By Her Hands

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A global podcast that elevates the voices, leadership, and lived wisdom of young women ages 13 to 25 and creates space for shared experiences and learning — brought to you by WaterStep. Here, young women talk honestly about the things that shape their lives: purpose, identity, belonging, confidence, leadership, faith, fear, friendship, the future - and the small, everyday moments that teach them who they are and who they're becoming. What It Is and What It's Not: Inspiring and impact-driven stories form the heart of each episode. Real anecdotal stories, not interviews. Laughter, vulnerability, and reflection are expected and welcome. No adult lectures. For more information visit www.WaterStep.org

  1. 2d ago

    Why Authenticity Begins with Self-Acceptance

    Episode 10: In this episode of the By Her Hands podcast, Yara shares her personal journey of learning to embrace her Mexican heritage after years of feeling pressure to fit in. Together, Lydia, Lexi, Justine, and Yara explore how culture, family, school, and friendships shape identity and confidence. The conversation examines the challenges of balancing multiple cultures, overcoming insecurity, and finding communities where people feel accepted for who they truly are. The group encourages listeners to celebrate what makes them unique while respecting others' experiences. Authenticity is a lifelong journey built on self-acceptance, courage, and meaningful relationships. Thanks for being here with us on the By Her Hands podcast. We hope you've enjoyed the conversation and take some time to think about what makes you authentic. Remember that you already belong and that you carry more power than you think. You've been listening to the By Her Hands podcast brought to you by WaterStep. Around the world, girls carry so much responsibility, hope, and the work of caring for their families. WaterStep equips them with tools and training that help them protect their own health, support their schools, and lead change in their communities. When girls have the tools they need, their power isn't something they search for, it is something they carry. And if you want to help women and girls around the world be authentically themselves, visit WaterStep.org.   Disclaimer: Listeners are reminded that the ideas, opinions, and information expressed on the By Her Hands podcast belong solely to the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of WaterStep, its staff, partners, donors, or affiliates. This podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as professional advice of any kind. WaterStep assumes no responsibility for actions taken based on the information provided. For more Information about WaterStep and It's Mission Website:  www.WaterStep.org If this episode inspired you, please Like, Subscribe, and Share to help more young women discover the confidence to become positive influences in their own communities. #ByHerHands #WomenEmpowerment #Authenticity #BeYourself

    Why Authenticity Begins with Self-Acceptance

  2. Jul 9

    The Power of Influence: Reem's Journey to Empower Women in Lebanon

    Episode 9:  In this episode of the By Her Hands podcast, Lexi, Lydia, Justine, and special guest Reem, explore how Influence shapes the lives, beliefs, and opportunities of young women around the world. Reem shares her inspiring journey as a feminist activist from northern Lebanon, describing how a high school sexual harassment incident led her to launch an anonymous podcast that empowered girls to share their stories safely. The discussion examines how language, trust, courage, and community engagement can create meaningful social change, even in cultures where difficult conversations are often discouraged. Reem reflects on building Brightful, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women through education, leadership, and advocacy. The group also discusses the importance of choosing positive influences, maintaining resilience through setbacks, and caring for one's mental health while leading others. They also agree that authentic leadership begins with listening, compassion, and a willingness to challenge harmful norms. The episode concludes by encouraging young women to believe in themselves, embrace their voices, and recognize the lasting impact they can have on their communities.   Episode Transcript There are things you believe that didn't start with you. When you hear them enough from your friends on social media, or even that phrase your mom has said your whole life, you don't question it. Then at some point you start to ask yourself, did I actually come to this on my own? What do I really believe? Think about the last time you changed your mind about something. Why? Did someone or something shape your decision? Or did you come up with it on your own? Today, we're talking about Influence and how it shows up in the lives of young women, how the people around you, the conversations you're part of, what you see every day, all of it plays a role in shaping how you think. But also, how recognizing it that changes things, because once you see it, you can question it, push back on it and decide what's actually yours. __________ You are listening to the By Her Hands Podcast, a space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures, each by her own hands at WaterStep.org. __________ Lexi: Hi, it's Lexi and welcome back to the By Her Hands podcast.  Lydia: Hey, it's Lydia. It's good to be here. Justine: Hi, Justine here. Nice to be with everyone. Lexi: I want to welcome our special guest today, Reem from Lebanon. And today we're talking about influence. Reem: Hello. Thank you so much for having me. My name is Reem. I'm 23 years old. I'm from North Lebanon. I'm a feminist activist and most of my work focuses on women's empowerment and combating gender-based violence and promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights. I founded an organization called Brightful, in North Lebanon. It's basically an intersectional collective group that works to empower youth and women in disadvantage areas. We use non-formal education program to equip women with skills and also to let them lead the initiative in their small communities. So basically all my work is around activism and also empowering women. Lexi: Wow. So what made you want to start that? Reem: Yeah, so basically it started back in high school. There was