It was like watching my baby walk for the first time. When I saw Emotional Creature, I have never been so proud to be a part of something. Every day I thank God that someone told my high school about Eve Ensler's project, or else I probably would have never been where I am now.
I am a "V-Girl": a girl who has grown into a woman who loves herself and everything that is associated with self. I love my past, my present and I certainly look forward to my future, because there was a freedom given to me through Eve's work. It is the freedom to say the word "vagina" and not feel the need to do the apologetic cringe afterward, the courage to talk about my sexual abuse in public to hopefully empower other girls to free themselves of the experiences that bind them. I have always been an artist -- writing slam poetry has and will forever be my niche -- but Eve opened up a door with Emotional Creature. Suddenly, I was slapped with the realization that words have the power to be universal, and they are in Emotional Creature. You hear stories of girls in Africa and China and several different countries around the world, and somehow their story relates to yours. Their pain becomes your pain, and their liberation makes it possible for you to dream and therefore pursue a freedom you never thought possible.
You know, you never really notice that you've grown until you start making comparisons. For me, I have always gauged my growth on the siblings of my friends. "Oh Johnny is in high school now! When did that happen?" Other than that, I have never been able to tell that I was getting taller or that my intellect was gaining momentum. But after seeing this wonderful production of Emotional Creature, I can honestly say that I have witnessed my growth as a woman. It started in 2010 with an insecure girl who was given the chance to take the stage in a workshop reading of Emotional Creature directed by Rosario Dawson. A girl who wanted nothing but family because she didn't have her own, a girl with a secret that was haunting her dreams and affecting her every day, a girl who smiled because it was convenient not because it was truth. The only time I was able to tell the world of my story was through the words Eve gave me in the piece. I was able to proclaim that I was a "Refuser" in a room full of people who cared that I was. When I said them then, I wasn't a refuser. I was someone stuck waiting to be offered the chance to be one. But sitting in that chair watching the beautiful women on the stage reclaim their sexuality and fight with words that came from souls forced to be silent, made me realize how much of a refuser I am today.
I am so very proud of everyone involved in the production and I pray that as many youth as possible are exposed to this piece. It is extremely important and can save the lives of many with its truth. I plan on doing everything I can to spread the word. May the world make way for the emotional creatures who aren't afraid to dance!
Read more at http://emotionalcreature.com and www.v-girls.org.