Read Poem: To All the Girls Like Me, by Nayana Rodriguez

To all the girls like me who knew what they were at the fresh age of eight in year three.

To all the girls like me who enjoyed wearing dresses and sneakers and hoodies and makeup and shorts.

To all the girls like me who worried about being judged and hid themselves from their otherwise supportive but undereducated families.

Listen close, shut your bedroom door and read what I am about to tell you. Believe every single word even if it sounds like a fairy tale.

You’re alright. You’re okay. You’re more than normal.

When you walk into the world, you will see that there are more girls like you. You will see them sitting alone at lunch, you will see them laughing with broken smiles along to the jokes their friends make.

There’s girls like you all over the world. There’s girls like you reading this right now. Don’t be scared.

It’s okay if you have to hide. It’s okay if you can’t escape the monsters and cobwebs that hold you back.

But always remember, there’s a family out there. There are people out there, girls, boys and others like you.

They’re waiting for you. And they’ll keep waiting even when you have wrinkles on your face and you’re turning gray. Because girls like you, are normal.