a sexual harassment incident that happened in my high school back in 2019, and suddenly a young girl from the high school posted on Facebook about the sexual harassment incident and the post went viral. So many NGOs and many activists started advocating and to supporting girls to speak up about this incident. And also they start to make complaints and even legal complaints and pressuring the high school administration to remove the teacher. But at the same time, the parents and the community started questioning this incident and to stop this, you're exaggerating. There's no sexual harassment. It's because of you. Yeah. So I felt very involved. I was very passionate about advocating for this incident. So I started an anonymous podcast. I invited the girls to share their experience and talk without sharing their names. I even changed the voice and girls start to talk and to speak up about their experience. Also, we started to share these voice messages via WhatsApp. So parents started to heard these stories and they started to be convinced that it's not a personal issue, it's a collective incident, and a lot of girls were involved in this incident. So after that podcast, I went online on my Instagram page and I started to do campaigns, even live streaming about sexual harassment. And I started to do campaigns about "the personal is political" and our issue as girls are not only personal issues, but these issues are political and we have to take our rights and we have to speak up no matter what people and what communities it is like say, yeah. So everything started back in high school. Justine: So Reem, quick question and wow. Wow. Just wow Reem. You're talking and I'm thinking about the courage that it took you because I understand the uproar from the non-for-profit, non-community, the organizational, the right-base organizations, that's what they do. But you were in your hometown, you were in your own school, right, with your own community. And I was wondering how, because the families were reacting in a way that they protect themselves. And I can understand that as far as cultural pushback where you don't want to have the truth out there or the dirty laundry of the community out there. How did you manage that? How did you navigate that, the need for you to speak up and to change things with the pushback from your community and your family? And how was it in your own family? How did you manage that? Because we heard about where you are right now and what you did, but as women and as, I can't help but think about that, your own journey to that. Reem: Yeah, yeah, actually it was very hard because I was raised in a very rural village in North Lebanon. It's a village near the border with Syria, it's called Akkar. And even in Akkar, girls are not allowed to pursue education, to travel, to have their own lives. And even the basic rights are not allowed. So I used to be very strong and I used to, I know people language, I know how to navigate things with my communities. I use very flexible language. And back then I was very sure that I knew that I will pursue something related to activism. So yeah, I had to be strong. And I did a lot of debate with my parents, with my brothers. You are not allowed to do that. You will be in risk. You are risking girls' lives because some families are very conservative. So when it come to sexual harassment, it's a taboo for them. So if they knew that their girls is speaking about something related to sexuality and harassment, so they might attack her. So I heard a lot of these sentences, and even if you heard about the revolution as a feminist revolution, we had a very backlash year in North Lebanon on feminist activists. So I used to confront people, but I always use very flexible language and I don't directly talk about sexual stuff. I started with human rights. What about what if we have a conversation? What if we listen to each other opinions, especially when I discuss such things with parents. I found that most of the time the problem is that parents don't give girls the opportunity to talk. They don't listen actively to them. So yeah, I started to convince them in a very flexible language. And the first topics is about basic rights. We are not asking for anything that is luxurious. We're asking for our privacy to have control on our bodies, to take our own decision to even choose what major I want to follow. Because even some parents take control of girls' decision when it's come to education, like you should follow this field, you should choose this career. So yeah, it's not a single problem. There are a lot of root causes and intersectionality. The intersectionality is a good approach because when you saw this as a lot of conditions that impact our life as girls, like from the systems, the traditions, the norms, the religious, you can propose good approaches to convince such communities. Justine: I'm just in awe. And the fact that you, you're talking to things that are so deeply rooted in the community, and I think it's around the world. We always have seen in many communities where girls are not equally treated or they don't have the same access. I am just so interested about the whole process of influencing them. And something that you really said was resonating with me, it's around the language. How do you approach people in order to get them to listen to you? And I feel like that's the first step in influencing. And I'm wondering Lydia or Lexi, do you guys have any experience with that where you realize that the best path to influencing or to having the other one listen to you as Reem shared it's really about the language that we use, where you have to balance out between your firm convictions, but also with your audience? Lydia: Absolutely. I think if you're trying to get anybody to help you out and support your cause, if you talk in words, I don't know, because every single person is different. And you have to know your audience and you have to know what they're going to listen to, what they think is important, and you have to make your cause important to them. So for me, whenever I've put together a few different charity events and anytime I'm trying to ask for money and for sponsors is difficult and it's scary, but knowing each person and being like, well, some people want to know why it's important to you. Some people want to know how this came about, what their money's going to. Some people just want to throw

