and find safety. I’m so excited and honored that Dessert Gallery gave me the opportunity to design a cookie. Not only are they delicious, but these are also such fun things to buy for the women, little girls, and allies in your life. I plan on getting a tray for my next book club meetup, where we read female authors. Giving back can be a sweet thing!
The Meaning Behind the Design
When I first had a brainstorm with the Dessert Gallery PR team, we immediately landed on the idea of Girl Power. I remember in the ’90s I got all my “Girl Power” lessons from the Spice Girls without really knowing what it meant! Baby Spice never taught me about things like misogyny or the gender pay gap. I purely thought it was cool to throw a peace sign in the air with pigtails, in the name of “girl power.”
In 2020, Girl Power means so much more. It’s the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements; it’s world changers like Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg; it’s women taking up space and running for the presidency; it’s survivors like the USA Gymnastic survivors and Chanel Miller taking the stand, and it’s women sharing their stories — many for the first time.
I volunteer in schools and in programs for young girls to help build their confidence and resilience. Learning that young girls are self-critical as early as an elementary school really makes the idea of harnessing “Girl Power” even more important.
The purple on the cookie represents domestic and sexual abuse awareness while the lightning bolt illuminates the power of women, especially when we come together.
Unboxing the Design
When I walked into Dessert Gallery, located in the Upper Kirby area of Houston, I didn’t expect to see my cookie already in the bakery window! They have a lot of fun-themed cookies, amazing cake, and cupcakes. Getting a box of something I got to work with the Dessert Gallery team to design was a fun moment!
My Story with Domestic Violence
One of the core reasons for choosing HAWC was my own experience with domestic violence. Eight years ago while living in Florida, I found myself sitting in a center much like HAWC feeling lost and looking for a path to move forward. I had just spent five years in a physically and emotionally abusive relationship, and it was thanks to family, counseling services, and victim advocates that I was able to be safe from abuse. (You can read my full story here.) HAWC changes so many lives daily, and the women within its walls are brave and worth celebrating for March and beyond.
Visit Dessert Gallery in Houston, Texas, at 3600 Kirby Drive Suite D, during the month of March or order online. These cookies are such a great gift and I hope you enjoy them! Happy International Women’s Day to all the strong, empowering, inspiring women and girls!
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can help victims, survivors of domestic violence. Call 1-800-799-7233.
