20 and more years I worked, I strived, I succeeded

20 and more years I was less, I was unnoticed

I noticed

I was noticed

I noticed that I was the lowest paid manager despite being a partner with our leaders

I noticed that my opinions had to be filtered

I noticed when outsiders asked me to apply for Director and that was not to be considered

I noticed and I felt

20 and more years it took for me to realize that international leaders considered me equal

20 and more years it took for me to realize that I stood as equal

I was female, I was business, I was told that it could not be expected that I could stand as equal

We are paid less, it’s that simple

My position was less, it’s that simple

It wasn’t that simple

It’s never that simple

My position was equal

Our Deputy and I stood as one

We worked as one

We were not paid as one

We were not treated as one

Not inside

How long it took me to realize that I was seen differently by those outside

They saw me for what I was

Why couldn’t I see myself as that

Why wasn’t I shown as that

They see her the same

She is held to such a different standard, just as I

When will more fathers say that they will not denigrate their daughters to make their sons more

When will more in the world see that raising the other does not pull the one down

It brings us all up

When will we see that equality and equity for all makes us all stronger

Paying she less does not make he richer it makes us all poorer

When will we see that when women succeed we all succeed

When those of color are seen as equal we will all be stronger

We are one

We are stronger together