  3. Jun 25

    The Cost of Comparison | Lessons from Tori Murden McClure

    Episode 8:  In this episode of the By Her Hands podcast, Lydia, Lexi, Kristina, and special guest Tori Murden McClure explore the challenges of comparison, self-worth, competition, and personal growth. Tori shares lessons from her remarkable adventures and leadership experiences. She shares perspectives about how comparison can become harmful when people measure their inner struggles against others' outward successes. The group examines the impact of social media, societal expectations, sibling comparisons, and the pressure many young women feel to fit in. They also discuss the importance of authenticity, healthy relationships, compassion, and self-acceptance. Tori encourages listeners to choose friends who inspire growth, embrace their unique strengths, and resist the urge to define themselves through constant comparison. The discussion also highlights the difference between healthy competition and destructive comparison, emphasizing that character and kindness matter more than status or achievement. They conclude the conversation with a powerful reminder that everyone is fighting battles we cannot see and that true confidence comes from being unapologetically yourself. Episode Transcript Lydia: How often do you hear that little voice in your head? Am I good enough? You see somebody and it starts. She has the internship I wanted. She got into the college I was hoping for. She walks into a room and doesn't think twice before she speaks. I wish I look like her. And then suddenly you feel like you're not good enough. That's what we're talking about today, the cost of comparison. What happens when you're focusing on someone else's life and not your own? What do you miss? And how can young women build each other up? Instead of comparing who we are to each other. __________ You are listening to the By Her Hands Podcast, a space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures, each by her own hands at WaterStep.org. __________ Lydia: Hello and welcome back to The By Her Hands podcast. This is Lydia.   Lexi: And this is Lexi. It's great to be here.   Lydia: And Justine is not here today. She's being a French translator is what I've heard. But we do have someone else in here, Kristina, another lady from WaterStep who has guided our teen board and led this project along with Justine. And we are so happy for you to be here. Kristina: Great. Super excited to be here. Lydia: Alright. And we of course also have our special guest. Kristina, you're special, but you're not that special. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Kristina: Not as special as our other guest. Lydia: So, we have Mrs. Tori Murden McClure. She is the former President of Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. She is best known as the first woman and first American to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She rode a 23 foot boat alone and without physical support, a distance of more than 3,300 miles. Tori was also one of 2 women and 6 Americans who were the first women and first Americans to travel over land to the geographic South Pole, skiing 750 miles from the ice shelf to the pole. An avid mountaineer has climbed on several continents, and she was the first woman to climb Lewis Nunatak Summit in Antarctica. Welcome. Tori Murden McClure: Thank you. Lydia: So that is a long list of achievements there. Which one's your favorite? Tori Murden McClure: Oh, I think my favorites are not on the list. Lydia: Oh, okay. What's your favorite achievement? Tori Murden McClure: It's not so much an achievement as I am, well, my most recent achievement is I became a wilderness medicine instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School. Lydia: Oh, wow. Tori Murden McClure: So I can teach wilderness medicine, EMTs, wilderness first responders, wilderness first aid. Lydia: That is incredible. So you've done all these incredible things. What were you like when you were our age? Mine and Lexi's. Tori Murden McClure: I was extremely nerdy. I had a crush on John Quincy Adams. That's how nerdy I was. Everyone else was in love with television personalities and what would be influencers now. And I was in love with historical figures. Lydia: I mean John Quincy, that's not a bad pick I don't think. Tori Murden McClure: No, I mean he was in service to the citizens of the United States from the age of 13. Lydia: Oh wow. Tori Murden McClure: And he died on the floor of the House of Representatives, had a stroke and went over. Lydia: He did. He did what he loved. Pretty dramatic. Tori Murden McClure: Yeah, it's pretty dramatic. Kristina: Yeah. Tori Murden McClure: Yeah. He was allegedly very cold and stiff. But I too can be cold and stiff, if I'm uncomfortable. Lydia: We can be cold and stiff together. Tori Murden McClure: Yes. Not cold and stiff, like dead, like Antarctica, dead. Not that kind of cold and stiff. Lydia: But you would know about Antarctica dead. So what all have you done in Antarctica? Because when I'm reading this list and preparing of how I'm going to say all of this without messing up, you have all these adventures in Antarctica and that is incredible. What all have you done there? That's one of my favorite things is just… Tori Murden McClure: Antarctica is a magical place. And you come to understand why folks who live in snowy environments have so many different names for snow. It's not all the same. The Inuit have, I don't know how many multiple names, like 20 or 30 names for different kinds of snow. Lydia: Oh wow. Tori Murden McClure: Because that's the environment they live in. And so that sort of crusty snow that gets all wet is called one thing. And the real fluffy powdery stuff is called something else. And you get a sense of why they have different names. We skied 750 miles, over the continent. Crossed a side of the continent that had not been traversed before. So we were literally putting a foot down where no one had walked, at least not in the last a hundred million years. And it was pretty special. Lydia: It's pretty cool. Pretty cool. It is absolutely an honor to have you here today, by the way. It is so lovely to meet you and just to be able to sit in the presence of such an incredible woman. Tori Murden McClure: Well, I think we have five incredible women here. Lydia: Well, we appreciate that. How did you begin these adventures? How does one just decide, Yeah, I think I'm going to row across the Atlantic Ocean next week? Tori Murden McClure: I think you take one reasonable step and then another reasonable step, and then somewhere along the line you pass the boundaries of reason and don't realize it. I think I read a statistic once that 98% of young people grow up in a dysfunctional household, which means most of us, if not all of us. And I had a pretty hard way growing up, but my life since then has been magical. And so I think I began to see the woods as safe and civilization as dangerous because I grew up with a brother who's intellectually disabled and he was bullied and I was bullied, because I was his chief protector. And so the sense of people are dangerous, trees are safe, was kind of how I came to want to be outside. And then as I grew older and started to take on challenges in civilization, the wilderness was a place to heal.   And so I would take a burnout job working with unhoused people, and then I'd go climb a mountain to feel better about the world. And so it became this balance. I'd balanced the back country adventure with the urban adventure or weren't precisely a balance, the urban adventure with a back country adventure, back country adventure was the place where I went to sort of make sense of things and heal back up and then come back to continue fighting the good fight. Lydia: That is beautiful. Have you ever felt like you needed to do more in the urban things? Have you ever? Tori Murden McClure: Always, I'm teaching emergency medical technicians these days and I was asked to give an awards banquet speech, and as I was working on the speech, I was saying to my husband, I'm not doing enough to give back. I'm just not doing enough to give back. And at the awards banquet, two young men I had helped to teach, become EMTs, one medals of valor for their response to the UPS plane crash that was here. Lydia: Oh, that's incredible. Tori Murden McClure: And you'd have thought I was related to them. I was so proud. But that sense of feeling like there's always more we can do, if we really let ourselves see the pain of the world, it calls us to try to do more. Lexi: Yeah. Do you still feel like you compare yourself to others in things? Tori Murden McClure: Yeah, I was thinking about that and getting ready for this. And of course I think we're just naturally wired to understand hierarchy. And you can set up a hierarchy in any kind of framework. You say, okay, line yourself up by height, line yourself up by X. Line yourself up by power. And people will naturally put themselves where they think they are. And women usually give themselves a harder time than men do when it comes to rating their own intelligence or rating their own ability or even rating their own sense of power. And I think we could do a lot to improve our sense of self. But I think the challenge for us is we're always comparing our insides, which are very messy to other people's outsides, which used to just be polished and have some makeup, but now they're AI-enhanced. There's no way we're ever going to measure up. Lexi: So one thing I'm wondering is obviously all your accomplishments are so amazing in every single thing. It's like you were the first woman to do all of these things. So do y

