NYU Shanghai is marking International Women’s Day this March 8 with photos and stories that celebrate female empowerment. Supported by Diversity Initiatives, the CELEBRATE WOMEN photography exhibition on show in the Allyship in Action Lounge is part of an international project created by alumna and artist Nicole Chan ‘17, which was presented at the United Nations 60th Commission on the Status of Women.
Below are a selection of photos from the 2018 series celebrating NYU Shanghai women. Each portrait is a response of self-expression to the question “What empowers you?” and speaks to the larger narrative on women’s empowerment.
“Thanks to inspiring songs written by female artists like Yui and Little Mix, I became more confident of myself and realized that I was someone who wanted to share her laughter with the world. I'm still in the middle of writing my own music but when I'm ready to publish it, I hope that the message of my songs can also motivate other women to stay true to themselves.” - Cindy Luo
Photo by Cindy Yifan Hu
"My dance shoes empower me because they support me when I dance, extending my strength and giving me the confidence to present myself before others. They also enable me to communicate with others in another way, expressing my emotions through dance movements. Dance encourages me to explore my potentials and gives me power." - Cecilia Cai
Photo by Daisy Qianyi Chen
“My environment empowers me. In China I feel more free and confident than in Hungary. When I’m with my mom, I suddenly forget how to book an appointment to the doctor, but here I am a completely different person. Away from home reality hits me: I have to work hard for myself, because no one else will.” - Linda Laura László
Photo by David Santiago
"The support of my loved ones empower me. The Skype logo here stands for all the apps and programs that help me feel the love of my family and friends despite the distance. It doesn't matter how many thousands of kilometers are between us because our love goes to infinity and beyond." - Marcela Railean
Photo by Amy Ernst
"Growing up, I used to be silently angry and frustrated at everything and everyone I knew. Punk is my medium through which I express my happiness and sadness and a way to fight for my opinions and my identity. Sex Pistols and David Bowie were the first artists I fell in love with who made me feel at peace with myself and made me fearless against all challenges thrown at me. Punk makes me strong." - Anisa Muca
Photo by Amy Ernst
“To me, makeup is fun and I truly love it. It empowers me because I can present myself in exactly the way i choose to. Wearing full face makeup doesn’t mean that someone is insecure or superficial. I am comfortable in my own skin, and I also feel good in and out with my makeup on.” - June Wu
Photo by David Santiago
"I’ve struggled a lot with self-image, especially on the basis of my acne, and for a long time I was ashamed of it. However nowadays, I never wear make-up. I hate the restriction and limits of make-up, I feel most like myself when I’m bare-faced. It’s me, no more and no less. I want to normalize natural skin and show girls that we’re fine without make-up. Additionally, I see my natural face, complete with its blemishes, as a sign of power. I feel powerful in my self-acceptance. In a society where women are supposed to hate themselves, living a fulfilling life despite acne, is like a giant middle finger to society, and I’m proud of that." - Sabina Olsson
Photo by Meizhi Ng
"What empowers me is the sport that I have been playing since I was five years old: soccer. My constant drive and love for the sport give me confidence in other places. Being on the field with my cleats strapped on makes me feel like I can do anything I set my mind to." - Sydney Fontalvo
Photo by Marisol Gallardo
汉语给我表达的能力和勇气。我从小就喜欢我爸妈写的东西，他们也鼓励我把心中转瞬即逝的感情写下来。现在我在学校用英文写作，但我写的越多，越是觉得汉语说得出英语说不出的我。所以我开了一个小小的WordPress账号，记录下我真情的五味杂陈，酸甜苦辣，和一些我爱的人。
(Writing in my mother tongue empowers me. Both of my parents are very good writers, ever since I was little, they have been encouraging me to constantly write down my feelings. Now I write primarily in English, but the more I write, the more I long for using Chinese to speak for myself when English can not. So I kept a little WordPress account in Chinese to document my reaction to the flavors of my life and the people I love. ）- Amber Lin
Photo by David Santiago
"I like to write stuff about my life and I have my own blog for recording my thoughts on some issue in life. What empowers me? I think it must be the pursuit of documenting every impressive and inspiring thing in my life. This can really help me to reflect what is valuable in my limited time." - Jiayu Han
Photo by Amy Ernst
“My hair empowers me. Its length remains constant, reminding me of my strong roots and diverse yet rock-solid identity. It instigates me to be proud of my values and reinforces my inherent confidence in being a woman.” - Gurkriti Singh
Photo by Amy Ernst
"Dreams empower me. I used to think they were just stupid imaginations in bed and little secrets in my diary. But now what I was dreaming has become what I am achieving. It motivates me by telling me how amazing and interesting tomorrow will be." - Xin Mu
Photo by Marisol Gallardo
"Self control empowers me. Much of my life is out of my control, but I can control myself. From what I eat to how long I procrastinate, these are the choices I'm free to make every day. While I can't control the events I encounter, I can choose how to react to them. " - Risha Hoag
Photo by Amy Ernst
“Being active empowers me. Whether it’s dancing or working out, I am able to feel confident in my own skin and truly be myself. The feeling of moving my body freely and being completely comfortable with myself; that genuinely is the most empowering feeling.” - Janice Luo
Photo by Amy Ernst
"Yoga empowers me because it always reminds me to seek inner balance even in the most unbalanced situations. When doing yoga, I inhale the future and exhale the past. It is actually a beautiful journey from the self, through the self, and to the self." - Angelina Ye
Photo by Amy Ernst
“I dance in the rain, I dance under the sun. Steps or turns, splits or spins, rejoice or hardships, I shall always tango on!” - Katie Chen
Photo by Cindy Hu
“I am empowered whenever I am holding a microphone and start singing.It makes me feel I can bring happiness and positivity to people's life. Regardless of the judgement on women’s appearance, close your eyes and listen to the voice from your heart.” - Milly Ming Yin
Photo by Meizhi Ng
“I find strength in knowing that I am capable of expressing myself through my hands. Through labor, gesture, and touch, they connect me materially and symbolically to my world.” – Monika Lin
Photo by Cindy Hu
"The recent book, "Transforming Patriarchy," which includes my contribution, is empowering not only because it gives space for my own academic voice but also because it represents a large and growing international scholarly community whose work jointly documents the transformations of patriarchal traditions in Chinese societies. It makes me feel good to know of such a community and to be part of it." – Li Xuan
Photo by Ng Meizhi
"Writing the narrative of U.S. history empowers me because I get to the tell the complicated and messy story about how our nation was formed and developed into the country we see today with all of its blessings and shortcomings. "
– Maria Montoya, photo by Ng Meizhi
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See more photos from the CELEBRATE WOMEN 2016 series by NYU Shanghai student publication On Century Avenue, and follow the series @celebratewomenseries on Instagram.
For more about NYU Shanghai Diversity Initiatives and upcoming events, click here.