In the weeks leading up to International Women’s Day we’re profiling women who inspire us. March 8th also marks the date the summiting of Mt. Kilimanjaro by the Curvy Kili Crew—a group of trailblazing women that includes member and paralegal Yolanda Berry. When we look at Yolanda, we see dedication, strength, creativity, and enough initiative to always finish the climb. Keep reading to learn more about why Yolanda inspires us.

Written by Yolanda Berry

My superpowers are authenticity, humor, and determination.

My power outfit is my unitard! There’s nowhere to hide in it—everything is on display. (Arms! Tummy!) Having the confidence to wear it makes me feel free and powerful, and, therefore, it’s the most comfortable piece of clothing I own.

My dream is to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. At least in the short term and for the last 18 months, I’ve dreamed about almost nothing else. In the long term, I would love to explore alternative career options that support my passions, like travel, fashion, and making art.

I can’t live without a creative outlet—even better when that outlet is a physical activity. It is so important to my well-being to have hobbies that quiet my mind and enrich my life.

I feel my best when my body is moving through space and time. My favorite way to do this is through dance, yoga, and hiking. There is something about feeling the strength, fluidity, and grace of my own body that makes my heart sing.

There is something about feeling the strength, fluidity, and grace of my own body that makes my heart sing.

The woman who has inspired my life or career the most is an attorney: Melanie Grace. Even though I also work in the legal field, I met her in a college math class of all places. We spent many hours studying together—I wouldn’t have made it to calculus without her. She has faced so much adversity and tragedy, yet she is still the most positive, supportive, and encouraging woman I know. She inspires me to always remain happy and thankful, no matter what troubles may slide my way.

My hero is my mom. Single-mom life is tough, and even as she’s now caring for my mentally ill little brother, it never ends. She is incredibly resilient, generous, and kind. She’s my biggest cheerleader and my strongest warrior.

I’m inspired when I am surrounded by creative people. Artists and creators, thinkers and makers. I get inspired by the beauty in their work and it gives me perspective for what I can accomplish on my own.

I hope to inspire women to try something new. Little steps lead to big steps. Don’t say no before you even get started. Instead of thinking about why something will be hard or how your body may hold you back, think of all the wonderful things it has done, and the new things you can learn to do together.

It’s important to find women to inspire you, look up to, and mentor you because we are stronger together. Women are caretakers and it’s vital to our success to nurture each other and ourselves.

When women support women, we all become stronger. The value of a support system is immeasurable. Surround yourself with women who want the very best for you.

Do you have a style icon who’s inspired you? Share a photo of her with #WhatISeeInHer and you might be featured in a future blog post!