  4. Jun 11

    The Real Meaning of Legacy: A Conversation with Lonnie Ali

    Episode 7: In this episode of the By Her Hands podcast, Lydia, Lexi, and Justine sit down with Lonnie Ali (the wife of Muhammad Ali) to explore the meaning of legacy, impact, and living a life of purpose. Drawing from her experiences with Muhammad Ali and her own work as a philanthropist and leader, Lonnie explains that legacy is not something we intentionally build for recognition but rather the result of the positive impact we have on others. The conversation highlights the importance of authenticity, compassion, service, and standing firmly by one's values. The group discusses how everyday actions, mentorship, and caring for others can create lasting influence that extends across generations. Lonnie encourages young women to focus on making an impact rather than pursuing fame, reminding them that meaningful change often begins with small acts of kindness and leadership. Together, they reflect on the role of family, community, and role models in shaping future leaders. The episode ultimately reinforces that anyone can leave a powerful legacy by helping others and leaving the world better than they found it. Episode Transcript Lydia: Today we're talking about legacy. It's a big word. People attach it to famous names, to history, to the end of someone's life. Most of the time they tie it to a person's influence, their accomplishments, what they're known for. But how do we define legacy? And is it something we even think about early in our lives? Can we shape our own legacy or do others define it? Maybe it's being formed in real time, in what we do, what we tolerate, and how we treat people. Have you ever thought about Legacy? Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands podcast, a space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures each by her own hands, at WaterStep.org. Lydia: Hi, I am Lydia and welcome back to the By Her Hands podcast. Lexi: Hi, I'm Lexi. It's good to be back. Justine: Hi everyone, this is Justine. Good to be here with you. Lydia: I want to welcome a very special guest today. We are honored to have Mrs. Lonnie Ali here with us, a philanthropist, businesswoman, and of course the wife of the late and legendary boxer and humanitarian Muhammad Ali. She is also the co-founder and vice chair of the Muhammad Ali Center. So welcome and thank you for being here today. Lonnie: Well, thank you all of you for inviting me. It's a pleasure to be here. Lydia: So to you, what is legacy? Lonnie: Legacy when you're talking about my husband's legacy is huge. Lydia: Yes! Lonnie: Bigger than the word, actually. I mean, there's so much to his legacy. I always like to think of his legacy as a tapestry with many threads, different colored threads and ribbons going through it. Very layered, very textured, right? And that's because his legacy means so much. Muhammad meant so much to so many people in many different ways and he touched so many different people. So, when I think about Muhammad's legacy, it's a huge responsibility for me because I know I have to be the guardian of that legacy, protect that legacy, promote that legacy, because legacy is not important to me unless it's mobilized. And that's important to me is to mobilize Muhammad's legacy because he left us so many wonderful examples of how to be, how to show up in the world, how to treat people, how to be compassionate, how to stand on your convictions, and to uplift people, to inspire people. So, there's so much to his legacy, so much to tend to, so much to take care of. I will never be bored. Lydia: How do you live on carrying on his legacy and not just in his shadow? Lonnie: I think because I had an opportunity to be with Muhammad after he retired from boxing and had actually been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, I sort of became his partner, because it affected him in many different ways. Later on, it was mobility and his speech, but I sort of became his mouthpiece. And so everything we did and everywhere he went, we did together. So we were real partners. We were like one person together. And I've never looked at what I do as being in his shadow and he never presented himself or wanted me to be in his shadow. He wanted me always to be at his side. And that's where I still see myself, at his side, because even though it's not the work that I originally started and did, it's what I supported him in what he was doing. It was important work and I was happy to do it, but I shared in the experience and in the rewards of being able to help other people. Lydia: That's beautiful. That's beautiful. Lonnie: Thank you. Lydia: So, what has been your favorite work in carrying on? I'm curious. I want to know. Lonnie: Muhammad's? Lydia: Yes. Lonnie: Well, one thing Muhammad taught me and children around him, his kids, is that you have to be kind to people. And he was like that when I met him when I was six years old. He's always had the kindest, most generous heart of anybody I ever knew. And it's how you treat people and how you show up every day. And he was never a glum individual, even when he lost a fight or things weren't going well in his life. He had the draft where he was prosecuted for not accepting to go to Vietnam, but he never let that take over who he was. It was something that was happening to him, but he didn't let it destroy his outlook on life, on people or this country. So I have to take that example and do the same. I don't let things that a lot of people might let bother them, especially today, I just walk through it. That's what he did and show up on the other side. Muhammad always did what he thought was right. He had a moral compass that was well-calibrated and he didn't worry about the rest. But he also exhibited patience because he knew things would not happen overnight. And sometimes even with him, people would not understand him immediately. But over time, as we know, people became very aware of who Muhammad was and what he stood for. Justine: What I really love about, I'm listening to you and I'm reminding and recalling all the videos, the videos that we saw, and I have three boys and one of them won a drawing contest because he drew Muhammad Ali's gloves and the famous phrase I think float like a butterfly… Lydia: "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Justine: Exactly. And he won that. And I was like, okay, why did you take that? He said, just because of who He's who he was. And I kept listening to him and he was 12, right? And it's Zachary, he was on the podcast as well. And listening to you, I just realized that yes, we talk about legacy, but you've been mentioning who he was and it made me think about what legacy is about. It's not he started up with wanting to build a legacy. He was just being himself. Right? And role-modeling and demonstrating what he believed in. And I find it super, super inspiring because when we talk about legacy, you always think about something big that's been built with the intention to be carried over. But listening to you, I feel like it didn't start like that, did it? Lonnie: No, it did not. Just what you said, it was just him being him. He was always his authentic-self. But what is beautiful about what you said is this, your 12-year-old son wanted to draw Muhammad's gloves and put that phrase, that monicker, I mean that saying, he used to always say on those gloves, but that's one thing Muhammad always wanted. He always wanted to be able to connect to that next generation. He knew the day would come where there'd be a generation of young people who never saw him in the ring, never saw him on an interview. And how do you continue that? And you do it by example. Muhammad was the kind of person I think children still find interesting because he was humorous, he was funny, he was engaging, he was authentic, and people trusted him. And they continue to trust him. Children trust him I think in some of the things he says, they've lost trust in institutions, but they still trust in personalities. We did a compassion report at the Muhammad Ali Center, the Muhammad Ali Index, and it showed that we are losing trust in institutions, but people are gaining trust in individuals like sports figures, clergy teachers, people who are in the community who are leaders, that's who they trust, not so much institutions anymore. So Muhammad is a huge figure on that sports platform, even still today. You can't go a week really without seeing something about Muhammad. There's always, I mean even if he shows up as part of set dressing on a show, I'm serious. He's always somewhere and his energy is still floating around here. Justine: That's amazing. Lonnie: Not just here, but in a lot of places, because he was that big. Justine: And you mentioned also mobilizing, because I'm big on words when I listen to people, there are words that just trigger something. Right? And you mentioned mobilization, and to me it speaks to action. It speaks to what is it that you do on a daily basis? So legacy is just not about, okay, when I'm gone, what I do or what I did, it's about what people are still doing in remembering or true inspiration or because something just meant the world to them. Lonnie: Yeah. What are they going to hold onto? Justine: Yes. Lonnie: What example did you set or what about you do they want to identify with and hold onto? And for, like I said, for many people it's different things with Muhammad. Some of them want to hold onto the social activism of standing on their convictions and speaking up. And then there's some who want to empower other people, people around them. They don't only want to ascend themselves, they want to help other people to ascend. And then there's others who want t

