Editor’s note: This is one in a short series of interviews with local women as part of our continuing Women’s History Month coverage.
No woman is an island. In reviewing life’s tapestry we discover the women who have and continue to play significant roles in our soul’s growth. Some we have known since birth, some joined us along life’s journey, while others appeared in auspicious timing, with a necessary word or conversation, relevant during a crucial moment. They may be part of the family we are born into, a family we chose, or a combination of both.
Some may be here, some may be gone, but all worked in orchestral tandem to mold us into who we are today. We honor the women in our own lives who have empowered and inspired, shared sage wisdom, offered their shoulder, and held space. In recognition of Women’s History Month, we ask the question: Who are the women that made you?
Pawn Nitichan
Executive Director, City Year New Hampshire
Vice President, City Year Inc.
My ancestors, my grandmothers, great-grandmothers and all the women who came before me and in my family is the first answer that came to mind, and of course, my mother, she’s one of those – of the stereotypical – Tiger moms. She had impossibly high standards, and high expectations for all of her children. Ever since I was a child she would say that not only do you have to get good grades, but you also need to know how to do other things well, like cooking, cleaning, and public speaking. Basically, you don’t ask anybody to do anything for you, unless you know how to do it really well yourself. My mother has an incredible work ethic.
Another woman in my life, I absolutely have to mention, is my older sister. She’s the kindest and most giving person I have ever known. I wanted to grow up to be just like her! I used to copy her handwriting, that was how much I wanted to be like her. I think that the combination of my mother and my sister informed a lot of the early foundation of who I am. I also know that all that I learned from both my mother and my sister made it possible for me to travel alone when I was just 20 years old to a country on the other side of the planet.
In my early years in the U.S., there was an important woman in my life, my late professor. Her name was Mrs. Atherton. Note that I’m barely five feet tall, and Mrs. Atherton might be even smaller than me! She was a small, fierce, and fair professor. She recognized my struggle with being new to the country and culture and she extended her care and regard toward me. When I first came to Baltimore I would venture out to my classes in sandals and cotton skirts during winter months. It was not like New Hampshire’s winter, but it was rather cold for someone who grew up in a tropical country. Mrs. Atherton would gently give me tips and advice. Aside from her care toward my wellbeing, she also saw my academic potential. She believed in me and my ability, and I aspire to be the person that she saw in me. Mrs. Atherton and I kept in touch over the years. In the end, along with her two children, I became a part of her caretaker team when she was ill. I cooked her last meal, gave her her last bath, and I was with her when she took her last breath. Even in her passing and her death she gave me a profound life lesson.
I’m fortunate to have had amazing professional female mentors and role models in my life. They played critical roles at various junctures in my career. With the many barriers I have faced, without these important women, I would not have succeeded in overcoming them and having the impact I’ve been fortunate to have. I won’t name them individually now because we’ll be here all day. I will however call out one group; young women that came through my City Year program. Over the past two decades I worked with City Year (an AmeriCorps program that unites young adults from diverse backgrounds for a demanding year of full-time community service with a focus on supporting students in public schools), I am lucky to have met hundreds of passionate, idealistic, strong, kind, independent, and caring young women. Their commitment to students, their love and care for their teammates, and their desire to learn and grow and make this world a better place, inspires me daily. I have learned so much from them over the years, including learning to be a better leader and a better person. They also keep me young in spirit!
One woman that had a strong effect on me is a woman from Peru. She worked as a cleaning lady at the Timberland company. This is when our City Year office was embedded inside the Timberland corporate headquarters. She’s an amazing person, and I would bet you that she touched so many lives of the people that worked in that building, and it’s all because she would always greet you with a smile on her face. Day in and day out, she would be singing as she was working. I got to know her a little bit and learned that she was going through heartbreaking family-separation circumstances. I would think to myself, wow, this is strength, this is somebody that I really admire. It’s also a powerful demonstration that it doesn’t matter what your jobs occupation is, you have the ability to touch other’s lives.
Thank you for asking such a great question. It really is wonderful to be able to think about and pay tribute to these wonderful people and give recognition to them. It’s not about people being perfect, or national heroes (not to say that such people don’t make an important impact), but even a child of five years old can have a powerful impact. There are so many sources of inspiration and our connectivity within one human race. If we see the connectedness and humanity that we are, and see that we are all tied to one another, I think that we’ll have a better and more peaceful world.
More in this series:
- Who are the women that made you? A conversation with Larissa Baia of Lake Region Community College
- Cecilia Ulibarri: Who are the women that made you?
