4. MAGNIFY: all her words

"She is a vision. A vision unfolding, An unfolding of the words on our hearts..." Written on her heart are the pains, tribulations and joys of life. Those words encompass the heartache whispered in the dead of night, and the shared victory and promise of tomorrow. They are "...a tangible expression of the thoughts, fears and stirrings that keep us awake and wake us up. A passion wrapped in purpose. A moment of arrival. A time for reveal."

(Enter All Her Words)

A few months ago, I had a conversation with founder and poet Eniafe Isis. We spoke about passions, drive and the origins of the beautifully poetic and visually stunning platform: All Her Words. The platform is dedicated to creating a space that "...honour the voices of a fuller spectrum of women, ALL HER WORDS envisions a different kind of storytelling. We call it journey-telling: the unwrapping and unraveling of the layers of our stories. Not always complete but in between, in process, ever evolving and always unfolding."

When asked about the catalyst of the space, Isis gravely replied with an answer which mirrors many others' experiences, "The catalyst was actually depression." When all she was left with was words, she had the bravery to speak, to write, to heal. She was able to create a space so powerful and beautiful from something so harrowing. Isis continues, "I pretty much wrote myself out of it and in the process of writing, the vision for all her words revealed itself to me." Her pain pursued her purpose. A purpose that was so deeply rooted within her "why" it grasped her within itself. Isis explains,

"There are many layers and levels to my “why” and I think the layers are written into every piece shared. When the vision for ALL HER WORDS first came to me, it came at a time when I was grasping for myself, trying to make sense of, but also feel safe in, all the ways I was feeling.

My why is for sanctuary and haven and a wholeness not void of pieces and shadows and breaking points and aches. As one woman put it, ALL HER WORDS is a voice and a language for when we can’t find the words."

It became a platform in which all women in the future would stand proudly with their heads held high, proud of their own personal healing.

It unveiled how "so many of us have made beauty out of what is most harrowing." But also, being able to see "... how we as women are so aligned with one another in ways [that aren't] evident until we start telling... our journeys and sharing our stories." While we speak our truths, we can see that in our loneliness; we are not alone. Isis elaborates on the importance of continuing to pursue community and expressions of healing,

"I continue to write because the words call for me to do so. I continue to write to remind us that we are not alone in what we go through and we are allowed to go through the ebbs and flows without guilt or shame."

The power of words has called for honesty, sincerity, and relatability, and All Her Words has exemplified the validity. Words are needed. They help us to grow, and heal, and conquer our greatest fears.

All Her Words has eloquently created a culture that has become home to women, "in all [their] facets". Crowning women with freedom of character and expression. It is a platform with branches of healing that blossom brightly, and a "...Strength rooted in tenderness and wholeness that may be different from what we have been told it should be," carefully "...digging deep into the sensitive pieces and parts of living and growing."

"All Her Words is a reminder that we are the salve..." to help heal emotional wounds, to protect as we journey through all life has to offer, and to empower others to do the same. It has flourished knowing the value words hold and understanding she is worth writing for.

You are she. You are worth writing for.