    The Real Meaning of Legacy: A Conversation with Lonnie Ali

  5. May 28

    The Power of Hope: Inspiring Conversations About Resilience and Purpose

    Episode 6: In this episode of the By Her Hands podcast, the conversation centers around the meaning of hope and how it shapes personal growth, resilience, and leadership. Mark Hogg, Founder and CEO of WaterStep, shares powerful stories about building a mission-driven organization and overcoming rejection while staying committed to a long-term vision. They discuss how hope can serve as both a feeling and a conscious decision, especially during moments of uncertainty, stress, or self-doubt. Through personal experiences involving school, leadership, service, and global advocacy, you'll hear how hope is strengthened through community, faith, encouragement, and shared experiences. The conversation also explores the importance of empowering young women to pursue their dreams despite societal expectations and challenges. Hope grows when people support one another and choose optimism even during difficult seasons. Ultimately, the discussion reinforces that hope is not passive. It is an intentional mindset that can inspire action, resilience, and positive change in others. Episode Transcript Lydia: Hope doesn't feel the same for everybody. It changes depending on who you are and what you're going through. Sometimes, you're excited about the future and really believe you can make your dreams come true. Other times, it feels like everything is impossible. Hope can come and go that fast. When you have hope, does it change how you think, the way you act?  Does it help you keep going when things feel heavy? Do you even need hope at all? In this episode, we talk about what hope feels like, when you're still figuring your life out and trying not to completely freak out.  It's an honest conversation about the pressure, the confusion, the spiraling thoughts and the hopeful moments, both big and small, that somehow break through. Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands podcast, a space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures each by her own hands, at WaterStep.org. Lydia: Hello and welcome back to the By Her Hands podcast. I'm Lydia, and today I'm joined by... Lexi: …Lexi, Justine: And Justine. Lydia: It's good to be back in here and we have another guest with us today. Do you want to go ahead and introduce yourself, Mark? Mark: Oh man, it's great to be here. So thankful to have you guys invite me. My name is Mark Hogg and I am the Founder and CEO of WaterStep. Lydia: That is incredible. And we are very grateful that you decided to come out and spend your, what is it, Wednesday? Wednesday afternoon with us here recording this. Mark: I'll spend any afternoon with you guys. Lydia: Oh, corny. But today we're talking about hope and what hope means to each of us and not just the name. So Mark, what's your hope? Mark: I'd tell you, I think hope is an incredible word to imagine. Some people think it's a feeling. Some people wait for it to ebb and flow and wander through their lives and in out of their lives. Some people wonder what is the foundation for hope. I think it carries with it a tremendous need for thought and practice living out. But I think hope has the potential to really be a guiding force in our life, and it has been in mine. Justine: Wow, I really like that. The fact that you mentioned feelings, events, thoughts, living experience. And when I was getting ready for this discussion today, I was really reflecting on hope. What does it mean for me? And all it brought is feeling, right? It's a feeling that I keep asking myself, how do I carry that? Is it often, is it something that is being triggered or so on? So Lexi, what do you think? Lexi: Yeah, absolutely. I think it can definitely be triggered in sort of small events, but sort of turning into something big. So for me, this past summer, I did an internship at Norton in the ICU and my very first day I walked in and I saw about a 15-year-old girl, and she was completely unconscious, intubated, very, very sick. We didn't know if she was going to make it, and I was just like, wow, that could have been me. We go back the next day to the same unit. We see that same girl. She was extubated. She only had the tube in, she was sitting up, she had her hair braided and the nurses were taking care of her. And I was just like, wow, this is incredible. And it was just that moment to remind me to not give up and always have hope. So I think it's a feeling that can definitely be fleeting and sometimes it's like ebb and flow, like you said, Mark. But I think what I learned from that experience was to never let go of it and just to always keep it close to heart. Mark: I like the way you said that. I think it's a decision that you've got to come to a point in your life to make that decision. I am going to live a life of hope. You've got to have that foundation. For me, it's wrapped up in my faith and my trust that no matter what's happening, that there is something bigger than myself around me. I'll be honest with you, my day can shift. I'm a pretty emotional person if anybody knows me very well, so I can be up and down. So I can be great one minute, get a phone call and I'm just a poopy pants. But that's real different than hope. It's not how I'm wrapped up in the moment in what I'm feeling, but that I realize that no matter what's happening, I have the hope that life will eventually see me to a place that I can breathe, even if there's great tragedy and pain in the midst of that, that I will come through that. And I think we've all had those kind of experiences in our lives where we thought, will this ever end? Lydia: I've absolutely been there and I feel like right now I'm kind of in one of those states a little bit. Everything was, I mean, it was going well. And then I mean, I don't know what happened. My car, it's not working right now, so I have no car and prom is in three days and I need my car and I'm doing poorly on all of my tests. And I have three going on right now that are multi-days. And the hard part is that there's such big deals for me to graduate. I'm taking the AAPPEL and it's something for, so you can get your certificate of bilingual proficiency, and I've taken five years of Spanish and this test is kicking my butt and it's so, it's just a lot going on. And it's hard for me to keep track of everything and to remember eventually even in a week, so much of this will be over and I just need to keep hold onto that hope of it's a temporary feeling and it will end. The due date will come whether I'm ready for it or not, and I can get out of it. Mark: I like the way you're talking about that because I don't think hope is about looking through a magnifying glass. I think it's about looking at the horizon and realizing so much more, so muchbigger. There's so much things that we want to sweat, but I mean for those of us, I know all of us in this room that have been a part of bigger events in our lives and places where young ladies are lying in bed intubated, that we know things could be a whole lot worse than what we got. And I feel like that's living with people in those situations, reminding of myself, of where I've been and where I've come to that keeps me thinking without a magnifying glass, but on the horizon. Justine: That's very interesting that you say that, Mark. And let's not forget, you're the CEO, the founder of WaterStep, right? We're having that podcast today also because of the mission of WaterStep and the passion and the commitment that we have for betterment of lives, especially women and girls. And I can't help but ask you that question. Mark, everything that you just said is just so right. At the same time I look at the 30 years of WaterStep and I'm just like, how did you manage that Mark from the first day, the first time, the first minute you had that horizon, but at the same time you knew that you had it. I would say you have to get up every day or every hour to keep pushing. What is it like, and after so many years of doing that, what would be one thing that you would tell young people or everybody who's listening when it comes to hope and when it comes to achieving? Mark: I think that horizon-view has to be able to, and it takes practice, I think protect you from what other people say, from experiences that you have, from let downs or times of when you've failed somebody else. I mean, there's times when I've done very poorly in a relationship and I have felt a very deep sense of hopelessness with myself and what might happen in that relationship. I remember you were talking about the growth of WaterStep over the years, which happened many, many years before we even started. And in dreaming about that, I'll never forget, I met with these three men at a Denny's restaurant once a week, early morning, about 6:30, 6:00 in the morning. And they would kind of mentor me, and I was always excited about the chance of building an organization where it could have something to do with water and with young people. And so in the midst of that, there were other things happening in the city that we were a part of together. And I saw that driving to that central goal. Well, they wouldn't actually talk to me about investing in what we were doing. They wanted it to be something different. Mark, this is what it really needs to look like. And it really wasn't the vision that I had. And so I had a meeting with three other men. They met me at a restaurant and they said, Hey, we're really excited about what you're doing. We want to invest to get this thing started. We want you to work with the people. We want to be a part of this and we're going to invest thousands of dollars to get this jump started. And so I went back to those guys at Denny's. I could not wait to go to Denny's

    The Power of Hope: Inspiring Conversations About Resilience and Purpose

  6. May 14

    Pressure and Perseverance

    Episode 5:  In this episode, the conversation explores the themes of pressure, perseverance, and personal growth through honest and relatable stories. The group discusses how challenges, expectations, and difficult moments can shape confidence and resilience over time. Through personal experiences, the speakers reflect on the importance of pushing through discomfort, learning from setbacks, and finding strength in supportive relationships. The dialogue also highlights the value of authenticity, self-awareness, and encouraging others through difficult seasons of life. Throughout the conversation, the guests emphasize that perseverance is not about perfection, but about continuing to move forward despite uncertainty or fear. The discussion creates a space for vulnerability while also offering encouragement to young people navigating their own struggles. Ultimately, the episode reinforces that growth often happens during the moments that test us the most. Episode Transcript Lydia: Why does everything feel so heavy? Like you're carrying 10 different things at once, school, your family, your friends, your future, and some how you're supposed to handle all of it without falling apart, or at least looking like you're not falling apart. This episode is about that feeling and how we keep going even on the days we feel worn out. We get honest about pressure and what perseverance actually looks like when you're living it, not pretending Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands podcast, a space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures each by her own hands, at WaterStep.org. Lexi: Hi everyone, this is Lexi and welcome back to Episode 5 about pressure and perseverance. Lydia: Hey guys, it's Lydia and welcome back to the By Her Hands podcast. Justine: Hi everyone, this is Justine. Very happy to be here again with everyone. Lexi: Today we have our second global guest. Her name is Doreen and she is from Kenya. Doreen, can you introduce yourself a little bit? Doreen: Hi everyone. My name is Doreen. I come from Kenya, Nairobi. I have been a WaterStep volunteer for the last 12 years now. By the end of this year we'll be 12 years of volunteering with WaterStep in the field-work that we're doing with different communities across Kenya. Lexi: I feel like when we're talking about this idea of pressure and perseverance, pressure I feel like we can often see as an external factor, but I think sometimes it's internal too, and that's something that resonates with me the most. Lydia, do you resonate with that? Do you feel like pressure is more internal or an external factor for you? Lydia: I think the pressure I feel has stemmed from such a small moment in my life, all of it. It goes back to when I was in, I mean it had to have been fifth-grade and my parents were like, college is expensive and you'll have to work for scholarships. And I feel like everything has spurred from that one moment. And it's not like my parents to this day are telling me you have to do all these things to get scholarships, but it's just that pressure on myself from that moment to succeed and to push and to do everything to achieve that goal. Lexi: Yeah, absolutely. I feel like for me it's sort of the same thing with my parents, but it's not really my parents putting the pressure on me. It's more like the pressure I'm putting on myself sort of based on their expectations, I guess. So for me, I mean I have five brothers and a little sister and I'm, I have two older brothers and the rest are younger, but I have sort of put this burden on myself that I'm supposed to be the perfect child almost. And so I feel like this kind of brings pressure into every aspect of my life, whether it's school or college or sports or whatever it may be, but it's not my parents pressuring me to be that way. It's just more what I expect of myself and what I feel like and what I'm assuming that they expect of me. So I feel like oftentimes it can be really challenging and the only way to sort of persevere through it is just taking it one step at a time, one day at a time. Lydia, how do you persevere through that pressure? Lydia: I mean, I wish I had rock solid advice to give you, I mean just what you said each day, take it as it comes and I don't know, I just try not to let the fear of the future birded me too much and to let it control my life. I remember freshman year I got terrified of how I was going to afford college and a house and all these things and my future that I just had no idea. I didn't know what I wanted do. I didn't know anything. I just knew with my parents I have to go to college and I have to get a good job and I didn't even know what I wanted to do from there and it just exploded into this constant stress bubble I was in. And it was I guess to persevere through that. I really just kind of popped the bubble and I just stopped letting those thoughts control me. I just started taking it each day as it came and taking each problem as it occurs and not stressing and stressing for the future. Not that it's bad to plan, but just it was harming me more than it was doing good. Justine, what do you think? Justine: I think you guys all right. I think that it's one thing to look at pressure and perseverance as being bad or not healthy or hindering you. Another way to look at it's that it takes us further. It opens up horizons for us because as we persevere, we find a way to deal with pressure. And I want to say it's the story of my life. Being a woman raised with certain expectations. Where you are expected to get married, to have children, to take care of your family, yet the person that I am being ambitious had to take on that pressure to understand the expectations but also to persevere so that you can do something for yourself as well as managing the pressure and expectations of everyone. So Lexi, you mentioned something around pressure and perseverance, being external, internal, and I think that that's really what it comes down to. Which one is external and which one is internal? And I find that it's like a fight, a constant fight as we go through life. So you get pressure and I want to say that the pressure is external, as far as my experience, and we go deep into ourselves to find that spark of perseverance, of strength, of everything we've already talked about, courage to keep pushing so that you turn that thing into a positive. And for me that's really what it is about the pressure and the pressure that I'm still feeling, right? It's a factor into being able to push through and listen to your own dreams so that you have a balance between what everyone is expecting from you and what you want for yourself in my world, in my professional profession, in how I tackle things. Yeah, so I think listening to all of you in every single space that we are, there's always a need to persevere, but the question is would you do it if you don't have a pressure, right? If you don't feel the pressure, would you be persevering? So yeah, Lexi, I think that's what it is. Lexi: Absolutely. I think we often see pressure and perseverance as sort of a bad thing, especially pressure. It's like nobody wants pressure, but I think at the end of the day it means that you have something good ahead of you. You have the pressure to be able to be in this space. You have something to look forward to. You have expectations of yourself or people have expectations of you. And yes, there is pressure that comes with it, but it's that pressure that I feel like makes you work 10 times harder. And I think also I think as girls and women, we're sort of with this pressure afraid to fail. So we sort of sit in this in-between and sort of not try to tip the scale too much one way because we don't want to not succeed. We're supposed to be expected to do well and everything else. So is there a time where you guys felt like you didn't do something or you were just in this fear because you were afraid to fail? Lydia: Lexi, that was beautiful and I so totally relate to that. And I mean I've talked about this so many times now, but it really just had that much of an impact on me is being the only girl in the room and how much harder you have to work. How much harder I feel this is all in my head, but I feel like I have to work to prove that I have the right to be there and that I can succeed and do the same things as every other guy in this room. And I remember it's as little as in my STEM Club when I was in middle school and elementary and we would do these paper bridge things and making towers out of mushrooms, marshmallows and spaghetti straws. And I just felt like if I messed up and if I did something wrong as a girl in this room, then everyone's going to make fun of me because I'm the only girl in here and I can't do it. And if I can't win, then why am I here? Lydia: Doreen, have you felt something like this? Doreen: Thank you Lydia. Thank you Lexi. I can relate to your pressure. And more specifically to Justine. Having grown up in African communities, there's a lot of pressure from women and girls especially on wanting them to succeed, to be the role model in the society. There is that societal aspect and expectations of us as women and girls growing in those communities. I want to share a personal story, more of myself and what really happens in my community. I come from come Kenya and more in Meru county. Meru county is one of the counties for seven counties in Kenya. I to be the fourth born in a family of five, so with two elder sisters and my mother was a teacher. And we're expected to participate in the economic upbringing and also the pressure of maintaining a family and a home and land. And at that point you to go to school, you

    Pressure and Perseverance

  7. Apr 30

    Nothing Is Small

    Episode 4:  In this episode, the conversation centers around how small actions and seemingly insignificant moments can have a lasting impact on our lives. The group explores the idea of the "butterfly effect," sharing personal stories about kindness, taking risks, and unexpected opportunities that shaped their paths. From simple acts like inviting someone to sit at lunch or offering encouragement, to saying yes to new experiences, each story highlights how meaningful change often starts small. The discussion also touches on cultural differences, personal growth, and the balance between technology and human connection. Throughout the dialogue, the speakers emphasize the importance of being present, following your instincts, and supporting others. They reflect on how kindness and connection build confidence and community over time. Ultimately, the episode reinforces that nothing we do is truly small when it comes to impacting others. Episode Transcript Lydia: It's kind of ridiculous how the smallest things stick with you. Not the big problems, the tiny stuff:  someone's tone, a friend taking forever to text back, or that one random comment that wasn't even meant to be deep but your brain is like, "Great, let's replay that all day." Those can hurt and be confusing. But what about those little moments that turn into something else? A realization, a decision or the sense that you need to do something differently. It can feel like a quiet nudge to take back control. These are the small moments that can end up shaping how you think, what you care about, and the choices you make next. In today's episode we'll explore these questions. What if you don't need more time, more confidence or more permission? What if it doesn't matter where you live or whether you're a girl? What if starting something small is actually the point? What if that's how real change begins? It's someone deciding they're not too young, not too small, and not powerless, after all.   Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands Podcast, A space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures, each by her own hands, at WaterStep.org. Lydia: Lexi, do you know what the "butterfly effect" is? Lexi: Isn't it the thing where everything happens for a reason? Lydia: Kind of. So, the butterfly effect is the idea that I very firmly believe in where every little thing you do has some sort of effect on your life. And there's an episode of my favorite TV show where all he does is save a butterfly and the entire town sets on fire. Every little action leads to some sort of, it changes your life and your life trajectory. I'm a firm believer in the butterfly effect. My mom doesn't believe it as much. I tell her in the mornings, I have a tardy problem. Let's be real. I'm a senior. Senioritis is bad. I've had senioritis since sophomore year. The minute, you know what? The minute I walked into my high school freshman year, I had senioritis. But let me tell you my attendance, I figured out the system, but they still get me sometimes. But I tried to tell my mom, it's okay. It's the butterfly effect. If I had left the house on time, maybe I would've gotten in a car accident on the way to school, maybe, I don't know. Something could have caught on fire. Maybe the dog would've gotten out. I don't know. You have no idea. And I mean, it's not like I'm wrong, so you should be grateful that I even just made it to school at all. I also got voted worst driver of my senior class, so she really should be grateful that I made it to school at all. I've got a bad record, so I really don't understand why she doesn't see it the way I do that at least I made it and my decision to be late could have saved my life. What do you think? Lexi: Yeah, absolutely. I mean I think no, truly, I think everything happens for a reason. I mean, even me being here at WaterStep, it all started with the fifth-grade project. I mean, I was so young. They told us, it was called our exhibition project and they told us pick a United Nations school and then pick a nonprofit organization and try to create some sort of partnership with them and create a project. And so I was like, okay. And so I got recommended WaterStep next day. I know I'm on a Zoom call with Mark Hogg, the CEO. Lydia: What a guy. Lexi: Yeah, I am like fifth-grade on this Zoom call trying to act professional and everything. Lydia: I'm sure that Zoom call was like four hours long. Lexi: Oh, it was, but I love him.  He was very, very inspiring and really taught me about the whole safe water crisis. And I, to be honest at this point, had probably no knowledge about it. And then I did a shoe drive because that's how they made a lot of their funding. And then he was like, you want to join the Teen Board? And I was like, all right, sure. The power of saying yes right there. And then since then I have been on the Teen Board and am now co-presidents with Lydia. We are loving it. We are walking it. We just did a 5K, but I don't know, it was crazy how such a small moment and I was just so young and didn't really even know what I was getting myself into as turned into what it has now and really developed my passion for safe water, and for women and girls specifically. So I think it is so awesome how something so small turned into something so impactful on my life. Justine: We're really happy to welcome a new guest today. Z, would you like to introduce yourself? Z: Hi, my name is Zainab. I prefer to go by Z and I'm a sophomore. Lexi: Z, do you have a story to share or something small that had an impact on you like that? Z: Yes, so I'll start with what happened to me back in my country. It's really such a memory. Justine: When you say your country, what do you mean? Z: I mean Ghana. Justine: Okay. Z: Back at home in Ghana, there's this one phone policy that we have here in Jefferson County, obviously, but I want to hit the point that it's really amazing how I have moved from not being cool with phone to being cool with phone now, although I'm not very comfortable with it still now. So back in my country we have this, you'll not see a kid with phone holding phone just texting or Instagram or anything. You'll not see that. It's not common in my country, especially being in middle school. It's not at all common. But when I came here to the USA, it's really blown my mind to expecting how I see in the hallway, students holding phones, everyone busy with phones, using AI and all that. It was mostly going with traditional way. You were either paper or pen or paper and pencil. You cannot get away with coming to school with a phone. No, no one even liked bringing their phone to school. You have, even if you had a phone and I just got my phone. I think that was this freshman year. Yeah, I just got my phone, my first phone, which I'm using. Lydia: Congratulations. Thank you. It's a big step. I mean, yeah, and it's funny you say that because I'm picturing the four year olds I see in restaurants with the giant iPads and that's every day here. That is my sister. That's how you raise kids. Lexi: That's my sister. Actually, I have a four-year little sister and she loves her big iPad watching shows all the time. So… Z: My 14-year-old sister still doesn't have a phone. My dad is like, if you pass your eighth-grade year, you're going to get a phone. Lydia: Yeah, I got one eighth-grade year and I was actually the last person in my grade to get a phone was being in eighth-grade. I had a Kindle fire before then, which is still technically technology, but I got ice cream in the charger port, so it doesn't really count because once it died it was dead. So I kind of had a phone. Justine: This is so interesting. I'm thinking I'm listening to you, Z, and I'm thinking, okay, wow, something so small a phone, right? That's already in everybody's life for you. A year ago you were already were very surprised by that. What was the difference for you coming from an environment in Ghana where you didn't have a phone to now being with your phone every day, even at school, what was the impact? How do you see it now and is there anything, would you wish for it to change back in your home country or would you rather have that aspect of your experience in Ghana coming back here? I'm curious to know. Z: That's a really good question though. So a really big difference that's hitting me right now is being able to, that transformation was really quick. I feel like it's really quick and I thought is there environment that I'm in that's changing me? And the negative impact will probably be right now I feel like I'm obsessed with my phone too much. Lexi: Yes. We all relate. Z: Yeah, especially with those apps. Instagram and TikTok, although I don't use TikTok, but I feel like maybe we got to take a step back and think about it. We're still kids. We're growing up. It's good that we have technology, there's positive and negatives towards that, but as I'm looking at it, I feel like there's more positive towards it. You going traditional way, you think about it, back in the olden days, they didn't have phones, didn't come until later on they were using paper and pencil. Look at how many inventions they've made that we're able to use now. But looking at now, okay, there are some inventions that some people are making, but it's not too much. You got to take a step back, go back to your traditional way, use your brain, step away from AI, try to, yeah… Justine: She said AI. Lydia: No, I'm really proud to have never used AI on an assignment that is my big flex and the big 2026 as a senior in high school never AI'd an assignment. Well, okay, okay. So if I get stuck on a math problem, I might take a picture o

    Nothing Is Small

  8. Apr 16

    Courage Means Action

    Episode 3:  In this powerful episode, hosts Lexi, Lydia, and Justine welcome their first global guest, Faith from Uganda, to discuss the transformative nature of courage. The group redefines courage not as the absence of fear, but as the decision to take action despite being uncomfortable or afraid. Faith shares her inspiring story of speaking up to bring safe water to her village through WaterStep, saving local girls from long, dangerous journeys and allowing them to stay in school. Lexi and Lydia reflect on personal hurdles, from navigating chronic injuries to the isolation of being the only woman in male-dominated STEM spaces. Justine emphasizes that for women, courage often means pushing through criticism and accepting challenges to prove one's right to lead. Ultimately, the conversation highlights how one act of courage can create a ripple effect of change throughout an entire community. Episode Transcript: Disclaimer:  Please note this episode includes discussions about sexual assault.  Listener discretion is advised. Lydia:  Being brave doesn't feel calm at all.  It's like full-body panic mixed with okay, I'm doing this.  It's sending the message you've deleted 3 times.  It's trying something new and praying it doesn't haunt you in your sleep.  It's raising your hand, even though you already know your words are probably going to come out all wrong.  This episode is about that kind of courage.  The kind that feels big and real on the inside, even if it looks like nothing to everyone else.  How do you stand up for what's right, whether it's for you or for others? Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands podcast, a space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures, each by her own hands at WaterStep.org. Lexi: Hi everyone. This is Lexi. Lydia:                                                            Hey guys, it's Lydia and I'm so excited to be here. I've got a fun story today. Justine: Hi everyone, this is Justine. Good to be here again. Lexi: We have our first global guest today. Her name is Faith and she is from Uganda. Faith, would you like to introduce yourself? Faith: Hi guys. My name is Faith. I'm from Uganda and I'm in Kampala City. We're living in Entebbe, it's like a state. So, I'm so glad to be on with you guys today. Thank you. Lexi: Something I often think about is saying my teacher told me about "20 seconds of insane courage." She described it to me. We were on the UN trip a few weeks ago and we were sort of scared to go network with people we hadn't known and she was like, all it takes is 20 seconds of insane courage. And it really stuck with me because I feel like oftentimes courage we think of as not being afraid to do something. But oftentimes it means doing something you're going to be uncomfortable with, but just doing it anyways and then as 20 seconds can really change a lot. Lydia, do you have a similar experience or something you can relate to about 20 seconds of insane courage? Lydia: Well, I don't know if it was 20 seconds. I've been saying courage, but two years or two days I would say, I've been saying courage. In eighth grade my dad asked me if I want to play hockey and I was like, well, I don't know how to ice skate. I don't know even where I would play hockey and I know nothing about this. But he set me up with a team and I played ice hockey on an all-girls team for four years. I went in and knew no one, I didn't know how to skate, I didn't know how to hit a puck or do anything and it was terrifying. And my friend actually joined it and she was a part of the team as well and she ended up quitting. She's like, it's too much, it's too scary. I can't do it. But I remember just sticking it out because hopefully, I'll love the sport and maybe this can be something fun. And it ended up being one of my favorite things that I've ever done. Justine: That's so great. I love it. I love that you actually had faith and you jumped in there. It really resonates with me because I had those, yeah, 20 seconds of courage, Lexi.  It for me was a couple of days. Absolutely. And it was not jumping into a sport, but maybe joining a new team. You have confidence in your skills, you know your expertise, but then you are the new kid in the block. And then for me, it took courage to actually present my way of working and be accepted. And that was a whole process and where it really hit hard is when I had to lead a group of colleagues that are used to working together and the hardest part was I was the only woman in the room. So my story is really, I'm trying to get to where I'm figuring out whether the courage that we have to put up with as women is always bigger or stronger or it takes a lot because I ended up being in a room of men who are used to working together.  They know their staff and I had to guide and lead the work that we needed to do. It was developing and designing a proposal for a new project and we spent a weekend in the hotel where they were expecting me to fail because I had to tell them how to do it, but also trust myself into knowing what needs to be done. But it was not easy because every single step of the way I would be second guessed or criticized or challenged. And I always thought, is it because I'm a woman? Is it because I'm new to the team or just that they don't realize or they don't accept what I'm saying? But in the end, we won the proposal, we won the project.  We got the funding, but it really stuck with me. It really stuck with me in the sense that courage is also about accepting that you're going to be challenged and you're going to be criticized, but you keep pushing through. That's why I really like your story in terms of pushing through and ended up liking it because there's always success at the end. And Lexi, yeah, I'm glad it took you 20 seconds because it was a lot of time for me to get there. Lexi: Wow, that's a really impactful story. I really like what you touched on about courage is about accepting that you will be challenged. I feel like oftentimes we think courage means there's no fear. The presence of courage means the absence of fear, but I think it's the opposite. It's being able to step into the unknown, step into it knowing you're going to be uncomfortable knowing you're going to be challenged. For me, I actually did not have a 20 seconds of courage moment, but I think that's something that always comes to my mind when I'm in those uncomfortable moments. But something that definitely impacted me more was leg injuries that I've been dealing with since freshman year and I'm now a junior, so it's been a long time, many different injuries, all sort of continuous and as soon as I feel like I'm healing and I'm m PT and I'm about to graduate pt, then I'm right back to square one and then I'm in pain again. And I've had three surgeries, I still need one more and hopefully that will be the one to do it. But from this, I used to play field hockey and obviously with all these leg issues I was sort of put up pause of being a part of the team and being able to play for a long time. And so it was that courage that I had not up until very, very recently that I decided to step away from my sport and really focus on what would that new part of me look like?  What's going to be my new passion? And so then I started leaning into school more and what do I want my career to look like? Let me get more involved with my service and just sort of tapping into all those other aspects of me. But it took a lot of courage and a lot of wavering in the in-between of is this something I fully want to commit to? But I think definitely that feeling of being alone, like you said, you were the only woman in the room. I sort of relate to that of being isolated with my injury. I think definitely just sometimes courage can be isolating and it can just be having the courage to step into the unknown and something that's uncomfortable. Faith, do you have a story that you want to share with us about a time that you had courage? Faith: Yes, please. I really do. So it was back then when I was, I think I was 12 years old by then, so I was living in this really remote area, but then we were a family that was somehow better than the rest who were living there. So, finding what that area was really hard. You have to move long distances to get the water, but then for me, I didn't have to do that because my dad had a way of getting for us water. But my friends used to have to move long distances to go and get that water. And what I mean by a long distance is leaving your village to the next village to go and get water. It was really far for people to move and the women who could do that.  In Africa, we have this culture of a woman is supposed to do such kind works like fetching water and getting firewood and stuff like that.  So they had to move long distances to get and some people could get r@ped on their way and then some others couldn't find their way back home. So this one time I was having a conversation with my dad and I'm like, why can't we find a way of bringing a source of water for the community, so that it's easier for people to get access to water instead of having to move a long distance? And it was really hard for them. So I really felt bad for people. So when I told him that, he was like, he doesn't know what he's going to do about it. But then this one time he talked to Lucy's dad because we got connected to WaterStep through Lucy Westlake's family. So if it wasn't for them, then I don't how I would get connected to WaterStep. I'm really grateful for that as well. So my first project to these guys was the 24th January, 2

    Courage Means Action
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A global podcast that elevates the voices, leadership, and lived wisdom of young women ages 13 to 25 and creates space for shared experiences and learning — brought to you by WaterStep. Here, young women talk honestly about the things that shape their lives: purpose, identity, belonging, confidence, leadership, faith, fear, friendship, the future - and the small, everyday moments that teach them who they are and who they're becoming. What It Is and What It's Not: Inspiring and impact-driven stories form the heart of each episode. Real anecdotal stories, not interviews. Laughter, vulnerability, and reflection are expected and welcome. No adult lectures. For more information visit www.WaterStep.org

Information

  • Creator
    WaterStep
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    By Her Hands